12 Shows Like The Good Doctor You Should Check Out

In a media landscape where every streaming network has bigger and bolder shows premiering every week while cable and network television have upped their game to crank out ever-better television, it can be hard to find a hit — especially in well-worn genres. However, despite popular medical dramas all over the proverbial dial, one more broke through in 2018, the quirky and light-hearted "The Good Doctor." 

"Bates Motel" star Freddie Highmore plays Dr. Shaun Murphy, a young doctor and prodigy whose autism and savant syndrome make him a highly skilled surgeon but emotionally and socially distant. Though it's been criticized for its handling of autism (via The Hollywood Reporter), there's no doubting the show's quality. Led by an acclaimed actor, the series sets itself apart from its peers with a mix of drama, heart, and a strong central character. With five seasons aired and counting, the show has climbed its way to the top of the medical procedural heap, alongside greats like "Grey's Anatomy" and "Chicago Med." 

However, even if you're a diehard fan of "The Good Doctor," there are plenty of similar shows you could be watching, both old and new. Some are medical dramas, others are focused on similarly brilliant savants, while some just have the same solid blend of comedy and drama. If you love Dr. Murphy, who else should you be watching? We're glad you asked because this is a list of a dozen shows like "The Good Doctor" that you should check out.

While perhaps a bit more cynical and dour than "The Good Doctor," the long-running drama "House, M.D." still has much in common with the Freddie Highmore starring medical procedural. In addition to being led by a troubled savant, here played by British actor Hugh Laurie, the show was developed by David Shore, the same man behind "The Good Doctor." With Shore in the driver's seat, you'll no doubt notice many tonal similarities, but here a much darker twist.

Loosely inspired by Sherlock Holmes, Laurie plays Dr. Gregory House, a shrewd and acerbic man with a genius intellect who can size up any problem and quickly come up with a solution. Accompanied by his loyal companion, best friend, and assistant physician Wilson, House runs his hospital with the cold and clinical precision of the famed detective. However, House is often his own worst enemy, a maverick professional who refuses to do anything by the book even when it might be the right thing to do. Plagued with several harmful habits, he also has a penchant for making bad personal choices that turn his life upside down.

With an all-star cast that includes Olivia Wilde and Omar Epps, "House M.D." was acclaimed for its dry wit, dramatic twists and turns, and high-class storytelling. Plus, with more than 170 episodes for you to watch, it'll keep you busy for months once you have run out of episodes of "The Good Doctor" and are looking for something new. 

Perhaps one of the most underrated medical comedy dramas of the past decade, "Good Sam" shares more in common with the Freddie Highmore series than having the word "Good" in its title. Though the series' main character, Dr. Sam Griffith (Sophia Bush) may not be the young savant that Dr. Shaun Murphy is, she is put into a similarly uncomfortable position. While Dr. Murphy is out of place in his hospital as the young genius working alongside a staff of older, more experienced contemporaries, Griffith is put in charge of her hospital after her father — the former chief of surgery — falls into a coma.

Things get even more uncomfortable when the senior Dr. Griffith recovers and wants back on the job. Now, Dr. Sam is forced into the unenviable position of commanding her own father at Lakeshore Sentinel Hospital. Dr. Rob Griffith is a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, but when returns he has no choice but to take orders from his daughter. Still, Dr. Sam is more than up to the task and impresses everyone, including dear old dad.

While it was sadly short-lived, only lasting a single season and 13 episodes, its brief run makes it an easy pick to pop on while you're waiting for the next episode of "The Good Doctor."

If we look outside the United States for a foreign medical drama, there are plenty of contenders to choose from. Among them is one that you should definitely check out if you like "The Good Doctor" is the BBC One series "This Is Going to Hurt," a series inspired by a true story. Based on the memoirs of TV writer Adam Kay, it fictionalizes his account of his early career as a junior doctor who finds himself over his head during his medical training in an obstetrics and gynaecology ward in an NHS hospital. 

