The Good Doctor: Why & How Dr. Neil Melendez Died (2024)

The Good Doctor's Season 3 finale shook the series (literally) with an earthquake that caused significant damage to the San Jose area. While many characters' lives were placed in danger, it was Dr. Neil Melendez who met an untimely death. A central player since Season 1, Dr. Melendez was a surgeon who worked alongside Dr. Shaun Murphy at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital.

After being struck by earthquake rubble, Melendez sustained internal organ damage, which led to his death. That, of course, meant the character's actor, Nicholas Gonzalez, also exited the ABC medical drama. Fortunately, unlike some departures in other dramas, this was a mutual decision made by the actor and producers. In a 2020 interview with TVLine, Gonzalez said he felt he was "leaving TheGood Doctor at a really great place."

Updated on May 31, 2024 by Katie Doll: Dr. Neil Melendez had a rough start on The Good Doctor by antagonizing Dr. Shaun Murphy and doubting his skill set as a surgeon. When he grew out of ignorance, that's when people began to adore him. He was declared one of the best characters of The Good Doctor, which made his death even harder to accept. This article has been updated to expand on Dr. Melendez's biography and Nicholas Gonzalez's filmography outside of The Good Doctor.

Who Was Dr. Melendez On The Good Doctor?

A Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Dr. Melendez Was Introduced In The Good Doctor's First Episode

Dr. Neil Melendez was introduced in Season 1, Episode 1, "Burnt Food" as an attending cardiothoracic surgeon who initially had a low opinion of Shaun. Melendez had worries about Shaun's abilities as a surgeon since he had autism, but he eventually grew to respect Shaun when they worked together more. Melendez saw the potential in Shaun and became his biggest advocate whenever patients or parents of patients would show disapproval for Shaun.

During his time on the show, Melendez had a few romantic relationships. His first was with Jessica Preston, a member of the hospital board and the founder's granddaughter. However, the two had opposing views on having children: Melendez wanted kids, but Jessica didn't. The differences in opinion led to a breakup, which Melendez was heartbroken over. He then moved on to fellow doctor Audrey Lim, which led to some pretty unprofessional encounters like kissing in the emergency room. When she became Chief of Surgery, their relationship was challenged by human resources, making their eventual breakup predictable.

His last love interest was Claire Browne, a surgical resident that he was mentoring. In the Season 3 finale of The Good Doctor, an earthquake shook the city of San Jose. At first, Melendez seemed unharmed and brushed off the event. But then he passed out and woke up in an ambulance, where Claire and Lim learned that he had major internal injuries that were threatening his life. Melendez was able to say his goodbyes to his fellow doctors and professed his love for Claire before he died in the hospital.

Why Did Dr. Melendez Leave The Good Doctor?

Melendez Died As A Result of Internal Injuries After An Earthquake

The Good Doctor creator David Shore elaborated on why he decided to move forward with Dr. Melendez's death, claiming it was nothing personal. "We wanted to lose a character that we would feel something about, and feel pain about," Shore told Deadline, "and certainly, he's a character that so many of them have been in touch with." And Dr. Melendez's death was certainly impactful.

In previous seasons, he had developed deep relationships with many characters. In fact, he had just broken up with Dr. Lim and only recently began developing feelings for Dr. Claire Browne. In a heartbreaking but touching scene, Melendez and Browne confess their love for each other in some of his final moments. Because the doctor was so connected to various characters on The Good Doctor, the creators knew his death would be deeply felt. "I think that would have been largely true for any of our characters," Shore said, "but it's particularly true for him."

Nicholas Gonzalez Returned in Season 4

He May Have Made A Comeback, But Only As A Hallucination

Melendez's death also rocked the audience. Fans were upset that one of the show's beloved characters was suddenly killed off, especially before he and Claire Browne could begin a real relationship. Even Gonzalez thought Melendez had unfinished work, telling Entertainment Weekly, "Part of me is sad to see a character I respected a lot go, someone I felt that still had a lot more to say, but there wasn't always that opportunity." The character did, however, return briefly in Season 4 to give Claire some closure. While she was struggling with the pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, Melendez appeared before her as hallucinations in the first two episodes of the fourth season. He was there when she needed him the most at that moment, but disappeared once she accepted that she can't stay stuck in the past forever.

While no one likes to see a character die, crises like this are what make series like The Good Doctor so compelling. Melendez's influence on San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital will always be felt. For a long time, many believed that Gonzalez could return as Melendez in some form, given that he returned briefly in Season 4 as visions to Claire. But everyone's favorite surgeon never came back before the series finale, unfortunately. Still, his memory lived on and remained as a profound figure in the lives of those who knew him.

Nicholas Gonzalez's Filmography Outside The Good Doctor

Gonzalez Has Had A Varied Career Over The Years

Nicholas Gonzalez was already a pretty well-known actor on television before his stint on The Good Doctor. He had both recurring and main roles on various shows: Resurrection Blvd., The O.C., Mental, Melrose Place, Off the Map, Sleepy Hollow and more. Just before The Good Doctor began in 2017, he also had recurring roles on Pretty Little Liars as Detective Marco Furey and How to Get Away With Murder as Dominic. In most of these series, he portrayed a detective or police officer, so it was nice to see him put on a different uniform on The Good Doctor.

Nicholas Gonzalaz's Selected Filmography

• Resurrection Blvd. (2000-2002)
• The O.C. (2004-2005)
• Mental (2009)
• Melrose Place (2009-2010)
• Off the Map (2011)
• Sleepy Hollow (2013-2014)
• Jane the Virgin (2015-2016)
• The Flash (2015-2016)
• Bordertown (2016)
• Pretty Little Liars (2016-2017)
• How to Get Away With Murder (2017)
• Being Mary Jane (2017-2019)
• The Good Doctor (2017-2020)
• La Brea (2021-2024)

After leaving The Good Doctor in 2020, Gonzalez landed a main role on the NBC science fiction drama La Brea, where he played a United States Air Force pilot and an old friend of the Harris family. The series ended in 2024 after three seasons, which hopefully means Gonzalez will grace the screen again. Now that The Good Doctor has ended, fans will be scrambling to watch everything with their beloved doctors. If Gonzalez is looking for a new role as a surgeon, there's always Grey's Anatomy to resort to.

The Good Doctor Seasons 1-7 are available to stream on Hulu.

The Good Doctor

TV-14

Medical

Drama

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Not available

Shaun Murphy, a young surgeon with autism and Savant syndrome, is recruited into the surgical unit of a prestigious hospital.

Release Date

September 25, 2017

Seasons

7

Network

ABC

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu , Prime Video , fuboTV , SlingTV