NBC will finally get to launch a long-awaited new sitcom, St. Denis Medical. It’s the new, comedic take on a fictional hospital’s everyday fray this Tuesday. Formed by Justin Spitzer, who wrote for The Office and developed the surprise hit Superstore, the series employs a mockumentary style in documenting the antics of an offbeat hospital staff as they grapple with the perpetual underfinancing of a mid-size medical facility.
Based in the comically imaginary Merrick, Oregon, St. Denis Medical centers on Joyce, the determined but not-often-bright hospital administrator played by Wendi McLendon-Covey. Joyce is relentlessly optimistic, but her greatest concern remains keeping the struggling hospital afloat with shiny new equipment, often ignoring the more basic software upgrades that her team needs. “The American health care system is ripe for comedy,” McLendon-Covey says, describing her character as “so annoying” yet ambitious.
The series includes Alison Tolman as head nurse Alex-the dry sense of humor with which she juggles the chaos of her job David Alan Grier as Ron, who has been a doctor longer than most of his patients have been alive. Alex and Ron offer much-needed grounded, relatable perspectives amidst hospital absurdities, with their humor giving voice to real pressures healthcare workers face.
Unfreedom from the usual medical dramas wherein surgeries happen at stake or in the swoon of hero doctors, St. Denis Medical sets out to show the real, tough stuff of a safety net on the edge. The mockumentary format brought by The Office comes with its share of laugh-out-loud moments and poignant reflections on healthcare’s challenges. “It’s well-written and means I just need to act,” says Grier with praise at how the show is differently handled.
St. Denis Medical is on Tuesday from 8 p.m., back-to-back, preparing the ground for NBC’s fall lineup. The audience can look forward to more witty remarks from Spitzer and moving storytelling with healing eventually resulting in humor if only for a little while.
To Read More: Entertainment