When it comes to intense dramas set in hospitals, is it possible to over-prescribe? Maybe, but we’re not there yet, at least judging from the upcoming television season.
There are currently five such shows airing on the Big 4 networks, and last Friday NBC announced it’s adding a new hospital wing in the 2018-2019 TV schedule, picking up the Ryan Eggold-led pilot “New Amsterdam” to series.
Per the logline, the medical drama “inspired by Bellevue, the oldest public hospital in America” focuses on “the brilliant and charming Dr. Max Goodwin,” who we’re told “sets out to tear up the bureaucracy and provide exceptional care,” won’t be “taking ‘no’ for an answer,” will “disrupt the status quo” and “stop at nothing to breathe new life” into the storied institution. Which is, by the way, “the only one in the world capable of treating Ebola patients, prisoners from Rikers and the President of the United States under one roof.”
If this synopsis sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve read many of these adjectives before in descriptions of, oh, every other medical drama on broadcast television.
At this moment, NBC is also home to “Chicago Med,” ABC touts “The Good Doctor” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” Fox has “The Resident,” and CBS houses “Code Black.” That means if all of them get renewed (and most of them have been already) “New Amsterdam” will bring us to an even half dozen medical drams overall.
So why did the network feel the need to order up 10 cc’s of another medical drama STAT? Well, that’s a good question, as the Nielsen numbers for this genre are all over the place, meaning it could either become a hit, provide the network with steady mid-range ratings, or tread water each week.
According to the most current season averages from Nielsen, “Chicago Med” is pulling in a 2.0 rating in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic, with “Grey’s Anatomy” scoring a 3.2, “The Good Doctor” earning a 3.4, “The Resident” posting a 1.7, and “Code Black” managing a 0.7, according to Nielsen. (That last one is not based on live + seven days of delayed viewing like the others, as the CBS series just returned for its third season two weeks ago.)
That means overall, “The Good Doctor” is currently the No. 9 show on broadcast, “Grey’s Anatomy” is 11, “Chicago Med” ties for 27th, “The Resident” ties for 42nd, and “Code Black” is ties at 138th. So, it’s not a completely safe bet, but in general it is a solid return on investment for most networks, which is why they are continuing to invest in the ones they have.
Keeping in mind the ratings and renewal status of its soon-to-be competitors, what is going to make “New Amsterdam” standout in a sea of shows set in a hospital? A speciality — something all the doc-centric shows with a good prognosis have.
Shondaland’s “Grey’s” gives viewers their weekly dose of relationship drama among characters they’ve grown attached to for over a decade. “The Good Doctor” has Freddie Highmore playing an autistic doctor, something new there. The Resident,” as star Matt Czuchry told TheWrap in January, could be ‘The Shield” of the genre. “Chicago Med” is a Dick Wolf show, so it’s like “Law & Order,” but for hospitals. And “Code Black” focuses on the nation’s busiest ER.
Chances are it’s that Bellevue angle that NBC thinks will drive viewers mad for “New Amsterdam.” But only time, and fall ratings, will tell.
Aside from Eggold, the drama stars Freema Agyeman, Janet Montgomery, Jocko Sims, Anupam Kher and Tyler Labine.
David Schulner will write and executive produce the series from Universal Television, Pico Creek Productions and Mount Moriah, with Kate Dennis directing and executive producing the pilot. Peter Horton also executive produces, with Dr. Eric Manheimer grabbing a producing credit.
Summer TV Premiere Dates: Every New and Returning Show (Photos)
Find out when the most hotly anticipated new shows and your old favorites return this summer. We'll keep updating this gallery as more shows are announced.
"I'm Dying Up Here" (Showtime) Sunday, May 6 at 10 p.m.
Showtime
"Sweetbitter" (Starz) Sunday, May 6 at 8:30 p.m.
Starz
"Vida" (Starz) Sunday, May 6 at 8 p.m.
Starz
"Safe" (Netflix) Thursday, May 10
Netflix
"All Night" (Hulu) Friday, May 11
Hulu
"Patrick Melrose" (Showtime) Saturday, May 12 at 9 p.m.
Showtime
"Little Women" (PBS) Sunday, May 13 at 8 p.m.
PBS
"13 Reasons Why" (Netflix) Friday, May 18
Netflix
"Fauda" (Netflix) Thursday, May 24
Netflix
"Picnic at Hanging Rock" (Amazon) Friday, May 25
Amazon
"The Bachelorette" (ABC) Monday, May 28 at 8 p.m.
ABC
"Six" (History) Monday, May 28 at 10 p.m.
History
"100 Code" (WGN America) Tuesday, May 19 at 10 p.m.
WGN America
"America's Got Talent" (NBC) Tuesday, May 29 at 8 p.m.
NBC
"Animal Kingdom" (TNT) Tuesday, May 29 at 9 p.m.
TNT
"Beat Shazam" (Fox) Tuesday, May 29 at 8 p.m.
Fox
"Love Connection" (Fox) Tuesday, May 29 at 9 p.m.
Fox
"Queen Sugar" (OWN) Tuesday, May 29 at 10 p.m.
OWN
"World of Dance" (NBC) Tuesday, May 29 at 10 p.m.
NBC
"American Ninja Warrior" (NBC) Wednesday, May 30 at 8 p.m.
NBC
"MasterChef" (Fox) Wednesday, May 30 at 10 p.m.
Fox
"Reverie" (NBC) Wednesday, May 30 at 10 p.m.
