The medical drama is one of television’s most tried-and-true genres. We love to watch doctors overcome the odds to save the people under their care, and we love to watch how messy their personal lives get when they aren’t looking after their patients.
Netflix has created its first original, English-language medical series with Pulse. If you’ve already binged it, What to Watch has recommendations for more medical shows that will get your heart racing.
‘ER’ (1994 – 2009)
You’ve probably heard of ER, which launched the careers of George Clooney, Julianna Margulies and many other notable actors . The groundbreaking show also created the blueprint for the modern medical drama. But did you know it was created by the Jurassic Park dream team Michael Crichton (who got an M.D. before deciding to focus on writing) and Steven Spielberg?
Though ER may sound like a show from a bygone era to some, don’t count it out. It’s been praised for its realistic portrayal of life in an emergency room, and its impact on television culture has been enormous. Also, any chance to admire a young George Clooney is worth taking.
Watch ER on Hulu.
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‘Grey’s Anatomy’ (2005 – Present)
Without the incredible number of people who binge-watched Grey’s when it originally appeared on Netflix, Pulse might never have been born. The cast and characters of Grey’s Anatomy has been subject to many changes and evolutions over the years, but the early seasons follow interns Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Christina Yang (Sandra Oh), Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl), Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) and George O’Malley (T. R. Knight) as they struggle through their first year of internship at Seattle Grace Hospital.
The friendships, romances and fights among this core crew are always captivating — and highly dramatic. The chemistry between Meredith and Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) is explosive — and irresistible to watch. And the medical cases vary between bizarre, shocking, and devastating. If you love tension, high stakes and medical mysteries, you can’t miss Grey’s.
Watch Grey’s Anatomy on Hulu.
‘Call The Midwife’ (2012 – Present)
While ER and Grey’s Anatomy were broadcast network hits, Call The Midwife is a lesser-known medical series that packs a serious dramatic punch. The story follows newly qualified midwife Jenny Lee (Jessica Raine), as well as the midwives and the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent and part of an Anglican religious order. Together, they deal with the medical problems in a poor London neighborhood. The story of Call The Midwife begins in the 1950s and continues through the ‘60s and ‘70s.
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The show has received critical praise for the way it deals with complex issues, from the importance of nationalized healthcare to abortion to infertility. If you like your medical drama with a dose of history, Call The Midwife is for you.
Watch Call The Midwife on Netflix.
