The Good Doctor kills off major character in shock final season twist

The episode, entitled Who At Peace, aired in the US on Tuesday 2nd April and saw Noah Galvin's Dr Asher Wolke targeted in an antisemitic attack that, unfortunately, led to his death.

The twist was unexpected for fans, especially as the episode also included Asher's boyfriend Jerome (Giacomo Baessato) preparing to propose to Asher to mark their second anniversary.

Earlier in the episode, Asher had been helping at a patient's wedding, and drove the rabbi home to find that thugs were vandalising the synagogue. Once Asher had told them to leave, he went on to say that he cared about the vandalisation because he is Jewish and told them that he was calling the police.

But just when it appeared as though everything was resolved and the men had walked away, they returned and fatally struck Asher in the head, leaving him for dead.

The title card at the end of the episode read: “If you or anyone you know has experienced antisemitism, racism, anti-LGBTQ+ related incidents or hate crimes, or if you want to learn more about what you can do to stop hate, please visit splcenter.org.”

While it is the final season of The Good Doctor, the shock death of Asher will undoubtedly come as a major shock to fans of the series. Ahead of being released, this fifth episode had been referred to as a “must-see” that would include a “heart-stopping” moment.

Asher was introduced in season 4 of the hit medical drama and was then promoted to a series regular by the end of that series. But the upcoming episode is set to deal with the fallout from the devastation, with the synopsis teasing that "the team must deal with a mass casualty event that forces them to put aside their emotions following a recent tragedy".

This final season of The Good Doctor will comprise of 10 episodes and is already at the halfway point. Fans will just have to wait and see what other shockers may come their way.

ABC previously announced the news of The Good Doctor's end earlier in January, alongside the news of cancellations of Station 19 and The Good Lawyer, the legal spin-off of The Good Doctor.

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Speaking at the time in a statement, co-showrunners David Shore and Liz Friedman and fellow executive producer Erin Gunn said: "The Good Doctor has been a once in a lifetime opportunity, but it’s time to say goodbye.

"We are incredibly proud of the work we’ve done and the message we’ve been privileged to be a part of. We look forward to giving our fantastic fans, the truly extraordinary Freddie Highmore, the rest of our talented actors (and friends), and the best crew in the business the series ending that you all deserve.

"Thank you, Sony; thank you, ABC; thank you all."

The Good Doctor season 7 continues on Tuesday 9th April 2024 on ABC at 10pm ET/PT, the season premieres in the UK on Wednesday 10th April on Sky Witness and NOW.

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