The medical drama is one of the most narrative genres on television. It’s no surprise, then, that series after series is being made or constantly renewed every season. There is certainly something to be said about medical professionals being everyday superheroes. Not to mention the plethora of storylines that can unfold in a hospital setting. From steamy romances to epic tragedies, medical drama is known to offer it all.
Updated September 9, 2022: If you like medical dramas, you’ll be happy to know that we’ve updated our list below with additional compelling series.
Indeed, doctors and surgeons are some of our favorite TV characters. That said, not every medical TV series is created equal. Some are focused on comedy, while others are more of a drama-heavy variety. What makes these shows really captivating – and completely binge-worthy – is that they each bring something different to the table. These are the best medical TV drama series.
13 Royal Pains (2009 – 2016)
royal pains ran on the USA Network from 2009 to 2016 and was based in part on actual concierge practices from independent physicians and companies. Featuring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Henry Winkler and Campbell Scott, the show follows Hank Lawson, a young emergency room doctor who, after being wrongly blamed for the death of an important patient, heads to the Hamptons. moves and becomes an unwilling house visitor. doctor to the rich and famous.
When the administrator of the local hospital asks him to treat the city’s less fortunate, he finds himself walking the line between doing good for himself and doing good for others. It was a summer feel-good show best consumed after a long day at the beach (or pool).
12 Private practice (2007 – 2013)
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A spin-off from Grey’s Anatomy, Private practice takes place at the Seaside Health & Wellness Center and chronicles the life of Dr. Addison Montgomery, played by Kate Walsh, as she leaves Seattle Grace Hospital to join a private practice in Los Angeles. The riveting medical drama also centers on Addison’s colleagues and how they interact with patients and the practice, while still finding time to go about their daily lives.
The series was created by Shonda Rhimes, who also serves as an executive producer. Running six seasons, Private practice may seem like a lesser-known series in the realm of Shondaland, but it still ranks as one of the best. Reruns can be seen in syndication on some local ABC stations and can be streamed on Hulu and Netflix.
11 The resident (2018 -)
The inhabitant offers a glimpse into the bureaucratic world of the medical world as seen by the staff at Atlanta’s Chastain Park Memorial Hospital in Georgia. The series follows titular resident Conrad Hawkins, an idealistic doctor who is handed over on his first day to a no-nonsense senior resident who reveals to him the truth about the inner workings of the hospital system. Through his eyes, we see the side of the medical field rarely shown on television, the good and the bad of medical ethics and malpractice. The inhabitant will enter its sixth season this September 2022.
10 Chicago Med (2015 – )
Chicago Med is the third installment of the gripping Chicago TV series franchises and centers on the vital medical professionals who work in the emergency department of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, with the immersive series portraying the lives of the highly educated men and women as they tackle a diverse assortment of cases and patients who through their doors. As with its accompanying shows, the drama often features crossover episodes and appearances by characters from Chicago fire and Chicago PD, and the popular program continues to deliver strong ratings as it enters its upcoming eighth season.
9 Nurse Jackie (2009 – 2015)
Nurse Jackie holds the title of Showtime’s highest-rated premiere ever. In Showtime’s dark comedy Nurse Jackie, seven award-winning seasons, Edie Falco stars as a nurse working through everyday life at All Saints Hospital in New York City. She is often at the center of many memorable dramatic moments, often using prescription drugs. With a mostly female cast, Nurse Jackie can be seen as a feminist series that shows us how much nurses are trusted by their better-paid superiors.
8 Grey’s Anatomy (2005 – )
The longest-running medical drama in history first aired in 2005. Grey’s Anatomy going well and there are no official signs of stopping yet. For nearly 20 years, this hit series has won hearts and prizes as she follows Meredith Gray from her beginnings in Seattle Gray as a surgical intern to the rank of Chief of General Surgery at Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital. With a rotating cast, crazy storylines, breathtaking romance and the strongest protagonists on television, Grey’s Anatomy keeps viewers hooked every week and probably will for many years to come.
