For seven seasons, audiences tuned in to ABC medical drama The Good Doctor to watch Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore), an autistic surgeon with savant syndrome, who uses his skills to solve complicated medical cases while balancing his work with his personal life, from his eventual marriage and new role as father to his clashes with colleagues who question his abilities. The series was based on the 2013 South Korean drama Good Doctor. The Good Doctor lasted for over 100 episodes and came to an end in May 2024.
But despite The Good Doctor’s end, there’s no shortage of medical dramas to turn to for medical mysteries mixed with interpersonal drama, and even skilled but difficult doctors and the difficulties of running a hospital beyond medical cases. The best medical dramas prove that with compelling characters and unique storylines, they can stand out and present a new take on a very familiar genre and primetime staple.
‘9-1-1’ (2018-)
Created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear
9-1-1 focuses on the chaotic, high-stakes work and personal lives of first responders, from the dispatchers answering panicked calls to the firefighters, paramedics, and police officers sent to respond and save lives – and sometimes, the lives in danger are their own. The series premiered in 2018 and first aired on Fox, then moved to ABC starting with Season 7. It was created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, and Tim Minear.
‘Private Practice’ (2007-2013)
Created by Shonda Rhimes
As the first spin-off of Grey’s Anatomy – and part of Shondaland – Private Practice followed neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) as she left Seattle for a fresh start at a private practice in Los Angeles. Like Grey’s, the series focused on Addison’s professional and personal lives. It aired on ABC and lasted six seasons, from 2007 until 2013, with over 100 episodes and often crossed over with Grey’s. Creator Shonda Rhimes has expressed a desire to revive the series.
‘This Is Going to Hurt’ (2022)
Created by Adam Kay
2022 British miniseries This Is Going to Hurt followed a young doctor, Adam (Ben Whishaw), working in the OB/GYN ward of a hospital, with all of its ups and downs, from straightforward deliveries to life-threatening complications – and the toll it took, both physical and mental, on hospital staff. The series also often addressed the issues caused by a lack of funding for the NHS. It was based on the best-selling memoir of the same name.
‘Scrubs’ (2001-2010)
Created by Bill Lawrence
Scrubs was a comedic take on the medical genre centered on John “J.D.” Dorian (Zach Braff) and his fellow interns as they worked at the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital and eventually became doctors and mentors to a new class of interns. The series premiered in 2001 on NBC and lasted nine seasons – it moved to ABC in its later seasons. Creator Bill Lawrence has said a reboot is in the works.
‘Code Black’ (2015-2018)
Created by Michael Seitzman
In the CBS drama Code Black, the staff of the L.A. County Hospital worked to save lives in their overcrowded but understaffed emergency room, a situation called a Code Black, something a typical hospital experiences just a few times per year compared to about 300 for L.A. County. The ensemble cast included Marcia Gay Harden and Rob Lowe, who joined the show in Season 2. Code Black lasted three seasons and was based on the documentary of the same name.
‘Chicago Med’ (2015-)
Created by Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead
The third show in the One Chicago series created by Dick Wolf, Chicago Med follows the staff of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center as they juggle their personal and professional lives, sometimes using surprising, unconventional methods to save lives and help patients, with stories based on real medical cases. Chicago Med has been on the air for nine seasons and nearly 200 episodes, with Season 10 set to air in the fall of 2024.
‘Black Box’ (2014)
Created by Amy Holden Jones
Dr. Catherine Black (Kelly Reilly) was a famed neurologist dealing with bipolar, auditory hallucinations, and a tendency to go off her meds on ABC’s Black Box. She worked in a state-of-the-art facility called The Cube, which treated patients with rare conditions that often caused hallucinations while trying to hide her own hallucinations from those around her in order to keep her job. The series only lasted one season and also featured Vanessa Redgrave.
‘Good Sam’ (2022)
Created by Katle Wech
In Good Sam, Dr. Sam Griffith (Sophia Bush) was forced to step into the role of chief of surgery after her boss fell into a coma, then, after he awoke months later, wanted to return to his job, and the situation was even more complicated by the fact that her boss also happened to be her father, played by Jason Isaacs. Good Sam aired on CBS and lasted just one season.
