Medical drama
Encyclopedia
A medical drama is a television program
, in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment.
In the United States, most medical episode
s are one hour long and, more often than not, are set in a hospital. Most current medical Dramatic programming
go beyond the events pertaining to the characters' jobs and portray some aspects of their personal lives. For example, a typical medical drama might have a storyline in which two doctors fall in love.
Communications theorist
Marshall McLuhan
, in his 1964 work
on the nature of media
, predicted a big success of this particular genre on TV, because such medium "creates an obsession with bodily welfare".
, which first aired in 1961, is generally considered to be the first medical drama. The show was a success, and soon medical dramas were a common phenomenon. The BBC series Dr. Finlay's Casebook
(1962–1971) is an early example of another common variant of the genre in which a medical practice is used as a focus for stories detailing the life of a (usually small) community. The long running Australian series A Country Practice
(1981–1993) is a later example of this sub-genre. From 1969 to 1976, the series Marcus Welby, M.D.
and Medical Center
were extremely popular for their both orthodox and unorthodox way of presenting medical cases. In 1972, the first episode of M*A*S*H aired; the show's tone was generally comedic, but dark, poignant moments emanating from the death caused by war were not uncommon. This trend of comedy with undercurrents of darkness in medical TV shows can also be seen in Doogie Howser, M.D.
and Scrubs
, a current-day medical sitcom on NBC/ABC.
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
, in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment.
In the United States, most medical episode
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
s are one hour long and, more often than not, are set in a hospital. Most current medical Dramatic programming
Dramatic programming
Dramatic programming in the UK, or television drama and television drama series in the US, is television program content that is scripted and fictional along the lines of √a traditional drama. This excludes, for example, sports television, television news, reality show and game shows, stand-up...
go beyond the events pertaining to the characters' jobs and portray some aspects of their personal lives. For example, a typical medical drama might have a storyline in which two doctors fall in love.
Communications theorist
Communication theory
Communication theory is a field of information and mathematics that studies the technical process of information and the human process of human communication.- History :- Origins :...
Marshall McLuhan
Marshall McLuhan
Herbert Marshall McLuhan, CC was a Canadian educator, philosopher, and scholar—a professor of English literature, a literary critic, a rhetorician, and a communication theorist...
, in his 1964 work
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man
Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man is a pioneering study in media theory written by Marshall McLuhan. In it McLuhan proposed that media themselves, not the content they carry, should be the focus of study...
on the nature of media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
, predicted a big success of this particular genre on TV, because such medium "creates an obsession with bodily welfare".
History
Dr. KildareDr. Kildare
Dr. James Kildare is a fictional character, the primary character in a series of American theatrical films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s radio series, a 1960s television series of the same name and a comic book based on the TV show, and a short-lived 1970s television series...
, which first aired in 1961, is generally considered to be the first medical drama. The show was a success, and soon medical dramas were a common phenomenon. The BBC series Dr. Finlay's Casebook
Dr. Finlay
Dr. Finlay is a fictional character, the hero of a series of stories by Scottish author A. J. Cronin.-History:The stories were used as the basis for the long-running BBC television programme, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, screened from 1962 to 1971, and radio series . Based on Cronin's novella entitled...
(1962–1971) is an early example of another common variant of the genre in which a medical practice is used as a focus for stories detailing the life of a (usually small) community. The long running Australian series A Country Practice
A Country Practice
A Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
(1981–1993) is a later example of this sub-genre. From 1969 to 1976, the series Marcus Welby, M.D.
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television program that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to July 29, 1976. It starred Robert Young as a family practitioner with a kind bedside manner, and was produced by David Victor and David J. O'Connell...
and Medical Center
Medical Center (TV series)
Medical Center is a medical drama series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976.-Synopsis:The show starred James Daly as Dr. Paul Lochner and Chad Everett as Dr. Joe Gannon, surgeons working in an otherwise unnamed university hospital in Los Angeles. The show focused both on the lives of the doctors...
were extremely popular for their both orthodox and unorthodox way of presenting medical cases. In 1972, the first episode of M*A*S*H aired; the show's tone was generally comedic, but dark, poignant moments emanating from the death caused by war were not uncommon. This trend of comedy with undercurrents of darkness in medical TV shows can also be seen in Doogie Howser, M.D.
Doogie Howser, M.D.
Doogie Howser, M.D. is an American television comedy-drama starring Neil Patrick Harris as a 16-year-old doctor who also faces the problems of being a normal teenager. Created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley, ABC aired the show from 1989 to 1993 for four seasons totaling 97 episodes.-Plot:Dr....
and Scrubs
Scrubs (TV series)
Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
, a current-day medical sitcom on NBC/ABC.