NBC
"Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" (Netflix) Wednesday, May 30
Netflix
"Pose" (FX) Sunday, June 3 at 9 p.m.
FX
"Succession" (HBO) Sunday, June 3 at 10 p.m.
HBO
"Dietland" (AMC) Monday, June 4 at 9 p.m.
AMC
"So You Think You Can Dance" (Fox) Monday, June 4 at 8 p.m.
Fox
"Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (CW) Monday, June 4 at 9 p.m.
CW
"Humans" (AMC) Tuesday, June 5 at 10 p.m.
AMC
"Teachers" (TV Land) Tuesday, June 5 at 10:30 p.m.
TV Land
"Younger" (TV Land) Tuesday, June 5 at 10 p.m.
TV Land
"Condor" (Audience) Wednesday, June 6 at 10 p.m.
Audience Network
"American Woman" (Paramount) Thursday, June 7 at 10 p.m.
Paramount Network
"The Four" (Fox) Thursday, June 7 at 8 p.m.
Fox
"Marvel's Cloak & Dagger" (Freeform) Thursday, June 7 at 8 p.m.
Freeform
"Nashville" (CMT) Thursday, June 7 at 9 p.m.
CMT
"Big Hero 6: The Series" (Disney) Saturday, June 9 at 9 a.m.
Disney
"The $100,000 Pyramid" (ABC) Sunday, June 10 at 9 p.m.
ABC
"Celebrity Family Feud" (ABC) Sunday, June 10 at 8 p.m.
ABC
"Claws" (TNT) Sunday, June 10 at 9 p.m.
TNT
"To Tell the Truth" (ABC) Sunday, June 10 at 10 p.m.
ABC
"The Bold Type" (Freeform) Tuesday, June 12
Freeform
"Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours to Hell and Back" (Fox) Wednesday, June 13 at 9 p.m.
"Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce" (Bravo) Thursday, June 14 at 10 p.m.
Bravo
"Marlon" (NBC) Thursday, June 14 at 9 p.m.
NBC
"Strange Angel" (CBS All Access) Thursday, June 14
CBS All Access
"Goliath" (Amazon) Friday, June 15
Amazon
"The Affair" (Showtime) Sunday, June 17 at 9 p.m.
Showtime
"Deep State" (Epix) Sunday, June 17 at 9 p.m.
Epix
"Shades of Blue" (NBC) Sunday, June 17 at 10 p.m.
NBC
"Drunk History" (Comedy Central) Tuesday, June 19 at 10 p.m.
Comedy Central
"Yellowstone" (Paramount) Wednesday, June 20 at 9 p.m.
Paramount Network
"Young & Hungry" (Freeform) Wedneday, June 20 at 8 p.m.
Freeform
"Detroiters" (Comedy Central) Thursday, June 21 at 10 p.m.
Comedy Central
"The Gong Show" (ABC) Thursday, June 21 at 8 p.m.
ABC
"Queen of the South" (USA) Thursday, June 21 at 9 p.m.
USA
"Shooter" (USA) Thursday, June 21 at 10 p.m.
USA
"Marvel's Luke Cage" (Netflix) Friday, June 22
Netflix
"Preacher" (AMC) Sunday, June 24 at 10 p.m.
AMC
"Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (CW) Monday, June 25 at 8 p.m.
CW
"GLOW" (Netflix) Friday, June 29
Netflix
"Masters of Illusion" (CW) Friday, June 29 at 8 p.m.
CW
"Power" (Starz) Sunday, July 1 at 9 p.m.
Starz
"Sacred Games" (Netflix) Friday, July 6
Netflix
"Heathers" (Paramount) Tuesday, July 10 at 10 p.m.
Paramount Network
"The Outpost" (CW) Tuesday, July 10 at 8 p.m.
Getty Images
"Burden of Truth" (CW) Wednesday, July 11 at 8 p.m.
Getty Images
"Harlots" (Hulu) Wednesday, July 11
Hulu
"The HollywoodPuppet Show" (Fuse) Tuesday, July 17 at 10:30 p.m.
Fuse
"Suits" (USA) Wednesday, July 18 at 9 p.m.
USA
"Snowfall" (FX) Thursday, July 19 at 10 p.m.
FX
"Trial & Error: Lady, Killer" (NBC) Thursday, July 19 at 9 p.m.
NBC
"Wynonna Earp" (Syfy) Friday, July 20 at 9 p.m.
Syfy
"Killjoys" (Syfy) Friday, July 20 at 10 p.m.
Syfy
"Outcast" (Cinemax) Friday, July 20 at 10 p.m.
Cinemax
"Castle Rock" (Hulu) Wednesday, July 25
Hulu
"Swedish Dicks" (Pop) Thursday, July 26
Pop TV
"Casual" (Hulu) Tuesday, July 31
Hulu
"The Sinner" (USA) Wednesday, August 1
USA
"Mr. Mercedes" (Audience) Wedneday, August 22 at 10 p.m.
Audience Network
"The Innocents" (Netflix) Friday, August 24
Netflix
"Jack Ryan" (Amazon) Friday, August 31
Amazon
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From returning favorites like Netflix’s ”Luke Cage“ to highly anticipated debuts such as Ryan Murphy’s ”Pose,“ TheWrap’s complete guide to summer TV premieres
Find out when the most hotly anticipated new shows and your old favorites return this summer. We'll keep updating this gallery as more shows are announced.