15 Heartbreaking Medical Dramas That Will Air After Pitt
Noah Wiley can’t seem to escape the emergency room. After spending more than a decade on NBC’s ’90s megahit ER, he’s back in suit for HBO’s trendy new medical series Pitt . If this show hasn’t yet satisfied your medical drama cravings, there are plenty of other shows to stream.
The genre’s roots can be traced back to the early ’60s with Sexy Dr. Kildare , but it really exploded in the ’70s with shows like Medical Center , ER! and Quincy, Maine are all fairly soapy dramas with plenty of action and occasional doses of silliness. MASH became a hit later that decade, combining the sitcom formula with medical pathos, but it was the 1982 series “St. Elsewhere ” gave us the template for today’s medical shows: dramatic, serious and with a large cast of doctors and nurses whose personal lives often conflict with their work. This show set the standard and inspired dozens of subsequent medical shows, many of which you can now find on your favorite streaming service.
Pitt (2025 –)
But first, a little about The Pitt if you haven’t made it to your appointment yet. Noah Wyle ( ER ) is back in costume as Dr. Michael “Robbie” Rabinawitz, a senior physician in the emergency department at Pittsburgh Trauma Hospital. Robbie’s mentor died during the height of Covid-19 and he was just recovering from a traumatic experience. It will be a long day, though: each episode is one hour of his 15-hour shift. It’s still relatively early days, but the show has already won critical acclaim and been renewed for a second season. You can stream The Pitt on Max .
Watson (2025 –)
It’s hard to say whether this new series under the direction of Morris Chestnut will achieve any success, but it looks promising and the idea is so stupid that it’s worth watching anyway. Chestnut plays modern-day Dr. John Watson (yes, that Dr. Watson), who was Sherlock Holmes’ assistant before his detective pal fell off Reichenbach Falls. Now he’s alone in Pittsburgh, running a clinic designed to help people with mysterious ailments who need a doctor who’s also a bit of a detective. You can stream Watson on Paramount+ .
Call the Midwife (2012 –)
Set in the early days of Britain’s National Health Service, Call the Midwife explores an era when many received modern medical care for the first time, when the nuns of London’s Nonnatus House, who had provided basic midwifery services for decades, were joined by secular nurses and given government funding. The series takes a candid look at women’s health issues in a way that few other series have ever touched, and its ever-changing cast of characters has helped it remain a beloved favorite for over a decade, both in its native Britain and abroad. You can stream Call the Midwife onNetflix and PBS.
New Amsterdam (2018 – 2023)
Even the most realistic medical dramas have soapy aspects, but New Amsterdam leans more towards that side of things than most. Ryan Eggold plays Dr. Maximus “Max” Goodwin, the slightly annoying new medical director of one of the oldest public hospitals in the United States. He wants to freshen up the outdated hospital and tear down its boring bureaucracy, and at his side is Doctor Who’s Freema Agyeman. The show sometimes sag under the weight of its plots, but it’s still fun to watch Max fight for public health. You can stream New Amsterdam on Peacock .
House (2004 – 2012)
Like the much later Watson , House showcases research medicine, with Hugh Laurie as the titular Dr. Holmes (well, House) and Robert Sean Leonard as Watson (okay, Wilson). Not only is the show fast-paced and lean, but it also has the advantage of Laurie’s career-defining performance as one of television’s greatest jerks, a wonderfully caustic curmudgeon who nonetheless gets results. You can stream House on Prime Video , Hulu and Peacock .
Let’s carry on (2013–2015)
One of the few medical shows dedicated to aging and geriatric care, “Getting On” chronicles the trials faced by staff at an underfunded extended care facility. The fact that it’s often a very dark comedy doesn’t make it any less impressive at tackling difficult topics. Starring Laurie Metcalf, Alex Borstein, Niecy Nash and Mel Rodriguez. You can stream “Getting On” on Max .