United States/Canada
- City HospitalCity HospitalCity Hospital was a medical drama series that aired on the CBS television network Tuesday nights from 1951 through 1953. The show starred Anne Burr as Dr. Kate Morrow and Mel Ruick as Dr. Barton Crane....
(1951–1953) - The Doctor (1952 TV series)The Doctor (1952 TV series)The Doctor is a half-hour medical anthology series that aired Sunday evenings on the NBC television network from 1952-1953. Hosted by Warner Anderson, the program revolved around emotional problems stemming from medical cases rather than the medical case itself. The show is notable for having Rod...
(1952–1953) - MedicMedic (TV series)Medic is an American medical drama that aired on NBC beginning in 1954. Medic was television's first doctor drama to focus attention on medical procedures, establishing the style for later medical series.Created by its principal writer James E...
(1954–1956) - Dr. Kildare (1961–1966)
- Ben CaseyBen CaseyBen Casey is an American medical drama series which ran on ABC from 1961 to 1966. The show was known for its opening titles, which consisted of a hand drawing the symbols "♂, ♀, *, †, ∞" on a chalkboard, as cast member Sam Jaffe intoned, "Man, woman, birth, death, infinity." Neurosurgeon Joseph...
(1961–1966) - The Doctors (1963–1982)
- General HospitalGeneral HospitalGeneral Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
(1963–present) - The NursesThe NursesThe Nurses is a soap opera that aired on ABC from September 27, 1965 to March 31, 1967. The show was a continuation of a serialized primetime drama which aired on CBS originally called The Nurses when it premiered in 1962, later called The Doctors and the Nurses.The setting was Alden General...
(1965–1967) - Medical CenterMedical Center (TV series)Medical Center is a medical drama series which aired on CBS from 1969 to 1976.-Synopsis:The show starred James Daly as Dr. Paul Lochner and Chad Everett as Dr. Joe Gannon, surgeons working in an otherwise unnamed university hospital in Los Angeles. The show focused both on the lives of the doctors...
(1969–1976) - Marcus Welby, M.D.Marcus Welby, M.D.Marcus Welby, M.D. is an American medical drama television program that aired on ABC from September 23, 1969, to July 29, 1976. It starred Robert Young as a family practitioner with a kind bedside manner, and was produced by David Victor and David J. O'Connell...
(1969–1976) - The Bold Ones: The New DoctorsThe Bold Ones: The New DoctorsThe Bold Ones: The New Doctors is an American medical drama that lasted for four seasons on NBC, from 1969 to 1973.-Overview:The series focuses on the life of Dr. David Craig The Bold Ones: The New Doctors (also known as The New Doctors) is an American medical drama that lasted for four seasons on...
(1969–1973) - Temperatures Rising (1972–1974)
- Emergency!Emergency!Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
(1972–1979) - M*A*S*H (1972–1983)
- Doctors' HospitalDoctors' HospitalDoctors' Hospital is an American medical drama that ran on NBC during the 1975-1976 season. It followed the neurosurgery team at the fictional Lowell Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, led by Dr. Jake Goodwin and his staff, including residents Norah Purcell , and Felipe Ortega , and Nurse Hestor...
(1975–1976) - Quincy, M.E.Quincy, M.E.Quincy, M.E., also called Quincy, is a United States television series from Universal Studios that aired from October 3, 1976, to September 5, 1983, on NBC...
(1976–1983) - Trapper John, M.D.Trapper John, M.D.Trapper John, M.D. is an American television medical drama and spin-off of the film MASH, concerning a lovable surgeon who became a mentor and father figure in San Francisco, California. The show ran on CBS from September 23, 1979, to September 4, 1986....
(1979–1986) - St. ElsewhereSt. ElsewhereSt. Elsewhere is an American medical drama television series that originally ran on NBC from October 26, 1982 to May 25, 1988. The series is set at fictional St. Eligius, a decaying urban teaching hospital in Boston's South End neighborhood...
(1982–1988) - Chicago Story (1982)
- China BeachChina BeachChina Beach is an American dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans...
(1988–1991) - HeartBeatHeartBeat (U.S. TV series)HeartBeat is an American television series in the medical drama genre. The series followed the staff of Women's Medical Arts, a medical center founded by three women who are frustrated with how women's health concerns are addressed in the male-dominated medical field. The fictional WMA was based on...
