The Good Lawyer - What We Know So Far
ABC has never been afraid to spin off from the network's most popular shows. The medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" produced two spinoffs over the course of its 18-seasons and counting run: "Private Practice" and "Station 19." Similarly, the sitcom "The Goldbergs" led to the spinoff "Schooled," and the police procedural "The Rookie" has its own recently-premiered spinoff, titled "The Rookie: Feds."
The newest addition to the group is set to be "The Good Lawyer." Deadline has reported that ABC is currently developing a spinoff series from its medical procedural "The Good Doctor," which will focus on a young lawyer in a law firm. The Korean drama "Good Doctor," which the ABC series was adapted from, does not have a corresponding spinoff, making this a wholly original series. Two of the show's main characters will make their debut on "The Good Doctor" before moving on to "The Good Lawyer."
Here's what we know so far about "The Good Lawyer."
What is the plot of The Good Lawyer?
"The Good Lawyer" will revolve around Joni, a lawyer in her 20s who's a relative newcomer at a prestigious law firm. While she's a brilliant lawyer, Joni also struggles with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which she has to live with, but tries to not let the condition run her life, per Variety.
Despite her talent as a lawyer, Joni's employer tried to fire her for her OCD-related behavior. This leads her to threaten to sue them for potentially violating the ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, which lawfully prevents American corporations from discriminating against people with disabilities in matters of employment, among other things.
One of the firm's partners is a fellow lawyer named Janet, who was involved in the attempt to fire Joni. In the show's backdoor pilot on "The Good Doctor," Janet has a prior professional relationship with Dr. Glassman, played by Richard Schiff. So when "The Good Doctor," Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore), ends up in legal trouble of his own, Dr. Glassman calls Janet. Shaun, however, decides he wants Joni to represent him instead, causing Janet to see her colleague Join in a new light.
Janet and Joni appear to be set to develop a mentor-mentee relationship over the course of "The Good Lawyer."
Who are the creative forces behind The Good Lawyer?
The cast of "The Good Lawyer" has yet to be announced. The show's pilot, however, is written by David Shore and Liz Friedman, who are currently co-showrunners for "The Good Doctor." Shore also developed "The Good Doctor" for ABC from a Korean show of the same name, and previously been the sole showrunner, while Friedman was an executive producer on the series prior to taking on co-showrunning duties.
Friedman and Shore will also be executive producers on "The Good Lawyer," alongside Erin Gunn, who will represent Shore Z, Sony TV, and ABC Signature, both of which produce "The Good Doctor" alongside Shore Z, will also be onboard for "The Good Lawyer."
While there isn't an official word yet on "The Good Lawyer" being picked up to series, the fact that many of the producers of "The Good Doctor" are onboard means there's a very likely chance of this happening. ABC has previously been involved in spinoffs for its other series, and previously attempted to make another spinoff from "The Good Doctor," focusing on the character of Dr. Claire Browne (Antonia Thomas) during her time working for Doctors Without Borders (via Deadline).
Where can people see The Good Doctor?
"The Good Doctor" will return for its sixth season on ABC on Monday, October 3, airing once again at 10 p/m ET. The show's last season, its fifth, is available on ABC's official website, and all five seasons of the show are available to stream on Hulu.
DirecTV's streaming service also has the show's first season, as well as selected episodes from its fifth season, while Fubo also has the show's fifth season. All five seasons of the show are also available for digital purchase on Amazon, Vudu, Microsoft TV, and Apple TV, while Google Play has the first four seasons available for digital purchase as well.
The South Korean drama "Good Doctor," from which the ABC series was adapted, ran for one season and is available to stream in the US on both Kucowa and Rakuten streaming services.
"The Good Lawyer" is sure to premiere on ABC, just like its parent show, and is quite likely to make it onto the same streaming services as "The Good Doctor," given that both shows share producers. This means that Hulu will be the most likely place to be able to stream "The Good Lawyer" for those who miss it during airtime or want to re-watch episodes or seasons.