St. Denis Medical Competes With Mcdonalds On Yelp In Exclusive Clip

The hospital ensemble series still reigns supreme as one of television's most beloved workplaces. This season has introduced us to new medical facilities like Dr. John Watson's private clinic on CBS' Watson or the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Hospital on Max's The Pitt. And then there's St. Denis Medical Centre, the quirky underfunded Oregon hospital at the center of NBC's latest mockumentary. The comedy series has received enough positive feedback to earn a second season renewal, but in a St. Denis Medical exclusive clip from Tuesday's episode "People Just Say Stuff Online," the hospital itself is the subject of some negative reviews. 

If you're unfamiliar with St. Denis Medical, this clip is a good introduction to the show's colorful ensemble. There's Joyce (Wendi McLendon-Covey), the well-meaning but overbearing hospital administrator; Alex (Allison Tolman), the dedicated workaholic head nurse; Ron (David Alan Grier), the long-suffering and cynical ER doctor; Bruce (Josh Lawson), the arrogant and narcissistic ER surgeon; Serena (Kahyun Kim), Alex's sweet and competent right-hand nurse; and Matt (Mekki Leeper), the kind but inexperienced new nurse on staff. This morsel of "People Just Say Stuff Online" offers a taste of each of their personalities and their relationships.  

The break room chat in this St. Denis Medical exclusive clip also illustrates one of the show's strengths, which is comic insight into the real struggles of the healthcare industry—on both sides of the equation. For patients, having doctors suggest they simply "lose weight" is a frequent complaint in the face of potentially serious medical issues. But pushback causes the sometimes old fashioned Ron to bristle: "They're making me sound like I'm some high school mean girl," he objects. For the healthcare workers, the indignity of being judged on Yelp like a below-average McDonald's is an understandable source of frustration, especially when they're overworked, underpaid, and doing their best to provide patients with great care. 

St. Denis Medical manages to weave all this together with heart and humor. As The A.V. Club's Saloni Gajjar noted in her B+ review, the show is "sharp yet wholesome" with "an undeniably appealing ensemble." "People Just Say Stuff Online" airs February 4 at 8 PM E.T. on NBC.