(1988—1989) - Island Son Island SonIsland Son was a CBS television medical drama during its 1989-90 schedule.Island Son marked the return to regular weekly series television of Richard Chamberlain, who had not so appeared since his Dr. Kildare series almost 25 years earlier...
(1989—1990) - Doogie Howser, M.D.Doogie Howser, M.D.Doogie Howser, M.D. is an American television comedy-drama starring Neil Patrick Harris as a 16-year-old doctor who also faces the problems of being a normal teenager. Created by Steven Bochco and David E. Kelley, ABC aired the show from 1989 to 1993 for four seasons totaling 97 episodes.-Plot:Dr....
(1989–1993) - Northern ExposureNorthern ExposureNorthern Exposure is an American television series that ran on CBS from 1990 to 1995, with a total of 110 episodes.-Overview:The series was given a pair of consecutive Peabody Awards: in 1991–92 for the show's "depict[ion] in a comedic and often poetic way, [of] the cultural clash between a...
(1990–1995) - The Human FactorThe Human Factor (TV series)The Human Factor was a very short-lived 1992 medical drama that featured Eriq La Salle and John Mahoney before they went on to star in ER and Frasier respectively. The executive producer was Dick Wolf, who had created Law & Order only two seasons earlier.-External references:*...
(1992) - Going to Extremes (1992–1993)
- Diagnosis: MurderDiagnosis: MurderDiagnosis: Murder is a mystery/medical/crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son, a homicide detective played by his real-life son Barry Van Dyke. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman...
(1993–1996) - Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993–1998)
- Side EffectsSide Effects (TV series)Side Effects was a Canadian television series, which aired from February, 1994 to January, 1996 on CBC Television.A hospital-themed drama created by Brenda Greenberg and Guy Mullally, the cast included Elizabeth Shepherd, Albert Schultz, Joseph Ziegler, Jovanni Sy and Arsinée Khanjian....
(1994–1996) - Chicago HopeChicago HopeChicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr...
(1994–2000) - ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
(1994–2009) - BeckerBecker (TV series)Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, friends, and practically...
(1998–2004) - L.A. DoctorsL.A. DoctorsL.A. Doctors was an American medical drama television series set in a Los Angeles practice. It ran on CBS during the 1998-99 season.-Premise:...
(1998–1999) - ProvidenceProvidence (TV series)Providence is an American drama series that aired on NBC starring Melina Kanakaredes. The show ran for five seasons from January 8, 1999 until December 20, 2002.-Synopsis:The show revolves around Dr...
(1999–2002) - Third WatchThird WatchThird Watch is an American television drama series which first aired on NBC from 1999 to 2005 for a total of 132 episodes, broadcast in 6 seasons of 22 episodes each....
(1999–2005) - City of Angels (2000)
- WonderlandWonderland (TV series)Wonderland was a short-lived and controversial 2000 ABC television drama directed by Peter Berg. It depicted daily life in a mental institution, from the perspectives of both the doctors and patients. Only two episodes aired on ABC during its original run in 2000...
(2000) - Gideon's CrossingGideon's CrossingGideon's Crossing is a US medical drama starring Andre Braugher. The series was loosely based on the experience of real-life physician Jerome Groopman and his book The Measure of Our Days. It premiered on October 10, 2000, and ran for one season, with its last episode airing on April 9, 2001, with...
(2000–2001) - Strong MedicineStrong MedicineStrong Medicine is a medical drama with a focus on feminist politics, health issues and class conflict. The television series aired on the Lifetime network from 2000 to 2006. It is distributed by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The series was created and produced in part by comedienne and...
(2000–2006) - Crossing JordanCrossing JordanCrossing Jordan is an American television crime/drama series that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001 to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Jordan Cavanaugh, M.D., a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in the Suffolk County, Massachusetts, Medical Examiner's Office...
(2001–2007) - ScrubsScrubs (TV series)Scrubs is an American medical comedy-drama television series created in 2001 by Bill Lawrence and produced by ABC Studios. The show follows the lives of several employees of the fictional Sacred Heart, a teaching hospital. It features fast-paced screenplay, slapstick, and surreal vignettes...
(2001–2010) - DocDoc (TV series)Doc is a medical drama/family drama with strong Christian undertones starring Billy Ray Cyrus as Dr. Clint "Doc" Cassidy, a Montana doctor who takes a job in a New York City medical clinic. It ran from March 11, 2001 to November 28, 2004 on PAX...
