The Good Doctor's return to production delayed by a coronavirus testing standoff

Deadline

"For weeks, ABC/Sony Pictures TV’s medical drama The Good Doctor had looked like the show that would restart U.S. series production in Vancouver, leading the way out of the coronavirus-related shutdown," report Deadline's Nellie Andreeva and Dominic Patten. "The cast flew in and started a mandatory two-week self-quarantine, and the series entered pre-production, targeting the week of Aug. 10 to begin filming. Then last Friday, July 31, the entire crew was laid off and pre-production was put on hold. The drastic measure was the culmination to an escalating standoff over COVID-19 safety protocols related to testing. It is being closely monitored by other studios as it could have potential implications for the more than 30 TV series that shot in Hollywood North, with a dozen or so eying to start production there by end of August." ALSO: The Good Doctor's Season 4 premiere will focus on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.