15 medical dramas you won’t get sick of

Life or death situations typically make for compelling television.

Updated May 5, 2020

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In this world, nothing is certain, except for death, taxes and the fact that medical dramas will never go out of style. It’s easy to figure out why, as the medical profession lends itself to drama due to the high stakes involved. Not to mention the fact that the medical stuff is usually a placeholder or metaphor for more interesting and emotional arcs concerning the doctors, which creates engaging storylines. As much as we would like to avoid ever visiting a physical hospital, we’re okay with spending time inside a fictional one.

According to the Internet, the oldest medical drama is considered to be City Hospital, which started airing on CBS in the US back in 1951. We’ve come a long way since then, with the genre developing a wide range of clichés that one can count on when tuning in, including steamy hook-ups on hospital grounds, one of the doctors getting sick, an old yet charming patient dying, treating someone without insurance, a genius doctor who also happens to be a jerk, and so on.

The weird thing is that, despite being predictable, these tropes will pull in any fan of the genre every time. You just can’t help getting another dose of your irresistible drama with a side of blood and guts and crying relatives. So we’re going to prescribe you some more. Side effects include never leaving your house again. You’ve been warned.

New Amsterdam

1. New Amsterdam

Year: 2018
Cast: Ryan Eggold, Freema Agyeman, Janet Montgomery, Anupam Kher

This charming medical drama revolves around Dr Max Goodwin, the brilliant new medical director at America's oldest public hospital, New Amsterdam. While he's set on tearing down the bureaucracy to provide exceptional care, the doctors and staff are not so sure. Max is also dealing with some health issues of his own, complicating matters further.

Fans of the genre will revel in the show’s familiar beats, while also appreciating the timeliness of the storylines. Besides, New Amsterdam benefits from a tremendous cast that works well together. As far as medical dramas go, that’s always a plus.

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New Amsterdam

2. Grey’s Anatomy

Year: 2005
Cast: Ellen Pompeo, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Justin Chambers

At this point, Grey’s Anatomy is a veteran as far as medical dramas are concerned. The series revolves around a bunch of doctors (as you might imagine) and has tackled everything from affairs to ghost sex to love triangles to catastrophes, yet still somehow manages to feel fresh all these seasons in.

If you need a recap, it centres on Meredith Grey, who starts as an intern at a Seattle hospital and slowly works her way up to becoming an overall amazing professional/human, while surrounded by an ever-changing cast of diverse and engaging colleagues, each carrying around their own emotional baggage. It’s a fascinating series, especially when the creators manage to tell important stories about domestic violence, transgender rights and health care for women of colour. If you’re looking for a serious binge, you better start with this one.