(2001–2004) - Presidio MedPresidio MedPresidio Med is an American Television series which aired 2002–2003, centering around a San Francisco hospital. It was created by John Wells and Lydia Woodward, who also created ER.-Series premise:...
(2002–2003) - Nip/TuckNip/TuckNip/Tuck is an American drama series created by Ryan Murphy, which aired on FX in the United States. The series focuses on McNamara/Troy, a plastic surgery practice, and follows its founders, Sean McNamara and Christian Troy...
(2003–2010) - Dr. VegasDr. VegasDr. Vegas is a television drama starring Rob Lowe and Joe Pantoliano that ran on CBS in 2004. It aired in Ireland on TG4, and on Challenge in the UK as part of its "Player" gambling strand. In Slovakia, Markíza began airing the show on February 20, 2008....
(2004) - Medical InvestigationMedical InvestigationMedical Investigation was an American medical drama television series that began September 9, 2004, on NBC. It ran for 20 one-hour episodes before being cancelled in 2005...
(2004–2005) - House, M.D.House (TV series)House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
(2004–present) - Grey's AnatomyGrey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
(2005–present) - InconceivableInconceivableInconceivable is an American primetime television medical drama, which was broadcast on NBC. The program premiered on September 23, 2005. The show revolved around the professional and personal lives of those who work at the Family Options Fertility Clinic. The clinic is run by its co-founders ...
(2005) - 3 lbs3 lbs3 lbs is a drama that aired on CBS from November 14 to 28, 2006, replacing the cancelled series Smith. The show itself was then canceled three weeks later due to poor ratings....
(2006) - SavedSaved (TV series)Saved is a medical drama television series, which was broadcast on Turner Network Television in 2006. The series was created by David Manson....
(2006) - Heartland (2007)
- General Hospital: Night ShiftGeneral Hospital: Night ShiftGeneral Hospital: Night Shift is an American prime time serial that first aired on SOAPnet for a 13-episode run from July 12, 2007 to October 4, 2007. A spin-off of the ABC Daytime soap opera General Hospital, the show is SOAPnet's first original scripted drama series and follows the nighttime...
(2007–2008) - Private Practice (2007–present)
- Childrens Hospital (2008)
- In TreatmentIn TreatmentIn Treatment is an American HBO drama, produced and developed by Rodrigo Garcia, about a psychologist, 50-something Dr. Paul Weston, and his weekly sessions with patients, as well as those with his own therapist at the end of the week. The program, which stars Gabriel Byrne as Paul, debuted on...
(2008-present) - The ListenerThe Listener (TV series)The Listener is a Canadian science fiction drama set in Toronto about a young paramedic named Toby Logan with the ability to listen to people's minds. The series premiered on Fox International Channels beginning with the Arabic-speaking area of northern Africa and south-western Asia on March 1, 2009...
(2009–present) - Three RiversThree Rivers (TV series)Three Rivers is a medical drama, which premiered on CBS on October 4, 2009 and aired Sundays at 9 pm Eastern Time/Pacific Time. The series was set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at a fictional hospital specializing in transplants, with Alex O'Loughlin starring as a famous transplant surgeon...
(2009) - MentalMental (TV series)Mental is a television series produced by Fox's subsidiary Fox Telecolombia, which aired in the summer and fall of 2009 on FOX international channels for Latin America, Europe and Asia, starring Chris Vance and Annabella Sciorra...
(2009) - Royal PainsRoyal PainsRoyal Pains is a USA Network television series that premiered on June 4, 2009, starring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty. The series is based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies...
(2009–present) - HawthoRNeHawthorne-People:* Charles Webster Hawthorne , American painter* Donald Hawthorne , American yeast geneticist* Frank Hawthorne , Canadian mineralogist and crystallographer* M. Frederick Hawthorne, American chemist...
(2009–2011) - Nurse JackieNurse JackieNurse Jackie is an American series that premiered on June 8, 2009, on Showtime, Movie Central and The Movie Network.The series stars Edie Falco as the title character Jackie Peyton, an emergency room nurse at All Saints' Hospital in New York City...
(2009–present) - TraumaTrauma (TV series)Trauma is a television series which originally ran on NBC from September 28, 2009 to April 28, 2010 and focused on a group of paramedics in San Francisco, California....
(2009–2010) - MercyMercy (TV series)Mercy is a medical drama which aired on NBC from September 23, 2009 to May 12, 2010. The series initially aired on Wednesday nights at 8/7c, as part of the 2009 fall season, but was pushed back to 9/8c in April....