7 ED (1994 – 2009)
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Developed by Michael Crichton, er was the first contemporary medical drama to be televised. Set in Chicago’s fictional County General Hospital, the series has provided viewers with memorable characters, emotional stories, and plenty of suspense and a lot of blood.
Many non-viewers know this hit series as the launch pad for some of their favorite stars to get their start: actors like Noah Wyle, Anthony Edwards, the late Vanessa Marquez, and most importantly George Clooney. THERE is the second longest running medical drama behind Grey’s Anatomy. Of all the other shows on this list, many of them were probably inspired by this award-winning drama, as it set the standard for all the shows to come after it.
6 The Good Doctor (2017 -)
Freddie HighMore of Bates Motel stars in yet another award-winning role in the good doctor as Shaun Murphy, a gifted autistic surgeon with incredible knowledge of medicine and methodology. Shaun’s stock is soaring as the newest surgeon in San Jose St. Bonaventure due to his unique ability to diagnose patients based on his ability to visualize the human body. Though lonely and unable to make personal connections with those around him, Shaun uses his medical prowess to save lives and challenge the perception of autism and his skeptical colleagues. the good doctor will enter its sixth season in October 2022.
5 Call the Midwife (2012 -)
Call the midwife is an original BBC series set in the late 1950s and early 1960s. This historical drama tells the story of London midwives working during a period of great turmoil. The leading ladies are ordained nuns who are part of a nursing ward known as the Nonnatus House. Unlike most of the series on this list, this one unfolds without the use of melodrama and excess and approaches serious topics in a practical sense and an honest look at mid-century medical practices related to birth and sexual health.
4 Scrubs (2001 – 2010)
This wildly popular ABC sitcom focused on the junior hospital staff who rarely get the spotlight in most medical dramas. The characters depicted mainly perform the grunting work for the higher ranks at the Sacred Heart Hospital, which serves as a teaching facility for a medical college.
scrubs walked away from the sympathy of its rotating cast for nine seasons, which included Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, Donald Faison and John C. McGinley. With a combination of slap-stick humor, recognizable characters, heart and then insight into a part of the medical field rarely seen on television, this series penetrated the hearts of viewers and became a longtime favorite.
3 M*A*S*H (1972 – 1983)
Inspired by Robert Altman’s film of the same name, this legendary series was centered on the mid-century wars that changed the history of the world forever, with MASH after a mobile hospital unit during the Korean War. Both this series and its film adaptation ran during the height of the Vietnam War, with many critics viewing the show as an allegory for the conflict.
Many medical dramas of today may have taken inspiration from this series, namely: scrubs, by means ofhis humor and courage when it’s time to get serious. MASH is more of a sitcom drama than a purely medical show, but it’s perfectly enough to top any list. This series ran for 11 years, thanks in part to its character building and development, humor, and situational drama to keep viewers hooked to the end.
2 The Knick (2014 – 2015)
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Located in 1900 New York City, The Knick follows Clive Owen as Dr. John W. Thakery, a man who balances his addictions with his ambition for medical discovery as he takes on the position of chief surgeon at Knickerbocker Hospital. The troubled doctor dives into the unknown as he struggles with the limitations of medical understanding and medical practices while trying to minimize the death rate.
This masterful, two-season drama from Steven Soderbergh depicts the bleak reality that was the beginning of modern medical practice. Portraying scenes with natural light and portraying graphic surgical procedures, The Knick is a medical drama set in a period that is rarely addressed and stands out from all the other dramas on this list for its artistry, intellect, and incredible performances; if only it ran for more episodes, it would be substantial than arguably the biggest and best medical show on TV.
1 House (2004 – 2012)
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With a precise combination of mystery, methodology and character studies, this multi award-winning series kept fans coming back to follow the genius Doctor through all of his highs and lows. To this day, it remains one of the most highly regarded medical dramas ever to appear on television. dr. Gregory House is a sociopathic but extremely smart doctor with a crippled leg and an opioid addiction. The show does not focus on medical mysteries, but also explores House’s personal life, from his addiction to his relationships with his colleagues and his interesting and often hilarious interactions with his patients of different personalities. House is a drama that always keeps them guessing.