The Best And Worst Shaun And Lea Moments On The Good Doctor

In a world of dark, heavy dramas reflecting the dark, heavy news stories that seem to dominate the headlines, "The Good Doctor" offers a much-needed injection of optimism and heart. Adapted from a South Korean drama by actor-executive producer Daniel Dae Kim, the charming ABC series follows the professional and personal life of Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore), a phenomenally brilliant surgeon who also happens to be autistic. Against a backdrop of sweetly inspirational music, the show's refreshingly diverse cast navigates predictably complicated surgical cases while Shaun and those around him gradually come to embrace the challenges and gifts of a more neurodiverse workplace and world.

Of all the romantic relationships that populate the series, Shaun's relationship with literal girl next door Lea Dilallo (Paige Sparo) is one of the most endearing, but also the most divisive. Like many of the best IRL couplings, theirs began with a close friendship that has helped them both grow over the course of the series. While their story hasn't always been easy, the couple's chemistry and enduring commitment to each other have managed to win over their share of naysayers over the years. Let's take a closer look at some of the best and worst Shaun and Lea moments on "The Good Doctor" according to fans and critics.

Unfortunately, one of Shaun and Lea's sweetest moments would shortly be followed by one of their saddest when Lea dropped a painful newsflash on a very hungover Shaun at breakfast the next morning. As the friends had been growing closer, Lea had been quietly considering the opportunity to walk away from the daily grind to go work on cars at her late uncle's garage. Her mini-vacation with Shaun made her realize she didn't want to spend her days as a cog in the machine navigating conference calls and "never-ending meetings." Her only regret, she told Shaun, was that the move would mean packing up and moving thousands of miles away to Hershey, Pennsylvania.

The news devastated Shaun and fans alike and would lead to sharp criticism of Lea's actions from some fans, who found her manic pixie vibes off-putting and self-absorbed. Viewer dierregi summed up this view in a scathing critique, calling Lea an "over-cheerful" character with a "pretty vacant face" that demonstrates how "totally self-centered and unaware" she is to Shaun's autism and responsibilities as a surgeon. Others felt Lea had taken advantage of Shaun as a neurodivergent individual, especially given Shaun's difficulty interpreting others' intentions and actions. Regardless, this difficult moment would go down as one of Shaun's more painful experiences on "The Good Doctor."

Before becoming roommates, Lea and Shaun were aware of the depth of their connection and its potential for romance. Because they valued their friendship so dearly, they took the decision to become roommates seriously, carefully weighing the possibilities before signing a lease (Season 2, Episode 5, "Carrots"). Over time, the besties gradually settled into their life as roommates, adopting a goldfish, learning each other's habits, and supporting each other's dating relationships. But as Shaun's relationship with St. Bonaventure pathologist Dr. Carly Lever (Jasika Nicole) heats up, so does her insecurity over Lea and Shaun's closeness.

After seeing his dying abusive father in Wyoming, Shaun becomes distraught and begins severely stimming and hitting himself, a condition affecting autistic individuals that is sometimes referred to as a "meltdown." Lea comforts him by wrapping her arms around him until morning (Season 3, Episode 10, "Friends and Family"). Learning about this is painful for Carly after she and Shaun worked so hard to achieve basic levels of intimacy like hand-holding. She gives Shaun an ultimatum: Lea needs to move out for the pair to stay together (Season 3, Episode 11, "Fractured"). While fans of Sharly found his hasty agreement and declaration of love was a huge win, many viewers felt the chemistry between Shaun and Carly was lacking and their relationship seemed "forced." For those still on the Good Ship Shea, the moment was a devastating blow.

As with any serious breakup, Shaun has a tough time finding his bearings after things end with Carly, at one point solemnly asking Park (Will Yun Lee), "How do you move on?" After coming to terms with everything Carly said, Shaun concludes that while he loves both Lea and Carly, he loves Lea more (Season 3, Episode 16, "Autopsy"). Taking Carly's advice, he declares his feelings to Lea, who replies with an absolutely crushing response. In one of the most heartbreaking and controversial scenes of "The Good Doctor," Lea tells Shaun that although she also loves him, they can't be together. He calls her out on it, pressing, "You don't want to be my girlfriend because I have autism?" A stunned Lea can't even respond, instead walking away and leaving both of them in tears. 

One of the most divisive scenes in the series, this brutal moment of truth for Shaun and Lea opened the doorway for some frank and nuanced discussions of a reality that many autistic individuals face when dating. Some fans found Lea's behavior despicable, lamented the pressure to put the pairing together, or worried that Shaun wasn't given time to process the loss of his relationship with Carly. On the other hand, many praised the "realistic portrayal" and Lea's honest expression of her fears with someone she cares about so deeply. But no matter which side you fall on, the episode was undeniably emotional.

