Why ABC canceled The Good Doctor after 7 seasons

As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. However, in the world of television, some goodbyes are surprising. CBS has canceled Blue Bloods in 2024 after deciding to renew its programming, even as the police procedural continued to garner respectable network ratings. Similarly, ABC ended The Good Doctor after seven successful seasons, seemingly refusing to renegotiate some key contracts.

According to DeadlineSony Pictures Television has reportedly not approached the cast and its lead star Freddie Highmore about renewing their deals after they expired. The report claims that the powers that be considered making a limited eighth season, but in the end, they made a tough call to stop the hit medical drama. Highmore was reportedly open to returning for another season, but it appears that ABC was more interested in cutting costs.

The good news, however, is that The Good Doctor had a satisfying ending, unlike many great shows that were canceled too soon. While Highmar was reportedly open to returning for an eighth installment, the actor is happy with how the show ended.

Freddie Highmore hosted The Good Doctor as Dr. Sean Murphy for seven years, so it’s understandable why he was emotional after the show was canceled. During the conversation with Diversitythe actor compared the transition from the series to graduating from high school, as it was a bittersweet and exciting experience. In his own words:

“I think the overall feeling that I felt is like graduation. You feel nostalgic because you realize how special the last few years have been with this group of people, and you realize that I’m never going to do it again at another time. sure, it’s exciting and emotional, but at the same time, like graduation, you’re excited to do other things and move on.

For now, The Good Doctor is over, but fans of medical stories have other series to look forward to. As of this writing, Grey’s Anatomy is still in development The long-awaited revival of Bill Lawrence’s Scrubs officially moving forward. With that in mind, it’s entirely possible that “The Good Doctor” will be resuscitated down the line, but in the meantime, the residents of St. Bonaventure Hospital will be busy with other things.