Summary
The trailer forSt. Denis Medicalshowcases the upcoming medical mockumentary show. The NBC comedy was co-created by Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer, the latter of whom cut his teeth on similar shows including bothScrubsandThe Office, though he is perhaps best known as the creator ofSuperstore. Starring Wendi McLendon-Covey, David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Mekki Leeper, Kaliko Kauahi, and Kahyun Kim, the show is set to be the lead-in toNight Courtseason 3throughout its freshman run during the 2024-2025 season on NBC.
NBChas nowunveiled the first official trailer forSt. DenisMedical. Check it out below:
The trailer kicks off by showcasing the various characters that work in the titular hospital as well as some of the wacky hijinks that they get into. This includes a patient asking for a menu of drugs, a giant cross being delivered, a new nurse accidentally injecting himself, and the computer system suddenly going down.
Can St. Denis Medical Carve Out Its Own Space?
The Medical Mockumentary Has A Lot To Prove
Given the wealth of medical shows, both comedic and dramatic, that exist on American television,it remains to be seen ifSt. Denis Medicalwill find a place for itself. It seems like the most obvious successor to NBC’s previous hospital-setsitcomScrubs, which ran on the network for its first seven seasons between 2001 and 2008. However, on NBC alone, other contemporary medical shows have includedNew Amsterdam,Transplant,ER, andChicago Med, not to menton popular shows on other networks such asThe Good Doctor,House,Nurse Jackie, and the long-runningGrey’s Anatomy.
After season 8 was not renewed by NBC,Scrubswas picked up by ABC, where it ran for two more seasons before going off the air in 2010.
The element that may helpSt. Denis Medicalstand out from the crowd is that it is presented in the mockumentary style. Typically, medical dramas and comedies are presented traditionally, sothevéritéapproach may allow audiences the opportunity to connect with the characters on a deeper levelfrom the very beginning, even if the goings-on at the hospital are larger-than-life and generally played for laughs.
15 Best Mockumentary TV Comedy Series, Ranked
While the best mockumentary TV comedy series owe a lot to The Office’s success, there are other shows made in the style that are worth the watch, too.
Of course, the fact thatSt. Denis Medicalis a mockumentary means that it exists within the expectations of that subgenre as well. The end of the trailer reveals that it has the same amount of heart as other similar shows such asThe Office,Parks and Recreation, andAbbott Elementary, but that also means it may be more difficult for the show to avoid negative comparisons to those titles. However, by virtue of exploring new genre territory in the other direction - by taking place in a hospital - the show may also be able to stand out on that front.
St. Denis Medicalwill debut on NBC on November 12 with a two-episode premiere followed by regular episodes on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET.
