Binge-worthy new medical drama
James Croot finds enough diverse and dramatic potential in a new Canadian medical drama.
Just when you thought there was no more room for North American medical dramas, Canada gets in on the act. We’ve already had the Ontario hospital system thoroughly examined by Syrian refugee Dr Bashir ‘‘Bash’’ Hamed (Hamza Haq) in the entertaining Transplant
and now joining it (as well as old south-of-the-border favourites Grey’s Anatomy and The Resident) on TVNZ OnDemand are the first two seasons of the similarly Toronto-set Nurses.
As the title helpfully suggests, it follows the trials and tribulations of a group of frontline caregivers at the fictional St Jude’s Hospital.
In typical medical soap fashion, we initially meet our central quintet on their first day. After the predictable jibes from ER veterans about them being ‘‘fresh meat’’, our nervous five are given a pep talk by charge nurse Sinead O’Rourke (Cathy White), which is inspiring and sobering. Comparing them to the ‘‘rock star’’ interns starting on the same day, she says they’ll have to get used to being elbow deep in anal fissures and helping women give birth. ‘‘They make them well, we make them matter,’’ she stresses.
But before she can go any further, news comes in that multiple victims are on their way from an incident at a local art institute. A car has deliberately rammed into a crowd of students.
With her team already short-staffed thanks to a Shawn Mendes concert, O’Rourke has no choice but to throw her newbies in at the deep end. For Ashleigh Collins (Natasha Calis), that means the frustration of being tasked with diverting calls to other hospitals.
Wolf Burke (Donald MacLean Jr) has the ‘‘seemingly simple’’ job of tracking down the patient whose severed fingers he’s been given, Keon Colby (Jordan Johnson-Hinds) has to monitor (something he struggles with at the beginning, earning an instant rep around the hospital) and ‘‘babysit’’ a single mum-to-be and Nazneen Khan (Sandy Sidhu) treats a charismatic teacher from the campus.
However, it’s the experienced Grace Knight (Tiera Skovbye) who finds herself with the biggest challenge. Although pleased that she’s been able to assist in stabilising her patient’s lifethreatening injuries, Grace is horrified to then discover, when he’s able to speak, that he was the driver that caused all the carnage around her. As he spouts sexist, misogynist and racist rhetoric at her, Grace finds herself wondering if she should be continuing to help keep him alive.
Nurses’ opening gambit is filled with such ethical and emotional dilemmas and, as a way to hook you into the series, it packs a punch. The mixture of administrative chaos, medical misadventures and miracles and character-led drama reminds one of ER,
although the bookending voice-overs and middle-of-theroad ballad-filled soundtrack is pure Grey’s.
Fans of Canadian TV will also notice a similarity in style to the producer’s previous big hit, crime-drama Rookie Blue,
and screenwriter Adam Pettle’s earlier projects, including the supernaturally inclined medical series Saving Hope, legal drama Burden of Truth (another recent arrival on TVNZ OnDemand) and female-led homicide detective tale The Detail.
There’s a nice rhythm to the show, even if there’s an overwhelming sense of deja vu about its scenario, as our diverse quintet offer some potential new narrative paths among the usual character flaws and foibles.
Though not perfect, if you fancy a dose of new televisual medicine, the prognosis for Nurses looks good.
Seasons 1 and 2 of Nurses is now streaming on TVNZ OnDemand.