Television shows that depict what’s happening within hospitals return to the limelight during the Covid-19 pandemic. Here, we round up some of the best series to stream
The COVID-19 pandemic has made many of us wary of going anywhere near medical facilities in fear of contracting the dreaded virus. It has also made us curious about how doctors, nurses and other front liners handle chaotic medical situations on the ground, as well as how they deal with their personal lives with such occupational challenges and hazards. Interestingly, with this fear and curiosity arise a renewed interest in medical dramas. Here, we round up some of them—from old-time favourites to new season releases:
1. Grey’s Anatomy
The longest-running American primetime medical drama has just recently capped its 17th season and subsequently renewed for another season by its mother network, ABC. The award-winning series created by television royalty Shonda Rhimes has been giving us an emotional roller-coaster ride since 2005 as it tackles issues surrounding the lives of medical interns, residents and attending physicians as they grow and develop into seasoned doctors while manoeuvring personal and professional relationships.
Who can ever forget Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and Derek Sheperd a.k.a McDreamy’s (Patrick Dempsey) love story? Or the many love triangles that surfaced in the story including Addison Montgomery’s (Kate Walsh) dilemma between McDreamy and Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) a.k.a McSteamy? These and countless cliffhanger moments across all 17 seasons are worth binging on a long weekend.
Spot and cheer for the Filipina actress Aina Dumlao as she portrays the role of Gerlie Bernardo, a Fil-Am nurse in the finale of Grey's Anatomy's season 17. "The emotional response I've received from my portrayal of Fil-Am nurse Gerlie Bernardo - from fans of the show, Filipinos from all over the world, healthcare workers, patients - has been nothing short of overwhelming. I received messages from Filipino nurses, crying tears of joy because they finally feel seen. Patients have reached out with their stories of how Filipino nurses, still recovering from Covid themselves, fought to come back to work immediately to keep caring for them... just like Gerlie. It’s been an honour to play Gerlie Bernardo ... a character that really just holds up a mirror that reflects back to the world the heroism of Filipino nurses long before Covid," Dumlao tells Tatler.
Read also: Grey's Anatomy, This Is Us: COVID-19 Weaves Its Way Into TV Plots