An honest look at the unseen world of public medicine in the United Kingdom, the series grabs the audience's attention for its unflinching look at the struggles facing the nation's underfunded and under-supported medical staff. Like "The Good Doctor," though, the series also delves into the personal lives of the hospital staff and how their tireless work takes its toll on them even during their off-hours. Praised by critics and fans for its medical accuracy and frank depiction of the state of women's health care, it never holds back from showing the harsh truth of the doctor's challenges. 

With stellar performances led by series star Ben Whishaw, it's a bit heavier on the drama than "The Good Doctor," though it certainly has its lighter moments. If you are looking for something on the serious side, this is it.

"Hold on," you may be thinking, "a similar series with the same title?" Well, what many fans may not realize is that "The Good Doctor" is actually an American remake of a critically acclaimed medical dramedy from South Korea. Though the series aired for just one season and 20 episodes in 2013, it received rave reviews and earned several prestigious awards in its home country. Like the remake, it centers on a young physician, this time at a children's hospital and here named Shi-on, whose autism and savant syndrome make life and work a challenge. 

When airing in 2013, the series drew the attention of South Korean native and "Hawaii Five-O" actor Daniel Dae Kim. Immediately snapping up the rights to make an American version of the series, he began shopping it around. After being rejected by CBS twice, Dae Kim eventually connected with "House" creator David Shore, who helped get the show on the air with ABC.

What most sets the two shows apart, however, is their overall tone, as the original is a slower, more methodically paced story, lacking the quick, snappy dialog and fast-paced medical action. The result is an engrossing story with even more emotion, and those who like the more tender, touching side of "The Good Doctor" will appreciate the original even more.

Moving from the grounded realism of a Wyoming hospital to parallel realities across the vastness of the multiverse, "Sliders" is another series with a brilliant young mind at its center. Like Murphy, Quinn Mallory is a brilliant young man whose intellect has made it hard for him to make friends. However, instead of turning to medicine, Mallory has turned to science and has discovered the key to accessing alternate realities in his parents' basement. With the help of his friend Wade, local professor Maximillian Arturo, and eccentric car salesman Rembrandt Brown, Mallory decides to explore these parallel worlds.

Once Mallory and his gang of rag-tag misfits go jaunting through dimensions, they quickly find themselves lost and unable to find their way back to their own reality. Now, they must travel through an infinite number of alternate realms in search of their own. Along the way, they discover different Earths that are wildly different. Some memorable episodes depict worlds in which the Soviet Union has conquered the West, a society where women control society, and even a reality where wasps have nearly wiped out the human race.

Sometimes dark, sometimes humorous, but always loads of fun, "Sliders" imagines what would happen if a genius like Dr. Shaun Murphy decided to take a grand adventure across the multiverse.

Unlike most shows on this list, "Nurse Jackie" doesn't feature an unusually brilliant, genius medical professional — just an ordinarily brilliant one — but does share its strong balance of story and character, as well as a mix of quirky comedy and medical melodrama. Starring "The Sopranos" alum Edie Falco in the title role, the series aired on premium cable channel Showtime beginning in 2009, it ran for seven strong seasons before concluding in 2015. 

Developed to be something different, creators Liz Brixius, Evan Dunsky, and Linda Wallem eschewed the focus on the more glamorous doctors, choosing instead to give the spotlight to a nurse, one of the unsung heroes of a big city hospital. A dedicated and determined caregiver, Jackie goes to great lengths to get the job done even as the failing system throws numerous obstacles in her path. However, like "House, M.D." this series follows a medical professional who has a bad habit that she has to hide from everyone around her.

A half-hour comedy with touches of drama that highlight Falco's immense talents, each season of "Nurse Jackie" continued to top itself. With moving stories and light laughs, it's one of the better hospital shows of the 2010s, and if you didn't catch it then, there's no reason you shouldn't be binging it now, especially if you're a fan of "The Good Doctor."