Manifestation of Autism in the Series The Good Doctor

Manifestation of Autism in the Series The Good Doctor
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Manifestation of Autism in the Series The Good Doctor
The Good Doctor is an American medical drama series adapted from the 2013 South Korean film of the same title. A key feature of the series is that the lead actor, a qualified medical doctor, has autism, and it makes his job both equally challenging and seamless compared to other doctors. The presence of autistic characters in movies and TV shows is rare. Therefore, The Good Doctor provides an excellent basis on how autism manifests itself in public spaces like work environments. Autism refers to a developmental disorder of variable severity whose traits include difficulties in social interactions and communication (Hodges, Fealko, & Soares, 2020). The current paper seeks to examine the manifestation of autism in the TV show as portrayed by the character and the people around him. 
Manifestation of Autism in the Series
From a medical perspective, autism is considered an autism spectrum because its symptoms vary from mild to severe in different people. The spectrum finds that each individual with autism displays different characteristics, faces different challenges, and has different abilities. Shaun Murphy, for instance, has traces of savant syndrome, which is demonstrated by his photographic memory abilities. According to Treffert (2009), only one out of ten autistic individuals have savant syndrome. Therefore, Shaun Murphy’s depiction of autism may not necessarily depict the same experience as other autistic individuals. This is because there is no one-size-fits-all definition of where a person falls on the autism spectrum. On the other hand, however, the doctor depicts traits that could be assumed as universal symptoms for autistic individuals, like avoiding eye contact with others, little emotions, and the struggle to deal with people on a personal level. 
A profound moment in the film occurs when Dr. Glassman convinces the board to hire Murphy. In his words, Dr. Glassman convincingly argued that “…aren’t we judged on how we treat people…as people. Especially those who do not have the same disadvantages that we have. We hire Shaun, and we give hope to those people with limitations, that those limitations are not what they think they are…we hire Shaun, and we make this hospital better for it” (French, Highmore, & Yu, 2017). His argument suggests that despite the condition, autistic individuals can function and exist effectively in workplaces and public spaces, contrary to long-held opinions. The manifestation of autism in the series shows both the difficulties faced by the autistic and their ability to lead a normal life despite the difficulties.
The first manifestation is that autistic people prefer social isolation. Murphy lives a solitary life despite Dr. Glassman’s insistence that he could live with him. He also appears to have difficulties connecting with other people personally, reinforcing his socially isolated trait. Medical studies have established that social isolation is high among individuals with an autism spectrum disorder. Another important manifestation is that atyp...