Medical dramas have captured our attention since 1951, when the first known medical drama, City Hospital, aired. It was quickly followed in the 1960s when the longest-running and arguably most well-known medical drama General Hospital appeared on the scene. While this genre has been growing in popularity for years with other long-running series such as ER, the debut of Shonda Rhimes explosive hit Grey’s Anatomy launched the genre to a whole new level.
What is it about these dramas that have us so hooked? Perhaps it is the fact that they give us inside look at the private lives and loves of doctors, the people we usually only see in a professional capacity. Or perhaps the additional life-and-death storylines add an extra element of intrigue and excitement. Or maybe we humans just have a healthy taste for the macabre that the blood and guts of medical dramas fill. No matter the reason, it is certain that medical dramas have us all hooked and these ten in particular will deliver a healthy dose of drama.
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, Netflix, Hulu)
Of course, we would never make a medical drama list and not include Grey’s Anatomy. As one of the longest-running series on television, created by one of the most prolific writers and producers of our time, it would be nothing short of medical malpractice for us to leave it out.
Grey’s Anatomy has been on the air since 2005, making it the longest-running scripted primetime show on ABC, ever. The show has had several cast changes along the way, with one noticeable exception Ellen Pompeo who plays Meredith Grey the show’s figurehead, has been with the show since day one. Unfortunately, however, she did recently announce her imminent departure from the series, but we think it’s safe to say that she and the show have had a pretty good run. Almost 20 years is quite an achievement.
The show has never been one to shy away from hot-button topics, facing the pandemic, politics, and other issues head-on, and introducing characters from all demographics. The show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes, has always maintained she wanted all viewers to feel represented by the show and to be able to find characters they both looked like and could relate to. Shonda is the creator of several other long-running and high-profile series such as How To Get Away With Murder, Bridgerton, and Scandal. It’s no wonder this series is such a fan favorite. Do yourself a favor and check it out on ABC, Hulu, or Netflix before Ellen Pompeo makes her grand departure.
The Good Doctor (ABC, Hulu)
The Good Doctor is breaking barriers as it follows the story of the young autistic surgeon Shaun Murphy, played by Freddie Highmore, as he navigates his new job at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. Murphy is a savant who has extraordinary medical insight but struggles with interactions with his coworkers and superiors. The show follows the triumphs and tribulations of the neurodivergent doctor in a way never before portrayed. It has met with rave reviews and as it nears the end of its sixth season, it has been nominated for two Golden Globes.
The series dives into the dark past of the young doctor and follows his relationships with new and old friends and a love interest. The show has all the gore we love in a medical drama but also has plenty of heart (pun intended) to go around. Check it out on ABC or Hulu, as Netflix still hasn’t picked this gem up for some reason.
House (Peacock)
Addiction, insanity, and ingenuity all rolled into one show, and person… yes, House definitely has it all. Dr. Gregory House is the Sherlock Holmes of the medical world. A genius with a few additional personality traits, the show follows House’s unusual diagnostic methods as he takes on cases, that baffle the other doctors.
However just as fascinating as his professional life is his increasingly chaotic personal life as he struggles with love, loss, injury, and well, pills. His otherwise anti-social tendencies prove for great entertainment as well, yet nothing is quite as captivating as the medical conundrums he solves. The show provides plenty of patient puzzles to keep House busy for eight seasons. While it is no longer churning out new seasons it is still available for streaming on Peacock.
The Resident (Fox, Hulu)
Oh hello, Matt Czuchry, how we have missed your biceps. Yes, Matt Czuchry has come a long way since his Gilmore Girls days, going on to star as Conrad Hawkins in Fox’s medical drama The Resident. Matt’s current character is just as cocky and arrogant as his Logan Huntzberger days, but is also just as charming as he takes new approaches to solving problems.
Hawkins plays the bad boy to his first-year residents as he shatters their illusions of grandeur in medicine. This includes idealist Dr. Devon Pravesh, who is learning that medicine might be more than he bargained for. The show is on its sixth season with rumors of a seventh in the works. The jaw-dropping twists and turns of the show, and let’s be honest, Matt Czuchry’s good looks, have us hooked. Check out this piece of medical mayhem on Fox and Hulu.
