St. Denis Medical Is the Most Promising Network Sitcom Since Abbott Elementary

As a seasoned critic who’s been navigating the labyrinth of television for decades, I can confidently say that NBC’s newcomer, St. Denis Medical, is a breath of fresh air amidst the sea of generic medical dramas. With its sharp wit, poignant commentary on our broken healthcare system, and a cast of characters that feel as real as your neighborhood pharmacist, it’s a show that resonates deeply with my own experiences.

In the debut episode of NBC’s comedic hospital series St. Denis Medical, a woman complaining vaguely about leg pain confronts the overworked nurse at the facility’s reception, who is preoccupied by a multitude of anxious patients and a computer network failure. “Here’s a phone number for someone who can assist you,” says Val (formerly from Superstore, played by Kaliko Kauahi), handing over a sticky note. “That’s the White House. Ask for Joe. Inform him about our nursing shortage and request that he addresses our healthcare system issues.

If you found that joke amusing, much like myself, then you might take pleasure in watching “St. Denis“, which will premiere over two episodes on November 12th. Currently, there’s an oversaturation of medical shows on TV, making broadcast prime-time mainly consist of sports and singing competitions, if not doctors, lawyers, or cops. However, “St. Denis” stands out amongst them, offering a unique perspective. It is a mockumentary reminiscent of “Abbott Elementary” and “Parks and Recreation“, set within a struggling public institution filled with dedicated staff members. Additionally, it shares the subtle political wisdom of co-creator Justin Spitzer’s retail sitcom “Superstore“. If the rest of the season maintains the quality displayed in the six episodes I had the chance to view, “St. Denis” could be the best network comedy since “Abbott Elementary“.

Based in the emergency room of a quaint Oregon town’s hospital, this series is well-structured from the get-go, drawing inspiration from its predecessors for character development and casting. Starring Allison Tolman, an accomplished actor known for roles in short-lived projects like Downward Dog, Emergence, Why Women Kill, and the initial season of Fargo, the series presents Alex, a meticulous nurse who’s recently been promoted to supervisor. She shares some similarities with Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation and Janine Teagues from Abbott. In contrast, her counterpart, Ron (portrayed by David Alan Grier), is a weary veteran physician who hides his kindness and loneliness behind a gruff exterior; he could be seen as a blend of Ron Swanson and Raymond Holt from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. The hospital’s cluelessly ambitious executive director, Joyce (Wendi McLendon-Covey, known for her role in The Goldbergs), exudes light Michael Scott-like vibes.

In addition to utilizing their extensive cast, Spitzer and Ledgin (the showrunner) creatively mold characters to suit the hospital environment. For instance, in “Jury Duty”, Mekki Leeper provides humor as Matt, a newly-minted nurse with an unusual religious background, who is clumsy and accidentally injects himself while administering an EpiPen. He develops an immediate crush on the experienced nurse Serena (Kahyun Kim), whom he initially impresses as “dumb”. The most inventive character is Bruce (Josh Lawson, also seen in Superstore), a good-looking trauma surgeon who uses the documentary cameras for his benefit. Seizing an opportunity to discuss his COVID-19 experience, he recalls, “We were at war. Colleagues became brothers.” Bruce embodies the popular cultural narrative of doctors; it’s evident that he is captivated by the heroic portrayals of characters like him in medical dramas.

In this television series, Ron complains and Joyce disregards the significant issues plaguing her overwhelmed, undercompensated staff as she endeavors to transform her community hospital into an elite medical center. However, the true antagonist is a flawed healthcare system. Due to insufficient funding, the hospital is also understaffed, making it shocking when Joyce invests $300k in advanced mammography equipment to draw out-of-state patients. The hospital functions as well as it does only because of dedicated employees like Alex, who sacrifice their personal lives for a job that doesn’t reciprocate. In a moment of frustration, the character Val scoffs at Matt when a patient fails to express gratitude for lifesaving care, suggesting he should work an ice cream truck or sell marijuana instead. Despite their best efforts, the hospital’s high stakes and the immense disparity between resources and needs often lead to potentially fatal mistakes. The woman Val dismissively brushes off in the premiere is later found to have a blood clot in her leg, narrowly avoiding a pulmonary embolism.

I think of comedies like St. Denis, Parks and Rec, and Abbott as systems sitcoms, in the same tradition of politicized fiction as the wave of systems novels that emerged decades ago, by authors like Don DeLillo and Thomas Pynchon. These shows take a scalpel to the absurdities and ironies and contradictions inherent in the systems we’re supposed to be able to trust, from education to local government. And if this type of storytelling seems more popular now than it’s ever been before, well, that in itself probably says something about the state of our institutions.

Absolutely, sitcoms, especially those intended for broad television audiences, need to strike a balance between social commentary, humor, likable characters, and a continuous flow of mostly light-hearted jokes. Occasionally, Spitzer and Ledgin may lean too heavily towards one aspect. An episode focusing on Alex’s effort to separate a group of nurses dubbed “the Filipino mafia” for the sake of “diversity and equal representation” can seem redundant. However, it’s the exception rather than the rule. More often, you’ll find well-crafted episodes that deftly address questions such as whether the staff should cater to a religious patient’s demanding requests, using themes like superstition, astrology, and the roles faith plays in an ER setting for comedic effect.

The real challenge for St. Denis Medical will surface around two dozen episodes down the line, when characters like Matt and recurring themes such as Alex’s work-life struggles become a bit repetitive. At this juncture, how skillfully the series addresses particular healthcare issues will be key to its success; shows like Abbott and Superstore have demonstrated their staying power by tackling topics like charter schools and the pandemic, respectively. Until then, the promise of another comedy on par with its predecessors should hold our interest.

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2024-11-12 17:06