(2009–2010) - Miami Medical (2010)
- Body of ProofBody of ProofBody of Proof is an American medical drama television series created by Chris Murphey and produced by ABC Studios. Starring Dana Delany as medical examiner Dr. Megan Hunt, the series premiered on March 29, 2011 on ABC....
(2011) - Off The MapOff the Map (TV series)Off the Map is a medical drama created by Jenna Bans, who also served as an executive producer, with colleagues from Grey's Anatomy, Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers...
(2011) - Combat HospitalCombat HospitalCombat Hospital is a Canadian medical drama television series, filmed in Toronto, that debuted on Global on 21 June 2011. The series was known for a time by the working title The Hot Zone before reverting to its previous title, Combat Hospital....
(2011-present) - Hart of DixieHart of DixieHart of Dixie is an American medical-drama television series, created by Leila Gerstein. On May 17, 2011, The CW officially picked up the series...
(2011-present) - A Gifted ManA Gifted ManA Gifted Man is an American television series, which premiered on CBS on September 23, 2011. The series is about a talented but self-absorbed surgeon who starts questioning his purpose in life when he is visited by the spirit of his deceased ex-wife...
(2011-present)
United Kingdom
- Emergency - Ward 10 (1957–1967)
- Police Surgeon (1960)
- Dr. Finlay's CasebookDr. FinlayDr. Finlay is a fictional character, the hero of a series of stories by Scottish author A. J. Cronin.-History:The stories were used as the basis for the long-running BBC television programme, Dr. Finlay's Casebook, screened from 1962 to 1971, and radio series . Based on Cronin's novella entitled...
(1962–1971) - Doctor in the HouseDoctor in the House (TV series)Doctor in the House is the syndicated title given, by the United States, to a British television comedy series , based on a set of books and a movie of the same name by Richard Gordon about the misadventures of a group of medical students — and their later misadventures as doctors.The first...
(1969–1970) - The Doctors (1969–1971)
- General HospitalGeneral Hospital (UK TV series)General Hospital is a British daytime soap opera produced by ATV which ran on ITV from 1972 to 1979. It was modelled after the American drama of the same name....
(1972–1979) - AngelsAngels (TV series)Angels was originally a British television seasonal drama series dealing with the subject of student nurses and was broadcast by the BBC between 1975 and 1978. The show's format then switched to a twice weekly soap opera format from 1979 to 1983. The show's title derived from the name of the...
(1975–1983) - The District NurseThe District NurseThe District Nurse is a British television series, produced by BBC Wales and shown on BBC One between 1984 and 1987.The series was a period drama created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland and starred Nerys Hughes as Megan Roberts, the titular district nurse fighting to improve living conditions for...
(1984–1987) - CasualtyCasualty (TV series)Casualty, stylised as Casual+y, is a British weekly television show broadcast on BBC One, and the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world. Created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin, it was first broadcast on 6 September 1986, and transmitted in the UK on BBC One. The...
(1986–present) - Children's WardChildren's WardChildren's Ward is a British children's television drama series produced by Granada Television and broadcast on the ITV network as part of its Children's ITV strand on weekday afternoons...
(1989–2000) - Medics (1990–1995)
- Doctor Finlay (1993–1996)
- Peak PracticePeak PracticePeak Practice is a British drama series about a GP surgery in Cardale — a small fictional town in the Derbyshire Peak District — and the doctors who worked there. It ran on ITV from 10 May 1993 to 30 January 2002 and was one of their most successful series at the time...
(1993–2002) - Cardiac ArrestCardiac Arrest (TV series)Cardiac Arrest is a British medical drama series made by World Productions for BBC One and first broadcast between 1994 and 1996. The series was controversial due to its depiction of doctors, nurses, and the National Health Service.-Creation:...
(1994–1996) - BramwellBramwellBramwell is a British television series starring Jemma Redgrave as Dr. Eleanor Bramwell, a woman challenging the domination of men in the medical establishment, who runs a free hospital for the poor in the East End of London, during the late Victorian era .The series by Carlton Television was shown...
(1995) - Holby CityHolby CityHolby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
(1999–present) - DoctorsDoctors (BBC Soap Opera)Doctors is a British daytime television soap opera, set in the fictional Midland town of Letherbridge, defined as being close to the City of Birmingham. It was created by Chris Murray; Mal Young drove its development, and Carson Black was the original producer. The first episode was broadcast on...
(2000–present) - The RoyalThe RoyalThe Royal is a British medical drama series produced by ITV. The show comprises one hour episodes which were normally first aired on ITV in the Sunday early evening slot....
