Uncovering The Good Doctor Filming Locations: Why Vancouver and Surrey City Hall Stand In for San Jose
- 6 days ago
- 6 min read
The Good Doctor has captivated global audiences since its premiere on ABC in September 2017. Developed by David Shore and based on a 2013 South Korean series, the medical drama follows the journey of Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore), a young surgeon who has autism and Savant syndrome, as he relocates to work at a prestigious hospital. The series is renowned for its compelling storylines, deep character development, and intense medical cases. However, one detail often surprises fans: the location where all this intense drama unfolds. While the setting is famously established in California, the physical backdrop is thousands of miles north, leveraging the unique urban and natural landscapes of British Columbia, Canada.
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The Fictional Setting vs. The Canadian Reality
The premise of the show centers on Dr. Shaun Murphy starting a new life after leaving his hometown of Casper, Wyoming, for a fresh start in San Jose, California. He is introduced to the esteemed San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. Throughout the series, fans are led to believe that Dr. Murphy and his colleagues live and work in the San Francisco Bay Area. The show mentions San Jose often, cementing the fictional geography in viewers' minds.
Despite the deep connection to San Jose in the narrative, the truth is that the production team primarily films in Surrey and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The cast and crew rarely spend time in the United States for the production.
The San Jose Illusion
The consistency of naming the location has even caught the attention of local U.S. officials. During a budget meeting in May 2021, San Jose Councilmember Pam Foley jokingly commented on the situation, appreciating seeing San Jose mentioned in TV and movies. She questioned if the city could charge a fee every time the name "San Jose" was used in shows like The Good Doctor without actually filming there, proposing it as a potential "new profit center". This highlights the significant difference between the show's fictional setting and its actual production home.
Surrey City Hall: The Heart of St. Bonaventure Hospital
When discussing the real-world The Good Doctor Filming Locations, Surrey City Hall stands out as a pivotal spot. This civic structure in British Columbia is used to portray the exterior of the fictional San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. The city of Surrey itself, located in B.C., is listed as a major filming location, alongside Vancouver.
Beyond Surrey, filming also takes place across the lower mainland of British Columbia. The comprehensive list of locations includes Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, and the VCC Broadway Campus. Even Merritt Airport (YMB) is listed among the filming spots used by the production. The coordinates provided for these locations confirm their placement within B.C., reinforcing the show's deep Canadian roots.
Vancouver's Central Role in The Good Doctor Filming Locations
Vancouver, B.C., plays a "huge chunk" of the role in bringing this medical drama to life. The city provides the immersive environment that enhances the compelling stories of Dr. Shaun Murphy and his colleagues. Recognizing these familiar Vancouver landmarks adds an extra layer of enjoyment for fans. The producers expertly transform parts of Vancouver to embody the fictional hospital and its surroundings, striving for an authentic feel.
The RCMA Building and Hospital Exteriors
While Surrey City Hall is noted for portraying the hospital, the exterior shots seen of the supposed state-of-the-art medical facility are also filmed at the Real Canadian Medical Association (RCMA) building in downtown Vancouver. This impressive, imposing structure is an active professional building in real life, but its modern architecture lends the air of authority and sophistication expected of a top-tier teaching hospital, making it a perfect stand-in for St. Bonaventure.
It is important for fans to note that while the exteriors, like the RCMA building, are genuine Vancouver locations, the high-stakes interior scenes—such as the operating rooms, doctors’ offices, and patient rooms—are meticulously filmed on soundstages and sets built specifically for the show. This allows the production team to maintain complete control over the environment for safety, dramatic effect, and detailed aesthetic needs. This blend of purpose-built interior sets and real-world exterior Vancouver filming locations is a hallmark of the show's high-quality production.
Beyond the Operating Room: Utilizing Vancouver’s Diverse Landscape
The Good Doctor filming in Vancouver extends far beyond the hospital walls, utilizing the city’s vast urban and natural landscapes to flesh out the characters' lives. Scenes depicting Dr. Murphy commuting, grabbing coffee, or having personal conversations outside of St. Bonaventure often take place in various neighborhoods across the city.
The production team skillfully uses different parts of Vancouver to add depth and visual variety to the narrative. For instance, Gastown, with its historic Victorian architecture and cobblestone streets, is used to provide a touch of charm and contrast to the modern hospital setting. Residential areas are also carefully chosen to represent the homes and apartments of the characters, adding realism to their personal stories.
Locations are selected not just for their appearance but for how they serve the narrative. A quiet, tree-lined street might be used for introspection, while a bustling street can represent the energy or chaos of city life. The city's natural beauty, including the surrounding mountains and ocean, also offers breathtaking backdrops for establishing shots and moments of reflection. This strategic use of diverse Vancouver filming locations allows the show to create an immersive and rich world that feels grounded and tangible to the audience.
Why Vancouver is Hollywood North: A Filming Hotspot
Vancouver has cemented its reputation as a leading destination for major television and film productions, and The Good Doctor benefits immensely from this infrastructure. There are several key reasons why British Columbia serves as the ideal home base:
1. Versatile Geography: Vancouver offers an incredible diversity of locations within a compact area. Filmmakers have easy access to modern downtown cores, historic districts like Gastown, lush forests, beaches, and majestic mountains. This versatility means a wide range of looks can be achieved without extensive travel, saving both time and money. It’s essentially a "one-stop shop" for varied aesthetics.
2. Skilled Industry Ecosystem: British Columbia possesses a robust and experienced film industry, including a highly skilled crew base and established production facilities. This strong network and infrastructure ensure that large-scale dramas like The Good Doctor can operate smoothly.
3. Supportive Environment: Local government support, including incentives and streamlined processes, makes Vancouver an attractive location for international productions.
4. Aesthetic Flexibility: Crucially, Vancouver’s urban landscape often doubles convincingly for other major U.S. cities, such as Seattle, Chicago, or even New York. This ability to portray different locations adds to its appeal, allowing the city to convincingly embody the role of San Jose, California.
Ultimately, Vancouver provides the perfect combination: stunning and diverse filming locations, expert industry support, and the flexibility to represent various settings, making it an integral character in the show’s identity.
🔖 Key Takeaways
The filming locations of The Good Doctor illustrate a fascinating contrast between fictional setting and production reality.
🗝️ Setting vs. Reality: While the series is based around the San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital in California, the show is primarily filmed in British Columbia, Canada, utilizing Vancouver and Surrey.
🗝️ Key B.C. Landmarks: Surrey City Hall is used as a stand-in for the fictional hospital. Additionally, the exterior shots of the hospital are frequently captured at the Real Canadian Medical Association (RCMA) building in downtown Vancouver.
🗝️ Versatile Backdrop: Vancouver provides essential support beyond the hospital, utilizing diverse areas like Gastown, various urban centers, and natural landscapes to create a realistic world for the characters' professional and personal lives. Many interior scenes, however, are shot on specialized sound stages for precision and control.
🗝️ Hollywood North Advantage: Vancouver is favored due to its geographic versatility, robust film infrastructure, and its ability to convincingly double for American cities, making it an ideal choice for high-quality productions.
Exploring the real-life The Good Doctor Filming Locations offers fans a unique opportunity to connect with the series by visiting the iconic exteriors, such as the RCMA building, or wandering through historic areas like Gastown that set the scene for Dr. Murphy’s world. The city of Vancouver truly plays an unseen, yet crucial, starring role in the global success of the medical drama.
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The Good Doctor Filming Locations
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