Medical shows have been a mainstay of network television for decades, from soap operas like General Hospital (the longest-running scripted series in the US) to sitcoms like M*A*S*H and soapy drama series like Grey’s Anatomy, they have proven to be well that audiences will return to again and again. While they have been a thriving genre of the network space, they are currently making waves in the streaming space. The Pitt, whose finale will be released on MAX and Crave on April 10th, positions itself both as the heir to ER (helped by the presence of lead Noah Wyle, who “clocked” the most shifts at Cook County General Hospital during its 15 seasons) and 24 (each episode takes place over an hour of a long shift). Pulse, which dropped its episodes on Netflix on April 3rd, attempts to distance itself from Grey’s Anatomy (with a character telling another to forget everything they know from it) while also building in the relationship drama, which has always been a central component of Grey’s, alongside major disasters. Pulse begins with their hospital being caught up in a hurricane with the threat of losing full power after the chief resident (Dr. Xander Phillips, played by Colin Woodell) is suspended because of a sexual harassment complaint by the doctor (Dr. Danielle Simms, played by Willa Fitzgerald) tasked with replacing him in the interim. Both these shows resemble their network counterparts greatly, so one has to consider economics may be involved in the shift.
In recent years, most streamers have adopted ad-based tiers. For many today, watching a streaming show resembles watching a show on network television with ad breaks. So, it makes sense that the shows that thrive on the networks are starting to see life on streamers. There is another thing to consider. A long talked about production bubble bursting. With the rise of streamers, production budgets ballooned, as there was a shift to the quantity of shows rather than episodes in a season. It is much harder to amortize a budget over six episodes than 22. The Pitt made waves last fall when its budget was announced as only being north of 5 million an episode (so likely somewhere under 6 million), a figure unheard of in today’s television. Watching the show, you can see how it does it, everything is built on character and drama, and they only need the standing sets they built for their ER because everything stays there. Watching the first season, you can already see it becoming a show that amazing actors will want to work on because it provides the opportunity to turn great guest performances over an episode (or a few because of the real-time format). I was very excited when one of my favourite “actors to watch” popped up in episode four, Abby Ryder Fortson. It is so rare for age-appropriate casting in TV and Film for teen roles, so it was nice to see her in this role, especially as having someone older would have reduced the impact of her characterization of a teen girl struggling to get her mom to allow her to get a medical abortion. The series tackles many topics that have dominated the news cycle and isn’t afraid to lead with care and compassion, as shown in one of the early hours of the series after a patient dies and they gather around him to show their respect.
Netflix is holding to its full-season drop format (the only past exceptions I can recall have been partial season drops for the tent-pole series like Bridgerton, Stranger Things, and Cobra Kai), while this helps with initial numbers, it does not help with longevity and build. The Pitt has grown its audience from week to week, becoming a juggernaut and receiving a renewal a month after its premiere. While still in Netflix’s top 10 since its release on April 3rd, Pulse, is dropping, and it is unclear if, for Netflix, the series will be renewed or is already viewed as DOA. Pulse worked a very different model to try and keep audiences hooked and viewing until the end, a mystery surrounding why Simms reported Phillips (whom it’s revealed she had been in a relationship with) and how this would affect their future in the hospital. This operates under the assumption that audience members don’t believe that sexual assault can happen between people in relationships, but that would negate all the cases of domestic abuse that can take the form of sexual assault. It also asks audiences not to believe in their power imbalance from the start. By trying to make the whole thing muddy in their attempt at not making Phillips unlikable and still a potential love interest for Sims moving forward, they created a hurricane of toxicity in the show that will be difficult to untangle if they get a second season to go forward.
The Pitt streams on MAX in the US and Crave in Canada and will release its season one finale on April 10th, while Pulse is available on Netflix.
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