"The Good Doctor" Series Premiere, Sept. 25

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Lead actor Freddie Highmore, who plays Murphy, says he hopes the series represents a new evolution in how television portrays autistic characters.

"I'm not sure if it's unique, but it's certainly rare to own the subject as much as The Good Doctor is doing," Highmore tells TimeOut. "And I feel that's necessary.

Adapted from an award-winning South Korean series by House creator David Shore, The Good Doctor begins with Murphy joining the surgical staff of a prestigious New Mexico hospital at the behest of his mentor and close friend, hospital president Aaron Glassman (The West Wing's Richard Schiff). It's a move that is met with resistance by almost everybody else in the hospital.

"You see the extent to which people with autism are discriminated against in the workplace," says Highmore, who viewers will recognise as the former British child star from Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate FactorY.

Often those conversations take place behind closed doors and we're not even aware that they're going on. And so I think having a show that will hopefully spark a dialogue and doesn't seek to hide behind a wishy-washy sense of whether the lead character does or doesn't have autism, I think is important."

Highmore admits the subject matter comes with a certain degree of responsibility.

"We felt that responsibility from the very beginning in wanting to make sure that Shaun never becomes a caricature."

The Good Doctor will help put to rest some of the cliches about autism.

"I think that what sets Shaun apart from perhaps other portrayals of people who have autism on TV and in film, is that he's not that stereotypically emotionless person. We get to see what makes him laugh, who he may fall in love with, how and when he's happy and what excites him. It's not about negating the very real struggle that he faces by dint of having autism, but at the same time it's celebrating the unique view of the world that he does have."

As proud of the portrayal as Highmore is, he is keen to stress that Shaun Murphy is a specific take on the subject.

"The important thing to remember is that Shaun will never, nor should he represent everyone who is on the spectrum. In the same way a neurotypical main character of a show will never represent the plethora and wide range of people that are neurotypical. We're telling Shaun's story. His individual life and his individual personality. And yes, he has autism and he also has savant syndrome, but he's not only defined by those two characteristics."

With sky-high ratings, network executives are green-lighting a second season for a prime-time drama centering on a physician on the spectrum.

ABC said this week that “The Good Doctor” will be back for the 2018-2019 season.

Good news.

******SPOILERS*****SPOILERS*****SPOILERS*****
At first Dr. Murphy at first looks at the Transgender issues in a very Autistically logical way. The trans girl is "he" because she was born in a male a body, emotions or identity does not occur to him. But I like that as the show goes on Dr. Murphy while not understanding her also feels a connection to her because he like her also was bullied relentlessly for being different, for being himself.

He was actually being transphobic when he made those comments.

It was transphobic out of literal ignorence not hostility. As he stated in the show he was not taught about transgender in medical school. He made a false but logical conclusion based on the information he had.

This is a mistake anyone would make, autistic or not. I have seen it a lot online. But at least the trans teen took his comments well because some fly off the handle.

On “The Good Doctor,” new neighbor Kenny (Chris D’Elia) has taken advantage of Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) from the very beginning, and in last week’s episode, one of Shaun’s colleagues even pointed out he was being manipulated after he footed the bill for Kenny and Kenny’s girlfriend to go to an amusement park.

But Shaun is confused because Kenny has provided genial companionship for him in the past. They watch TV, eat dinner, and play video games together. Kenny once helped Shaun break into the apartment complex’s pool when he wanted a midnight swim. And Kenny, who has just gone through a breakup, even leaves Shaun a note in the morning: “Shaun, Thanks for being there for me. Your best bro, Kenny.”

While these are tangible examples of friendship Shaun can point to, he doesn’t see the more insidious ways that Kenny has been taking advantage of him, usually financially or for material goods. Kenny has used Shaun’s cable hookups, eats his food, and even straight-out admits he’s taken his money (but it was to order food for both of them, natch).

It’s only in Monday’s episode, when Shaun brings pizza to Kenny’s apartment to share, that he starts to actually realize that something is wrong. Not only is Kenny already holding his own March Madness party without inviting Shaun, but he’s “borrowed” Shaun’s TV without asking permission and rejects his company because his “quirks… [don’t] really jive with this kind of face time” with other people. Kenny then takes the pizza before shoving Shaun out the door.

In short, Kenny is embarrassed by Shaun and only is “friends” with him when it’s convenient and advantageous. While this example may seem ridiculous (did he really have to take Shaun’s pizza along with his dignity?), it’s also relatively benign. Because people with autism have difficulty reading emotions and motivations, this makes them susceptible to being taken advantage of, or even worse, becoming victims of abuse, violence, or neglect.

Highmore appears in a video posted on Twitter through Autism Speaks

I think it's ok, but fuels stereotypes that we are all brilliant, savant, bullied, and outcasted. Other than that, I like it.

I think it's ok, but fuels stereotypes that we are all brilliant, savant, bullied, and outcasted. Other than that, I like it.