Chicago Med (Peacock, NBC)
From the creators of Law and Order comes a medical masterpiece full of all the drama, heartbreak, and action we have come to expect from a Dick Wolf production. Chicago Med follows the staff of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center as their team of doctors, nurses, and general staff face new puzzles and problems daily. As part of the show’s triad, along with the Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire, these brave teams are here to help clean up the aftermath of the crazy Chicago streets.
The show hosts such familiar names as Brian Tee as Dr. Ethan Choi, Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles, and S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin. The show has been on for eight seasons with a ninth on the way, it is said Brian Tee will be exiting following this season. Bummer.
Yet the show must go on, and as we have seen with Law and Order SVU, Dick Wolf is the master of the smooth transition and character replacement. So we are sure that whoever comes in to replace him, will be a great addition to the cast.
Check out this masterful medical drama on Peacock.
ER (Hulu, HBO Max)
Before there was Grey’s Anatomy, before there was Chicago Med, there was ER. ER started in 1994 and went on for an impressive 15 seasons. The show featured such Hollywood heavy hitters as George Clooney and John Stamos, Shane West, Mekhi Phifer, Linda Cardellini, William H. Macy, and more. It was almost a Hollywood rite of passage to do at least one season or cameo on ER. In fact, Noah Wyle, who played John Carter, is the only cast member to have appeared in every episode for the 11 seasons he was on. The man deserves a medal.
As one would assume with 15 seasons, there were a lot of plot twists and turns. There were patient saves and losses, love interests, breakups and makeups, and oh yeah, life and death. Check out this piece of primetime genius on HBO Max and Hulu.
General Hospital (ABC, Hulu)
When it comes to drama, soap operas take the cake, and when it comes to medical dramas, General Hospital takes the whole bakery. Not only does it reign in terms of drama, but it is also the king of all the medical dramas, as it began in 1963. Yes, you read that correctly: General Hospital has been on for a record-breaking 60 seasons. It is actually in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running soap opera in production. It also holds the most records for Daytime Emmys with 14 wins. All bow down to the master of medical dramas.
The show began with John Beradino as Dr. Steve Hardey and Emily McLaughlin as Jessie Brewer who were with the show up until their deaths in the early ’90s, talk about commitment. The show is set in the fictional city of Port Charles, New York and centers around the Quartermaine and Spencer families, with most of the plotlines involving these two families. There have been marriages, deaths, funerals, and weddings, with all sorts of events in between. With 60 seasons it’s impossible to even narrow down the storylines but suffice to say, if you want drama, this is your show. Pick a season to start on and check it out on ABC and Hulu.
New Amsterdam (NBC, Netflix, Peacock)
From Ebola patients to prisoners from Rikers, America’s oldest public hospital is kept pretty busy and new medical director Dr. Max Goodwin, played by Ryan Eggold, has his work cut out for him. The fictional New Amsterdam hospital is actually based on the real Bellevue Hospital.
New Amsterdam wrapped up after five seasons with most of the cast returning for the finale. The show ran under 90 episodes despite having some fan acclaim, and it did not get renewed. Yet the show is worth its salt in terms of some of the storylines as we watch Dr. Goodwin fight the power and try to make big changes within the hospital. Plus the introduction of unique medical conditions gave it some bonus points for us. Because let’s be honest, the medical dramas and life-threatening medical conditions can start to look like one another after a while.
The show ends with all the staff scattering in different directions sand a heartfelt goodbye. Check out how it all begins and ends with a quick five-season binge on NBC, Netflix, or Peacock.
Scrubs (Hulu)
A medical drama with humor? Yes, please. Blood, guts, and giggles are a few of our favorite things, and it appears we are not alone. It’s no wonder this medical drama made it to the top of the charts for nine seasons. Starring Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison, it follows the lives of a group of residents as they make their way up through the hospital ranks. It’s kind of like Grey’s Anatomy but with a lot more jokes.
The witty interactions of the crew make this one a must-watch, oh yeah and the medical stuff is pretty good too. The heartwarming ending also got us right in the feels too. Check out the series on Hulu.
Untold Stories of the ER (Pluto, Discovery Plus, TLC)
If you want fresh storylines, then check out this series that shows us that truth is far stranger than fiction. If you want drama, there is no drama like the real human kind. Untold Stories Of The ER is a reality series that you will just have to see to believe. Perhaps it is not technically a “medical drama” but it is medical and has oh so much drama. The medical scenarios are intense and the human aspects are shocking. See this bizarre true-life series on Pluto, Discovery Plus, and TLC.