Eight binge-worthy hospital shows of the century (so far)

There’s something about hospital shows: one of the few places on earth where life and death share a waiting room. The 21st century has produced many, from Grey’s Anatomy, which has been running since 2005, to The Pitt, a lean, almost ruthlessly focused ER drama that unfolds in something close to real time.

The Good Doctor (2017–2024) follows Dr. Shaun Murphy, a surgical resident with autism and savant syndrome; Freddie Highmore’s portrayal balances brilliance in the operating room with the challenges of communication and social dynamics. The Knick (2014–2015), set in 1900 New York, is cold, precise, and uncomfortable under Steven Soderbergh’s direction.

This Is Going to Hurt (2022), adapted from Adam Kay’s memoir, follows a junior obstetrics and gynecology doctor working inside an NHS held together with goodwill; Ben Whishaw makes Adam impossible to look away from. Hospital Playlist (2020–2021) leans warm and unashamedly wholesome, built on slow, patient character work and the natural ease of five friends who play in a band together.

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