(2003–present) - Casualty@Holby CityCasualty@Holby CityCasualty@Holby City is the name given to special crossover episodes of BBC medical dramas Casualty and Holby City. While Casualty was launched on 6 September 1986, and its spin-off Holby City was first aired on 12 January 1999, the first full crossover episode between the two programmes was not...
(2004) - BodiesBodies (TV series)Bodies is a BAFTA-nominated British television medical drama produced by Hat Trick Productions for the BBC. Created by Jed Mercurio, the series began in 2004 and is based on his book Bodies. The first series debuted on BBC Three as the channel at this time was trying to break out into hour-long...
(2004–2006) - Doc MartinDoc MartinDoc Martin is a British television comedy drama series starring Martin Clunes in the title role. It was created by Mark Crowdy, Craig Ferguson and Dominic Minghella. The show is filmed on location in the fishing village of Port Isaac, Cornwall, United Kingdom, with filming of most interior scenes...
(2004–present) - Green WingGreen WingGreen Wing is a British sitcom set in the fictional East Hampton Hospital. It was created by the same team behind the sketch show Smack the Pony, led by Victoria Pile, and stars Tamsin Greig, Stephen Mangan and Julian Rhind-Tutt....
(2004–2007) - No AngelsNo Angels (TV series)No Angels is a critically acclaimed British television comedy drama series, produced by the independent production company World Productions for Channel 4, which ran for three seasons from 2004 to 2006. It was devised by Toby Whithouse.-Premise:...
(2004–2006) - The Royal TodayThe Royal TodayThe Royal Today was a British medical soap opera, a spin-off of the similarly themed drama, The Royal. The concept is that whilst The Royal is set in the late 1960s, The Royal Today featured the same hospital in the present day, with a new set of characters working in the same location...
(2008–present) - CrashCrash (2009 TV series)Crash is an English-language Welsh television drama series created by Tony Jordan and produced by Red Planet Pictures for BBC Wales. The series follows the lives of four newly qualified doctors.The series is filmed in Cardiff...
(2009–present) - Getting OnGetting OnGetting On is a satirical British sitcom based in an NHS hospital. It is written by its core cast, Jo Brand, Vicki Pepperdine, and Joanna Scanlan, and is directed by Peter Capaldi. It first aired in July 2009...
(2009 TV series) (2009–present) - MonroeMonroe (TV series)Monroe is a British medical drama television series created and written by Peter Bowker and produced by Mammoth Screen for the ITV network. The series follows a neurosurgeon named Gabriel Monroe, played by James Nesbitt. The six-part series was commissioned by ITV as one of a number of replacements...
(TBD 2011)
Republic of Ireland
- The ClinicThe Clinic (TV series)The Clinic is an award-winning Irish primetime television medical drama series produced by Parallel Film Productions for RTÉ. It debuted on RTÉ One in 2003 to positive reviews and proved to be one of the network's most popular shows. The show ran for seven seasons between September 2003 to November...
(2003–2009) - WhistleblowerWhistleblower (TV series)Whistleblower is a two-part IFTA-winning fact-based RTÉ drama which focuses on the Michael Neary scandal that erupted in the 1990s. Neary is a retired Irish consultant obstetrician/gynecologist who gained notoriety when it was discovered that he had performed what was considered an inordinate...
(2008)
Australia/New Zealand
- Emergency (1959)
- The Young DoctorsThe Young DoctorsThe Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
(Nine Network 1976–1983) - A Country PracticeA Country PracticeA Country Practice is an Australian television drama series. One of the longest-running of its kind, produced by James Davern of JNP Productions, it ran on the Seven Network for 1,058 episodes from 18 November 1981 to 22 November 1993. It was produced in ATN-7's production facility at Epping,...
(1981–1994) - The Flying DoctorsThe Flying DoctorsThe Flying Doctors is an Australian drama series produced by Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia....
(1985–1991) - G.P. (ABC 1989–1996)
- Children's Hospital (TV series)Children's Hospital (TV series)Children's Hospital is an Australian television series that screened on the ABC in 1997 and 1998. There was one series of 13 episodes produced. The series was set in a busy inner-city children's hospital...
- Shortland StreetShortland StreetShortland Street is a New Zealand prime-time soap opera, first broadcast on Television New Zealand's TV2 on 25 May 1992. It is the country's longest-running drama and soap opera, being broadcast continuously for over 4500 episodes and 19 years, and is one of the most watched television programs in...
