The COVID-19 pandemic period witnessed a significant shift in viewing habits, with many turning to medical dramas like ER and House. This collective binge-watching experience seems to have paved the way for a remarkable resurgence of the medical genre on television, offering viewers a fresh wave of compelling “Doctor Shows Tv”.
While medical dramas have always held a place in television programming with long-running series such as Grey’s Anatomy, and recently concluded shows like New Amsterdam and The Resident, the current surge feels distinct. The beginning of the year brought a plethora of new medical series, including The Pitt on Max, Fox’s Doc, and CBS’ Watson. These joined fall releases such as NBC’s Brilliant Minds and St. Denis Medical, and ABC’s Doctor Odyssey, indicating a clear trend in the “doctor shows tv” landscape.
This abundance of new “doctor shows tv” presents an ideal moment to reflect on the genre’s history and celebrate its best offerings. Just like any dynamic ranking, such as a list of the 50 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century So Far, a list of the 10 Best Medical Shows of All Time is subject to evolution. The composition of such a list today might differ from what it was even recently, and will likely continue to change in the years to come as new “doctor shows tv” emerge and older ones are re-evaluated.
Before diving into the best “doctor shows tv”, it’s important to acknowledge a couple of key points.
Firstly, the availability of older “doctor shows tv” through streaming services significantly impacts contemporary viewing and appreciation. Many classic series that are not readily available for streaming have been excluded from consideration. While acknowledging the foundational importance of shows like Ben Casey, Dr. Kildare, and Marcus Welby, M.D. to the medical drama genre, their current inaccessibility limits their immediate relevance in a streaming-dominated era. This isn’t limited to older classics; even relatively recent shows like CBS’ City of Angels, praised for its two-season run ending in 2000, are not currently streaming, making a revisit challenging.
Secondly, the scope of “doctor shows tv” needs clear boundaries. For the purpose of exploring the best medical dramas, shows primarily focused on psychiatry or mental health, while valid and often insightful, will be considered a separate category. Therefore, series like In Treatment, Shrinking, The Patient, The Bob Newhart Show, Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, The Sopranos, Hannibal, Frasier, and Sex Education, despite featuring doctors, fall outside the scope of this specific exploration into “doctor shows tv” focused on medical practice in hospitals and clinics. This distinction allows for a more focused look at the heart of medical dramas as they are typically understood.
With these points clarified, it’s time to delve into the world of “doctor shows tv” and appreciate the best medical dramas that television has offered.