Before the earthquake forces Shaun and Lea to finally work through their feelings, one of the most painful and devastating moments in "The Good Doctor" plays out in the parking lot outside Lea's apartment (Season 3, Episode 18, "Heartbreak"). After witnessing the catharsis a patient's girlfriend experiences while trashing her beau's Porsche with a baseball bat, a drink-fueled Shaun shows up at Lea's place wielding his own to exorcise his own pain. As he is steeling his courage to destroy her "Striped Tomato," a confused Lea appears.

When Shaun can't bring himself to do it, he instead focuses his anger on Lea. In his merciless takedown, he criticizes her inability to keep a boyfriend or a job, "You're going to end up alone, and you deserve it! Because you're a superficial, selfish, and prejudiced person!" The scene is painful to watch, and Freddie Highmore gives a gut-wrenching and complex performance that captures the heartache of a person whose trust has been broken by the person they were once closest to. Fans noted that the words he chose were far more destructive than a baseball bat to her car would have been, with many arguing that he went too far. As one Redditor wrote, "Brutal, harsh, and overboard. A great reminder, though, of the regrettable things anyone can say when under extreme stress/grief/pain." 

Although for many Shea shippers, Lea and Shaun finally getting together after the earthquake was well-earned, it was a divisive moment for the "Good Doctor" fandom. Many were so dissatisfied with the outcome they vowed to turn off the show altogether. One fan expressed frustration at the "Grey's Anatomy"-esque focus on romance, calling Lea a "terrible" character who had been "awful to Shaun in the past" and didn't deserve a speedy redemption arc. Other fans agreed, with one asserting that the series had "turned into yet another typical doctor drama series." Another IMDb reviewer expressed frustration at the seemingly wasted time and effort put into Shaun learning to deal with rejection and even promising Vera he would move on, only to go back on his word at the sight of Lea. When Lea suddenly changed her mind, they felt the couple's romance was contrived and soapy. 

Even among those who didn't lambaste the romantic storyline, many fans felt the couple's reconciliation worked better as part of a series finale than a season finale. Along with other storylines in the episode, they argued that the epic romantic quality of their kiss seemed to give a sense of closure for the series. Between the death of a major character, Park's decision to reconnect with his family, and Shaun and Lea's fairytale ending, many fans wondered where "The Good Doctor" could go from here. 

While one of the most tragic moments in Shaun and Lea's relationship, the couple's miscarriage would also prove one of the more masterfully handled plots of "The Good Doctor." As is the case for many first-time parents, pregnancy puts a strain on Shaun and Lea's relationship during Season 4. When Lea's body is overcome by nausea and pregnancy symptoms, the couple's intimacy starts to break down and Shaun begins to feel disconnected from her (Season 4, Episode 13, "Spilled Milk"). In turn, Lea feels frustrated and hurt. But like everything they've been through together, the pair work through it with communication and love.

Tragically, Lea suffers a devastating late miscarriage at 22 weeks not long after learning she's expecting a girl. In a mournful scene that was praised by fans, Shaun silently delivers the news to a grief-stricken Lea (Season 4, Episode 16, "Dr. Ted"). Many fans who had been rooting for the couple's journey as parents responded strongly to the loss, expressing concern that the relationship wouldn't be able to recover from such a blow. Redditor Topay84 wrote that for some couples, loss can serve as a "springboard to grow stronger," hoping this would be the case with Shaun and Lea. 

With his wedding on the horizon and new corporate supervillain Salen (Rachel Bay Jones) buzzing about St. Bonaventure making everyone miserable, Shaun copes by obsessing over wedding cake flavors. Lea leaves the decision up to her fiancé, a decision everyone around him comes to regret as he pours himself into the project to the point of near-obsession. As the hospital around him is in upheaval, Shaun remains focused on cake, even developing a "basic ranked-choice vote" to poll his colleagues, which he declares is "not as nuanced as the Kemeny-Young method" while handing out samples of cake. In a typical expression of Shaun's brilliance, he solves the puzzle by deciding to stack all four flavors of cake, giving everyone what they want. 

Unfortunately, with the distraction of cake flavors off the table (pun intended), Shaun can no longer ignore the many changes Salen makes and their impact on his sensory issues, and his real feelings bubble to the surface. In a masterful performance, Highmore depicts Shaun gradually stimming more and more until experiencing a meltdown. Thankfully, his good friends and dearest love are there to support him. Many autistic fans praised Highmore's portrayal of meltdowns, with one writer explaining the importance of letting an autistic individual calm down rather than escalating the situation. And as "The Good Doctor" teaches us, it's worth the effort to learn that when it comes to wedding cakes or neurodiversity, variety makes everything better.