• Season 4 of "The Good Doctor" begins this Wednesday at 9:05 pm on TF1.

  • If the first two episodes are devoted to the pandemic, the series imagines a post-Covid world.

  • Fiona Gubelmann, who plays the formidable Dr Morgan Reznick, looks back on this rather special season.

Dr Shaun Murphy puts the gown back on!

TF1 broadcasts this Wednesday at 9:05 pm the first two episodes of season 4 of

The Good Doctor

.

And like everywhere in the world, at St. Bonaventure Hospital, what looked like a simple flu is about to cause panic ...

“We had already had two episodes linked to a pandemic in season 2, with Shaun who finds himself in quarantine.

To experience a pandemic two years later and to shoot episodes about it seemed surreal, confides Fiona Gubelmann, who plays the formidable Dr Morgan Reznick, during a round table organized during the Monte-Carlo Television Festival.

A double episode in tribute to caregivers

And to explain: “We have all felt an immense respect and a great gratitude for all the caregivers on the front line.

I think it was necessary for the series to pay tribute to those who risk their lives and sacrifice so much during this Covid pandemic.

"

A role play which had a strong impact on the actors.

“Just pretending, as an actor, to be in their situation was extremely stressful, embarrassing.

It was rather unpleasant.

I was very moved, and it was hard.

It was a real struggle to play when we knew people were out there going through it for real.

"

"The real challenge was to come back to work this season"

The actress also said she struggled to return to the set. “The real challenge was to come back to work this season,” confesses the actress. And to explain: “It was scary after spending seven months at home. At first, it was a shock to go back there, to be surrounded by many people, to take off my mask. I also felt very isolated and lonely too, because of the distances involved and because I couldn't really hang out with my friends outside of work. Obviously I'm grateful to have worked, but it was a real challenge for me. "

Robots air fresheners, isolation of the actors forced to drop the mask, PCR tests several times a week… The sanitary measures were very strict on the set of The Good Doctor.

"In our little security bubble, we could not ignore that we were working in the middle of a pandemic," said the actress.

The bet of optimism and a post-Covid world

If the coronavirus is still a part of our lives, it will only be the subject of two episodes in fiction.

David Shore is betting on optimism and imagines a post-Covid world.

Each of the heroes is faced with his own personal issues.

For Dr Morgan Reznick, she will have to face the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis posed in season 3: “We do not know if the damage caused to her hands is permanent or not, in season 4, we will see her struggle.

She will have to come a long way, she will grow and evolve a lot, just like her relationships with the other characters.

"

"I didn't like the audience to hate her"

Dr Morgan Reznick is seen as an arrogant and competitive character who annoys other doctors. “It's the first time I've played such a character and it wasn't easy at first. I suffered because in my personal life it is very important for me to be loved. I remember in the first episode I kept apologizing for being rude to Antonia who plays Claire. She gently laughed at me, telling me that she knew very well that was the character. "

At first, the actress suffered in particular from comments from viewers who found her character unfriendly.

“I didn't like audiences to hate her, then I figured out that the less they liked her the more it meant that I was doing my job well.

I changed my perspective and ended up taking all the negative comments as compliments.

"

"A strong female character, full of confidence and motivated"

Yet the actress has learned to love the impassive Morgan. “He's the smartest, most confident and determined character I have ever had the opportunity to play,” greets the actress. “It's interesting how people feel about a strong, confident and motivated female character. These are attributes that are praised when we see them in men, but in a woman, people tend not to like it, ”defends the one who announces changes in season 4, especially in the relationship with Dr. Alex Park . On the menu, more "banter and sarcasm" and a relationship where they become "closer".

Will Yun Lee and Fiona Gubelmann had “a lot of comedy and jokes” to play.

“As they get closer, you'll see other aspects of these two characters that we haven't had a chance to experience yet.

And I think the public will appreciate getting to know them better, ”she concludes.

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  • Monte Carlo TV Festival