A doctor recently asked me, "Do you know what the best medical show on TV is?" I answered, "Scrubs, obviously." He corrected, "The first three seasons of Scrubs." So, I wonder how he (a Scrubs purist) will feel about the new-show/spin-off/season-nine of the hit comedy series that wins wide approval for its imitation of residency life. The "next generation" of Scrubs is all about medical school, and technically, it is the ninth season (stared in December), but creator Bill Lawrence calls it "Scrubs Med" and wants people to think of it as a different series; however, ABC won the battle to keep thename for the series.
In 2009, networks also gave us new shows about nurses (Mercy, HawthoRNe, Nurse Jackie), first responders (Trauma), house calls (Royal Pains), and transplants (Three Rivers). And Dr. Oz continued creating his medical media empire by launching his own show to compete with "America’s medical dream team" (AKA: The Doctors).
This year brings Miami Medical (formerly Miami Trauma), a new show about trauma surgeons racing against the "golden hour" to save patient lives and Off The Map, another show from Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice) featuring doctors in a tropical setting.
Miami Medical seems like it is combining all the rush of Trauma and ER with the soap of Grey’s and the Miami sizzle of Nip/Tuck. Looking forward to seeing what health messages the folks at Hollywood Health and Society and the CDC are able to assist into the writers of the 2010 line up of new shows and the second season or back 9 of the 2009 medical shows (except the ones that are being cancelled).
Knowing what patients and other medical consumers tune into on television and online is important to our job as producers of health care videos whether our clients need broadcast TV specials or internal video programs. We’ll be watching. And let us know if you have heard of any other new medical shows for 2010 or any other medical TV buzz you want to share.
We’ve got a few of our own shows we’re developing that may be coming to a TV screen near you!
