The Good Doctor is just a few episodes into its fifth season, but there have already been major changes to the status quo. Shortly after Antonia Thomas left The Good Doctor at the end of Season 4, yet another series regular is also departing. Viewers will have to say goodbye to Osvaldo Benavides as Dr. Mateo Rendón Osma.
Read more: All Movies and Shows Premiering on HBO Max in November 2021
see more
Beneficiaries with the end of NIS 7 receive Bolsa Família this…
FGTS profit has already been decided and will be distributed to workers…
Osvaldo Benavides debuted on The Good Doctor to close Season 4, as doctors from San Bonaventure flew to a rural Guatemalan town to help patients in need. He was a guest star at that point but was later promoted to a regular. The aim was to fill the vacancy left by Antonia Thomas' Claire Browne, who decided to stay in Guatemala and continue the good work there.
Although Osvaldo Benevides is the newest series regular with the fewest major leads with the rest of the hospital (and still dealing with some bureaucracy, despite his relationship with the Dr. Christina Chang's Audrey Lim), his alleged departure is still a huge issue for the show. Mateo's romance with Lim was a huge step forward for her, as she - like Claire - was deeply affected by Dr. Melendez, and she took Mateo very seriously pretty quickly. Depending on how The Good Doctor handles the character's departure, it could have a lasting impact on her, at least.
At press time, Sony Pictures Television has not commented on news of Osvaldo Benavides' departure, nor has ABC. For his part, Benavides has yet to comment in a statement or on social media. The show is still working on incorporating Mateo into the story of St. Bonaventure, so the news of the actor's departure comes as something of a surprise.
For now, only time will tell what reason (if any) will be given for the series regular to leave in his first season on ABC's hit show. It is still unclear when the decision was made or how many episodes there will be with Osvaldo Benavides.
Hopefully, the show will have time to give him an on-screen goodbye, even if his departure will arguably not have the same emotional impact as Claire did when she left as a series regular. The news comes after The Good Doctor took two weeks off, and just hours before the fourth episode of Season 5 premieres.
The Good Doctor returns with new episodes beginning Monday, October 25 at 10 pm ET on ABC, following a new episode of Dancing with the Stars on the fall TV schedule. More changes are coming to São Boaventura, so be sure to tune in!
