11 Best TV Medical Dramas of All Time
A staple of primetime television over the years has become the medical drama (ER, Grey’s Anatomy, St. Elsewhere, New Amsterdam, to name a few). By following the doctors not only as they treat patients on the job — there’s no shortage of medical cases that can come wheeling into an ER or rushed to the OR — but also as they try to sort out their personal lives off it, these shows have plenty of real estate to cover for years.
But as always, in every genre, there are some that stand out ahead of the rest (whether they’ve won Emmys or not). Below, with the newest to join the genre, the outstanding The Pitt, wrapping its first season, we take a look at the 11 best medical dramas of all time — and a few of them are still airing new episodes! Given our love for the ’90s, our number 1 pick shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. (Note: We’ve only included full-on dramas, so there are no comedies or dramedies — sorry, Scrubs and Nurse Jackie.)
The Good Doctor
With a cast that includes Freddie Highmore, Richard Schiff, Christina Chang, and Hill Harper, the ABC medical drama follows Shaun Murphy, a young autistic surgeon who has savant syndrome, and his colleagues at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. Not only are the cases compelling, but the doctors also all have their own challenges they must face doing the job.
The Night Shift
Not only does the NBC medical drama follow San Antonio Memorial Hospital’s overnight shift, but that staff also includes former Army doctors (who not only relied on their training but also headed to Afghanistan and Syria at a couple points and led to the beginning of a medical-combat training program at the hospital). There’s the requisite love triangle, as well as one of the docs hiding that he’s gay until his boyfriend comes in after a serious accident. Its cast included Eoin Macken, Jill Flint, Brendan Fehr, Scott Wolf, and Ken Leung.
Chicago Hope
Winner of seven Emmys, the medical drama follows the (messy) professional and personal lives of the staff (Mandy Patinkin, Hector Elizondo, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Barbara Hershey, Christine Lahti, Peter Berg, Mark Harmon, Rocky Carroll, Adam Arkin, and others) of a fictional private hospital in Chicago. Perhaps its number one flaw is that it aired opposite ER for a time (before DVRs and next-day streaming); still, its storylines were compelling.
Grey’s Anatomy
The longest-running primetime medical drama (which has spawned a couple spin-offs) follows the doctors — from interns to residents to attendings to chiefs of departments — of Seattle Grace (then Seattle Grace Mercy West, now Grey Sloan). Their romantic lives couldn’t be more complicated, and characters have gone out in dramatic fashion over the years. The cast of the Emmy-winning series has included Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, Chandra Wilson, James Pickens Jr., Sara Ramirez, Eric Dane, and T.R. Knight.
Chicago Med
Part of the successful One Chicago shows, with a cast that has included Colin Donnell, Nick Gehlfuss, Yaya DaCosta, Torrey DeVitto, Brian Tee, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Oliver Platt, it offers a look into the personal lives — which do get soapy — of the staff of the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center as they treat patients. Its crossovers with Fire and P.D. as well as the introduction of things like the hybrid OR help allow it to stand out.
New Amsterdam
“How can I help?” That question from Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold), which has resonated with the rest of the staff (Freema Agyeman, Jocko Sims, Tyler Labine, Janet Montgomery, among others) since he took over as the titular hospital’s medical director in New York, set the stage for what the show would be. As a result, we see how much the docs (including more time spent in the psychiatry department than other medical dramas) care about their patients.
The Resident
The Fox medical drama, while exploring the personal lives and professional challenges of Chastain’s staff (Matt Czuchry, Emily VanCamp, Bruce Greenwood, Jane Leeves, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and others) in Atlanta, also takes a look at ethical issues, the mistakes and redemptions of medical professionals, the limits of the hospital, and much more.
House
The Hugh Laurie-led show focuses on something medical dramas rarely take the time to explore as deeply as each episode does: the diagnosis. House (who’s addicted to Vicodin, after an infarction in his leg) may brilliantly lead the team (most of the time) at New Jersey’s Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, but he’s far from perfect. The Emmy-winning series also starred Lisa Edelstein, Robert Sean Leonard, Omar Epps, Jesse Spencer, Jennifer Morrison, and others.