Nick (2014–2015)
The Knick , directed by Steven Soderbergh, takes us back to the glory days of American medical care, specifically 1900 New York and the fictional Knickerbocker Hospital, starring Clive Owen’s doctor John Thackery as a well-meaning surgical chief who also suffers from a pretty significant opium addiction. He’s joined by Andre Holland as Dr. Algernon K. Edwards, a black assistant surgeon general who circles most of his colleagues but still can’t get any credit for it (he’s based on a couple of real-life doctors of the time). Like the best medical dramas of its time, this one is a good reminder that modern medicine isn’t all bad. You can stream The Knick on Max .
st. Elsewhere (1982–1987)
Starting out as a gritty, realistic hospital drama, “St. Elsewhere” evolved into something weirder, funnier, and much more experimental, leading to an unforgettable series finale (iikyk). In doing so, he also created a template that all subsequent medical shows followed. The cast itself is wild, featuring great TV and film stars past and present, including Norman Lloyd, William Daniels, Denzel Washington, Mark Harmon and Alfre Woodard, among many, many more. It’s a little slower than the crazier shows that followed it, but it’s still a very exciting watch. You can stream St. Elsewhere on Hulu .
Ambulance (1994-2009)
The natural successor to “St. Elsewhere , ER is less weird, but does a better job of portraying a hospital drama that at least feels like reality. With yet another rotating cast that kept the show fresh over an impressive 15 seasons, ER’s innovation lay in its willingness to drag viewers along at breakneck speed, relying on us to keep up with fast-paced dialogue filled with medical jargon. At its best, the show makes you feel like you’re actually getting a glimpse of life in an underfunded city emergency room. You can stream ER on Hulu and Max .
Children’s Hospital (2008 – 2016)
A merciless and memorable satire of medical dramas in general, this comedy centers on the staff of the titular hospital, named after founder Arthur Childs (motto: “I believe the Nursery is the future”). The show can’t be bothered with continuity; instead, each episode delves into a very silly and clever dark comedy that’s notable for its commitment to randomness. The cast includes creator Rob Corddry, Lake Bell, Erinn Hayes, Rob Huebel, Ken Marino, Megan Mullally, Henry Winkler and Malin Åkerman. You can buy episodes of Children’s Hospital on Prime Video .
Scrubs (2001 – 2010)
The scrappy sitcom was revived at least once during its original run, and was finally declared dead after only an impressive nine seasons, although its revival is credited to original creator Bill Lawrence . Zach Braff plays J.D. Dorian, who begins the series as an intern at the fictional teaching hospital Sacred Heart. Playing with slapstick humor and including surreal dream sequences, the series received high praise from medical professionals, who apparently found it more accurate in its portrayal of the details of hospital life than many prestige medical dramas. You can stream Scrubs on Hulu and Peacock .
Grey’s Anatomy (2005-)
Grey’s Anatomy spawned Shonda Rhimes’ mighty television empire, but the show that started it all is somehow still going strong in its 21st season. Meredith Gray (Ellen Pompey) continues to lead the team of doctors at Seattle Grace along with Chandra Wilson and James Pickens Jr. A clever cast rotation has kept it relatively fresh over two decades and over 430 episodes. You can stream Grey’s Anatomy on Hulu andNetflix .
This Will Hurt (2022)
Loosely adapted from comedian Adam Kay’s memoir, this British miniseries chronicles Kay’s time as a trainee doctor in obstetrics and gynecology around 2006. Ben Wislo plays Kay as he faces daily challenges that range from the hilarious to the shocking and terrifying. The show makes clear that while the contexts are very different, UK doctors also struggle with chaotic working conditions and a lack of institutional support, particularly at trainee level. You can stream This Is Gonna Hurt on AMC+.
Transplantation (2020 – 2024)
There’s a lot that’s familiar about this Canadian drama, but the series stands apart because of its protagonist’s unique perspective (at least as far as mainstream medical dramas go). Hamza Haq plays Bashir “Bash” Hamed, a refugee from the Syrian Civil War who comes to Toronto to rebuild his life and career as an emergency medical resident. He is unable to get a job in his chosen field until his heroic actions in the first episode bring him the attention he deserves. Despite this, he faces discrimination as a doctor and suffers the effects of wartime trauma, although his skills and experience prove extremely valuable. You can stream Transplant on Peacock .
Nurse Jackie (2009–2015)
Edie Falco followed up her work on The Sopranos with this equally lauded comedy-drama, which earned her six straight Emmy nominations and one win. She plays the titular emergency room nurse at All Saints Hospital in New York City. At the beginning of the series, Jackie is married but having an affair, mainly to get various pills that she is addicted to, giving you a sense of the disarray in Jackie’s life and work. You can buy Nurse Jackie on Apple TV .