With The Good Doctor Losing A Character, How Worried Should Fans Be For The Season 6 Finale?

The Season 6 finale of The Good Doctor is just days away, but fans don’t have to wait until the episode on May 1 for news of a big change coming ahead of Season 7. A series regular is on the verge of departing the ABC medical drama, which should shake things up for the 2023-2024 TV season… for better or worse. While we’ll have to wait until the finale to see how exactly it happens, Brandon Larracuente is reportedly leaving The Good Doctor, which raises the question: how much should we be worried for what’s to come on Monday night?

Brandon Larracuente Is Leaving The Good Doctor

Brandon Larracuente joined The Good Doctor in the current Season 6 as Dr. Danny Perez. The actor was promoted to series regular status just in time to answer the question early of whether or not Perez would survive the fall finale cliffhanger. Now, TVLine reports that Larracuente will not be back as a full-timer in Season 7.

The actor already has another gig lined up, however. He’s been cast in the upcoming Prime Video drama On Call, hailing from the prolific Wolf Entertainment production company that also produces the three Law & Order shows, three One Chicago shows, and three FBI shows, all of which have been renewed.

But does Larracuente’s upcoming absence mean that fans should start worrying about his character's fate, or a crisis that will take out any other characters? Let’s look at what we know so far.

What We Know About The Season 6 Finale

The Season 6 finale of The Good Doctor is called “Love’s Labor,” and will see the entire hospital step up for Lea and Shaun as she goes into labor, although one important person will be missing. Unfortunately, everything does not go according to plan (as per usual for a Good Doctor finale) when a tragic accident with Perez and Jared means all hands on deck… including Shaun’s.

A tragic accident involving Perez coupled with the news of Brandon Larracuente leaving would normally be a cause for concern that The Good Doctor would kill off a major character in a finale again after what happened to Dr. Melendez a few seasons ago, but TVLine further reports that Perez will exit in a way that he could return to guest star.

Now, admittedly, Nicholas Gonzalez did appear in The Good Doctor as a guest star in a big twist after Melendez was killed off, but that certainly doesn’t mean that Perez’s life will end in the Season 6 finale. That said, he definitely appears to be in for a rough ride, whatever the outcome! Check out the promo:

Regardless of how The Good Doctor says goodbye to Perez, it appears that Jordan is in for some heartbreak. She and Perez were starting to get close again, and prior to the news that Brandon Larracuente is leaving, I would have said that they were back on the road to romance. Whatever happens that Larracuente’s character is no longer around in Season 7, I just hope that it’s as painless as possible for Jordan! On the plus side for Jared, maybe he’ll be promoted if Perez’s absence leaves a vacancy more on his level.

The good news is that we don’t have too much longer to wait to find out. The Season 6 finale of The Good Doctor airs on Monday, May 1 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC. Viewers are still waiting on news regarding whether The Good Lawyer will get a series order after the backdoor pilot episode on The Good Doctor, as its fate was not announced when The Good Doctor’s renewal was confirmed. You can always revisit that episode and all those that have aired before streaming with a Hulu subscription.