St. Elsewhere
There’s a reason it won 13 Emmys over its six seasons. (During that time, the staff of Boston’s St. Eligius Hospital included Ed Flanders, William Daniels, David Morse, Christina Pickles, Denzel Washington, and Mark Harmon.) Its way of storytelling — the personal and professional lives of the docs in the teaching hospital that treated patients others turned away intertwined — would go on to be the template for medical dramas to come.
The Pitt
Noah Wyle (ER) returns to his doctor roots in this Max medical drama that, with only one season, has established itself as one of the best shows of television. With a raw, emotional, at times broken, and wholly exceptional performance as Robby, Wyle leads a stellar ensemble cast (including Katherine LaNasa, Patrick Ball, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, and Shawn Hatosy). Told in real time, each season takes place across a single shift, with each episode one hour. It’s a grounded show, one that cares about the hospital staff and the medicine, and there’s nothing like it on television.
ER
To paraphrase Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards), it “sets the tone” for medical dramas. It makes us care about the lives and patients of the Chicago County General staff (George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, Wyle, Eriq La Salle, and others) and features some of the best episodes (“All in the Family”) and most compelling moments of television — earning it 23 Emmys — ever as a result.
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BluePlanet
New Amsterdam is too high up on this list. It was really good in its first two seasons, started going downhill in the third, and crashed and burned in the fourth. It’s now limping to the finish line after it was canceled with a shortened fifth season order. Shame, because it had potential to be great.
RedLobster
I guess it was too much to hope something old like Marcus Welby or Medical Center would appear on the list.
GreenHat
The Good Doctor at #10. Ridiculous! Maybe not #1, but should be at least #5
GreenApple
"House" is Phenomenal, every seasonis awesome.I mean, you have to watch every episode because it just gets better and better.I wish they would come back on again.This show is awesome . Literally has something interesting for just about everyone. From poor to rich , from a Saint to a criminal. I give this show 5 Stars 🌟 Phenomenal. Loved it.
S.V. Vaughn
One subject that is never covered in these hospital shows: Lets say that a Jr. High school "Bully" is going around punching his classmates in the nuts and a bunch of young men are coming in for surgery on their nuts with testicular torsion. It was covered on South Park.
GoldBug
House all the way!
GreenBee
Chicago Med should be higher, certainly above New Amsterdam in my opinion. Especially, over the last two seasons. While it does get soapy (like Chicago Fire), it's not nearly as soapy as Grey's Anatomy. It's the most accurate medical show currently on the air (the medicine is 85% accurate, and they only use published cases as inspiration). I didn't watch it (aside from the crossovers) until season 7, since I found it way too soapy. But, it's toned that down over the past two seasons and is SO GOOD now in my opinion. The cast is great. Their current storyline tackling how supply chain issues affect hospital staff and patient care is really good and incredibly necessary. ER will always be the best, but the three best medical shows on tv right now in no particular order are Chicago Med, The Good Doctor and The Resident.
BlueLocomotive
It was never good and so full of inaccuracies that a first year medical student would find it comical. Why would these shows not make some effort to have some realism? It’s not difficult!
GoldBug
Whoever made this list was young because they neglected some of the greats from the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Chicago Med? No way. The Resident? No way.
PurpleSubmarine
I would eliminate about half the listed series with consideration for the following: “Dr. Kildare” (NBC, 1961–1966); “Ben Casey” (ABC, 1961–1966); “The Bold Ones: The New Doctors” (NBC, 1969–1973); “Marcus Welby” (ABC, 1969–1976; Emmys in its first season for Outstanding Drama Series, and with winning performances by Robert Young and James Brolin); “Medical Center” (CBS, 1969–1976); “Trapper John, M.D.” (CBS, 1979–1986); “Nurse” (CBS, 1981–82; with a 1982 Emmy for Michael Learned).
SL
E.R. had one! 😁
GreenRocket
HOUSE RULES
BlueLocomotive
It was never good and so full of inaccuracies that a first year medical student would find it comical. Why would these shows not make some effort to have some realism? It’s not difficult!
BlueLocomotive
It was never good and so full of inaccuracies that a first year medical student would find it comical. Why would these shows not make some effort to have some realism? It’s not difficult!
BlueLocomotive
It was never good and so full of inaccuracies that a first year medical student would find it comical. Why would these shows not make some effort to have some realism? It’s not difficult!