“What’s the most infectious thing in a hospital?” executive director Joyce (Wendi McLendon-Covey) asks emergency room staff in St. Denis Medical’s pilot. C. diff? No. Antibiotic-resistant staff? Wrong. Pneumonia? Try again. “The most infectious thing in a hospital,” Joyce says, “is a smile.”
As she flashes a grin straight into the documentary crew’s camera lens, it’s clear that the cheesy riddle is simply part of her grand plan to make the small regional hospital “a destination medical center.” But the line rings true on behalf of the NBC comedy. Once you get a dose of St. Denis Medical’s infectious humor and heart, the corners of your mouth can’t help but curl up.
The latest addition to NBC’s legendary sitcom library comes from Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer (Superstore, American Auto), who bring their workplace comedy expertise to a safety-net hospital in Oregon. A stacked cast of comedy greats — including David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Kahyun Kim, Mekki Leeper, and Kaliko Kauahi — make up the doctors, nurses, and staff who care for patients and quell constant ER chaos. In a high-stakes setting rich with storytelling potential, they’ve certainly got their work cut out for them.
Supervising nurse Alex (Tolman) fell in love with caretaking as a kid when her nan was sick, but she invests so much of herself in the job that her struggle with work-life balance is a running joke amongst colleagues. Tolman brings a crucial warmth to the team that helps soften more cynical characters like Ron (Grier), a curmudgeonly ER physician who likens himself to a “glorified mechanic.” Ron’s stubborn, sarcastic wit makes for a rough exterior, but at his core he’s a softie, just like the Reese’s Nutrageous bars he savors from the hospital vending machine. Grier’s comedic chops shine at St. Denis, especially when Ron is paired with Bruce (Lawson), a star trauma surgeon/model who loves the limelight but hates needles.
Even (and perhaps especially) when dealing with Bruce, Serena (Kim) — a young, trendy nurse — always keeps it real. Val (Kauahi) helps keep the hospital running in a role far sassier than Superstore’s Sandra. And new floor nurse Matt (Leeper), who hails from a religious community in Montana that doesn’t believe in medicine, joins the St. Denis team in desperate need of experience. Despite his many flaws, the painfully naive, palpably awkward newbie who’s crushing on Serena (do we sense a slow-burn starting?) continuously charms, thanks to the scene-stealing sense of humor we glimpsed from Leeper on Jury Duty. Last, but certainly not least, McLendon-Covey’s Joyce is in charge of the group. She’s undeniably extra at times, but she’s also deeply devoted to the hospital. Like mockumentary bosses past, St. Denis Medical quickly makes the case that although she’s quirky, Joyce is qualified for her job.
Speaking of qualifications, with Spitzer’s experience on Scrubs and The Office and Ledgin’s work alongside him on Superstore and American Auto, St. Denis Medical arrives incredibly sure of itself, having learned all the best lessons from its predecessors. The cast has chemistry, the scripts are sharp and smart, and the guest star potential is huge. (Several exciting actors already appear in the six episodes made available for review, including some additional Superstar talent.) On top of beloved mockumentary elements like spy shots and talking heads, St. Denis Medical pushes creative limitations a bit more than similar shows. From frequent Jim Halpert-style glances into the lens to characters conversing with and holding doors for camera operators, the series takes full advantage of its fourth wall-breaking format.
Though the stakes are undoubtedly higher in an emergency room than a paper supply company or big box store, St. Denis Medical strikes a solid balance between serious and screwy medical emergencies. The series honors real-life healthcare workers, highlighting how challenging, unglamorous, and thankless the field can be. At the same time, it seeks heartwarming moments that make the struggle worthwhile and emphasizes how crucial and prevalent humor is on the job.
After the Ruben Fleischer-directed pilot, which successfully finds meaning in the mundane, there’s no doubt that comedy lovers will want to be admitted to St. Denis Medical every week. Since NBC canceled American Auto after just two seasons, however, the challenge will be whether or not the broadcast sitcom can find its audience fast enough to survive in the age of streaming. Fingers crossed.
With Abbott Elementary thriving on ABC and all-time greats like The Office and Parks and Recreation in NBC’s rearview, you might be asking yourself if TV needs another workplace mockumentary. In genre, style, and tone, St. Denis Medical feels familiar, but it radiates an infectious energy all its own. Like a patient who bounces back from a code blue, it’s here to remind us that when done right, network sitcoms have a lot of life left in them.
St. Denis Medical premieres with two episodes on November 12 at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC.