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 The Good Doctor at a really great place.”

Updated by Jordan Iacobucci on September 9, 2024: The Good Doctor has officially come to an end, but its fans still love the series and its cast. However, not every main character survived throughout the entire series. Nicholas Gonzalez’s Dr. Neil Melendez was killed off in the show’s third season — but that wasn’t the last that viewers saw of him. This article has been updated to include more information about Dr. Melendez’s death and to adhere to CBR’s current formatting guidelines.

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 of Shaun.

During his time on the show, Melendez had a few romantic relationships. His first was with Beau Garrett’s 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 Dr. Audrey Lim, played by Christina Chang, which led to some pretty unprofessional encounters — including kissing in the emergency room. When she became Chief of Surgery, however, their relationship was challenged by human resources, making their eventual breakup predictable. Dr. Melendez’s last love interest before his death was Antonia Thomas’s Claire Browne, a surgical resident whom 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. His was one of the biggest deaths in the entire series, which ran for another four seasons after Gonzalez’s departure.

In previous seasons, Dr. Melendez had developed deep relationships with many of the other main characters of the series. In fact, he had just broken up with Dr. Lim and only recently began developing feelings for Dr. Claire Browne when his untimely demise came. 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 in 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 Of The Good Doctor
Dr. Melendez Makes A Surprise Return In Season 4, But Only As A Hallucination