(1992–present) - MedivacMedivac (TV series)Medivac was an Australian television drama series that ran on Network Ten from 1996 to 1998. There were 48 episodes produced. Medivac is an abbreviation of the term medical evacuation...
(1996–1998) - All SaintsAll Saints (TV series)All Saints is an Australian medical drama which first screened on the Seven Network. The series debuted on 24 February 1998 and concluded its run on 27 October 2009...
(1998–2009) - MDAMDA (TV series)MDA is an Australian television series that aired between 2002 and 2005 on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . It concerned the day-to-day operation of legal firm MDA, which specialised in medical defence.-Synopsis:...
(2002–2003, 2005) - The SurgeonThe SurgeonThe Surgeon was an Australian primetime television Medical drama. It screened at 9:30pm on Thursdays on Network Ten and in Ireland early morning on RTÉ One. The show was based at a fictional hospital named Sydney General Hospital....
" (2005) - Offspring (TV series)Offspring (TV series)Offspring is an Australian television comedy-drama series which premiered on Network Ten in Australia on 15 August 2010. Offspring is centred around 30-something obstetrician Nina Proudman and her family, as they navigate the chaos of modern life...
" (2010–present)
Germany
- Die Schwarzwaldklinik (1985–1989)
- Doctor's Diary - Männer sind die beste Medizin (2007-present)
- Doktor MartinDoktor MartinDoktor Martin is a German television comedy drama series produced by production company Phoenix Film for the German television channel ZDF. The first series was broadcast in July 2007, the second in July 2009....
France
- Médecins de nuitMédecins de nuitMédecins de nuit is a French medical drama television series which aired between 22 September 1978 and 27 June 1986. Thirty eight 54 minute episodes were produced across 5 seasons.-Cast:*Catherine Allégret : Léone*Étienne Chicot : Christophe...
(1978-1986) - Janique Aimée'
- Petit docteur'
- Les pédiatres'
The Netherlands/Belgium
- Memorandum van een dokterMemorandum van een dokterMemorandum van een dokter is a Dutch television series based on A. J. Cronin's stories about the fictional hero, Dr. Finlay. The series was broadcast from 1963 to 1965 and was directed by Peter Holland. It starred Bram van der Vlugt as Dr. Finlay, Rob Geraerds as Dr. Cameron, and Fien Berghegge...
(1963–1965) - Medisch Centrum West (1988–1994)
- SpoedSpoedSpoed is a Belgian action drama TV series produced in the Dutch language in Belgium since 2000. The series is also shown on both Flemish/Belgian TV and Dutch TV. The series is directed by Johan Thiels and Guy Thys. The series has produced 217 episodes to date. It may be compared to the American TV...
(2000–present) - Trauma 24/7 (2002–2003)
- IC (2002–2006)
- De co-assistent (2007–present)
Czech Republic/Slovakia
- Nemocnice na kraji města (1977–1981)
- Ordinace v růžové zahradě (2005–present)
- Zázraky života (2010)
- Dr. Ludsky (2011)
Japan
- Black Jackブラック・ジャック(1973–2006)
- Kyumei Byoutou 24-ji (1999, 2001, 05, 09)
- Shiroi KyotōShiroi KyotoShiroi Kyotō is a a novel by Toyoko Yamasaki. It has been adapted into a movie in 1966 and then twice as a television mini-series in 1978 and 2003.-Summary:...
(2003) - Iryu: Team Medical DragonTeam Medical Dragonis a seinen manga about Japanese medical care written by Akira Nagai and drawn by Taro Nogizaka, under medical supervision by Mie Yoshinuma. It has been adapted into the television drama Iryu, Iryu 2, and Iryu 3. The first volume of released on September 30, 2002 in Japan.- Summary :"Team Medical...
(2006–07, 2010) - Code Blue (2008, 2010)
- Team Batista no EikōTeam Batista no Eikois a Japanese mystery film and television show adapted from the best-selling novel of the same name by Takeru Kaidō. The story revolves around a hospital with a team of doctors known for their success with a type of heart surgery...
(2008) - GodHand TeruGodHand Teruis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kazuki Yamamoto. The manga is serialised in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, with the first chapter released in 2001....
(2009) - General Rouge no GaisenGeneral Rouge no Gaisenis a Team Batista no Eiko drama series is back for a second round. Atsushi Itō and Tōru Nakamura will reprise their lead roles. The initial season of "Team Batista" aired on Fuji TV in late 2008 and pulled in strong ratings, leading to a follow-up last October in the special episode "Nightingale no...
