Medical dramas are next to cop shows in terms of being part of the fabric of television, remaining a staple in several countries over the years despite changing trends and the way that the small screen has evolved. While hospital stories haven’t really faded, it may be enjoying a moment of renewed interest. Each of the broadcast networks, and even some key streamers, are reinvigorated to tell stories of health care professionals and patients in varying tones and formats.
This is perhaps most evident with The Pitt. Hailing from the producers of E.R. and led by E.R. alum Noah Wyle, the Max Original has been one of the most talked-about series of the year so far. Over on broadcast, NBC’s hospital mockumentary comedy St. Denis Medical became one of the first shows to get renewed. CBS, for its part, is preparing to launch a few medical dramas. That includes a project led by Supernatural star Jared Padalecki and the Sherlock-connected Watson led by Morris Chestnut. However, a show from Fox boasts some notable viewership numbers.
Doc Has Seen A Viewership Growth Of Over 600%
It’s Fox’s Best Debut In Five Years
Doc is starting off strong. Based on the Italian series Doc – Nelle tue mani, the medical drama debuted on January 7 on Fox. The story centers on Dr. Amy Larsen (played by House of Cards star Molly Parker) and what happens when she suffers a brain injury that causes her to lose years of memories.
Deadline reports that Doc has given Fox its strongest premiere in five years. As of this writing, after 11 days, the medical drama has garnered 15.6 million cross-platform viewers. This represents a 609% increase over its live and same-day audience of 2.2 million. This is also Fox’s strongest debut episode since the 9-1-1 spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star.
Doc is also Fox’s best streaming performance for a debut in a year, getting 1.1 million viewers from both Hulu and Fox.com in its first seven days. But it’s noted that the large viewership increase is overall thanks to delayed linear viewing, rather than streaming viewership. It speaks well for the adaptation and Fox, which hasn’t focused as much on delivering new series as CBS, NBC, and ABC.
What Is Doc About?
Amy Larsen Is Starting Over
Parker, also known for her role as Alma Garret in the HBO drama Deadwood, plays the brilliant but difficult Chief of Internal and Family Medicine at Westside Hospital in Minneapolis. The series catches up with Dr. Larsen just as a brain injury has erased the last eight years of her life. As a result, Larsen has to go back to a world where she has no memory of the patients she’s treated and no familiarity with her co-workers.
Doc is co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and FOX Entertainment Studios, with Barbie Kligman as the showrunner and executive producer. Hank Steinberg, Judi McCreary, and Erwin Stoff also executive produce.
On an even more personal level, Dr. Larsen doesn’t remember her divorce, her current relationship, or the tragedy that caused her to harden and develop a colder exterior. She can rely only on her teen daughter, whom she remembers as a nine-year-old, as she stares down the possibility of continuing to practice medicine despite losing almost a decade of experience. The cast also includes Omar Metwally, Jon Ecker, Amirah Vann, Anya Banerjee, and Scott Wolf.
Doc: Core Cast & Characters Actor Who They Play Molly Parker Dr. Amy Larsen Omar Metwally Dr. Michael Hamda Jon Ecker Dr. Jake Heller Amirah Vahn Dr. Gina Walker Anya Banerjee Dr. Sonya Maitra Scott Wolf Dr. Richard Miller Patrick Walker Dr. Theodore “TJ” Coleman
In terms of the response to Doc, the Fox series currently has a 44% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 9 reviews. The more detailed assessments have been divided, with some critics deriding the adaptation for being reliant on tired tropes. Others found its themes of loss to be incisive and moving. Parker’s performance was praised, however, and there’s an overall sense that the series will appeal to viewers who are already partial to medical dramas. But there are plenty of options to choose from.
Our Take On Doc’s Success
It Fits The Broader Trend
Close
It is an overall strong year for broadcast TV. New shows like Matlock and High Potential are boasting high numbers, with both getting renewed. Returning favorites like 9-1-1 and Tracker are still leading their respective networks. It highlights how familiar genres can still hold their own, and that may prove to be even more true as procedurals more fully work their way onto streaming.
Netflix has its own tweak to the formula in the works, in an upcoming series titled Pulse from creator Zoe Robyn and LOST producer Carlton Cuse. Described as the streamer’s first medical procedural, Pulse centers on the staff at Miami’s busiest Level 1 Trauma Center as they deal with emergencies and focuses on the young doctor Danny Simms (Reacher’s Willa Fitzgerald) as she gets an unexpected promotion. Doc, in that sense, is very much part of a larger trend.
Doc airs Tuesdays on Fox at 9 PM ET and streams on Hulu.
Source: Deadline