(2010) - Saijou-no-Meii (2011)
Hong Kong
- Heartstrings (1994)
- Healing HandsHealing HandsHealing Hands is a 1998 Hong Kong medical drama series that ran on TVB Jade. It focuses on the lives and loves of the doctors and nurses at the fictional Yan Oi Hospital in Hong Kong. It is noted for its realism in depicting medical situations, thanks to the help of the Hong Kong Hospital...
I II III IV (1997–2005) - Placebo Cure (2003)
- Asia Hero (2004)
India
- Lifeline (1989)
- Sanjeevani (2002)
- Dill Mill GayeDill Mill GayeDill Mill Gayye is an Indian soap medical drama television series that aired on STAR One. It was the sequel of the television series Sanjivani, which aired on STAR Plus channel...
(2007) - Dhadkan (2004)
- Kuch Toh Log KahengeKuch Toh Log KahengeKuch Toh Log Kahenge is a Hindi TV serial that is on Sony Entertainment Television Asia. The serial is a remake of the Pakistani TV sitcom Dhoop Kinare...
(2011-present)
Italy
- La dottoressa GiòLa dottoressa GiòLa dottoressa Giò is an Italian television series....
(1997–1998) - Un medico in famigliaUn medico in famigliaUn medico in famiglia is an Italian television TV series. The show is inspired, to an extent, by Spanish TV series Médico de familia. It is one of the most successful series in Italy.-Seasons 1 and 2:...
(1998–present) - Medicina generale (2006–present)
- Terapia d'urgenzaTerapia d'urgenzaTerapia d'urgenza is an Italian television series....
(2009) - Boris (2007–2010)
Poland
- Doktor Ewa (1971)
- Układ krążenia (1977–1978)
- Na dobre i na złe (1999–present)
South Korea
- General Hospital (1995)
- Medical Brothers (1997)
- Happy TogetherHappy Together (1999 TV series)Happy Together is a 16 -episode South Korean TV drama series broadcast by SBS in 1999.- Cast :* Lee Byung-Hun - Suh Tae-poong* Song Seung Hun - Suh Ji-suk* Kim Ha Neul - Jin Soo-ha* Jun Ji Hyun - Suh Yoon-joo...
(1999) - Hur Jun (1999)
- Medical Center (2000)
- White TowerWhite Tower (TV series)White Tower , aka Behind The White Tower, is a South Korean drama aired on MBC in 2007, based on the novel Shiroi Kyotō written by Toyoko Yamazaki, Japanese novelist.-Cast:*Kim Myung Min — Jang Joon Hyuk...
(2007) - New HeartNew Heart (TV series)New Heart is a South Korean medical drama that was originally broadcast on MBC, from December 12, 2007, to February 28, 2008. It was directed by Park Hong Kyun and written by Hwang Eun-kyeong. It was very popular in Korea with its high ratings. It stars Kim Min Jung, Ji Sung, Cho Jae-hyun and Jung...
(2007) - Surgeon Bong Dal Hee (2007)
- Before and After: Plastic Surgery Clinic (2008)
- General Hospital 2 (2008)
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Doctors (2009)
- Jejoongwon (2010)
- BrainBrainThe brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
(2011)
Spain
- Doctor MateoDoctor MateoDoctor Mateo is a Spanish television comedy drama produced by Notro Films for Antena 3. It is an adaptation of the British series Doc Martin, created by Dominic Minghella.-Characters:*Mateo Sancristobal...
(2009) - Hospital CentralHospital CentralHospital Central is a Spanish television series that follows the professional and personal lives of the staff of the fictitious Hospital Central in Madrid. New episodes are shown by Telecinco network in Spain, and cable/satellite channel Factoría de Ficción reruns them a couple of weeks later...
(2000–present) - Médico de familia (1995)
Pakistan
- Dhoop Kinarey(PTV) (around 1980s)
- Emergency Ward(PTV) (around 1980s)
- AmbulanceAmbulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
(Indus TV) ( 2005) - Teray Pehlu May(Geo Ent) (2009–present)
Colombia
- A Corazón AbiertoA Corazón Abierto (Telenovela)A Corazón Abierto is a Colombian television series based on ABC's hit show Grey's Anatomy, written and supervised by Colombian writer Fernando Gaitan better known for creating hit telenovelas like Yo soy Betty, la fea, Café con Aroma de Mujer, and Hasta que la Plata nos Separe...
(Grey's Anatomy adaptation) (2010–present)