Due to a strange coincidence in timing, at first glance, Netflix’s Pulse may appear as a lesser version of Max’s The Pitt. However, upon closer inspection, you’ll find that this drama, too, is set in the emergency room of a teaching hospital in a significant American city. Remarkably, much like The Pitt, the initial episodes play out over a span of just one day.
The new series does not portray Pulse favorably, as it lacks excitement and emotional depth, is less tied to the realities of the medical profession, and seems overly focused on the complex personal relationships of its overly attractive doctors.
To be honest, the television series produced by Zoe Robyn bears a striking resemblance to another popular show: “Grey’s Anatomy”. It combines medical drama with elements of soap opera, keeping a constant undercurrent of romantic suspense, and offering an endless stream of cases that conveniently serve as metaphors. When viewed through this lens, it’s not bad at all – it’s engaging enough to fulfill the same craving, even if it hasn’t quite earned its place among the great hospital shows yet.
The overall storyline gradually becomes clear, as the first five out of ten episodes depict a particularly tense workday. As the team members arrive for their shift, there’s a lot of hushed chatter. Mainly, they are discussing the allegation of sexual harassment made by third-year resident Danny (Willa Fitzgerald) against Phillips, the beloved chief resident (Colin Woodell), and secondly about impending news of a hurricane approaching Miami.
Despite the immediate need to address the hurricane trauma, these doctors are correctly focusing on the ongoing conflict between Phillips and Danny. This tension will echo through the hospital corridors for the entire season, outlasting the departure of the hurricane patients and the cleanup of the car park.
It’s often highlighted that Maguire Medical stands as the top-tier level one trauma center in the state. This facility is run by promising young doctors, who are frequently praised for their potential to excel. Consequently, they handle a wide range of cases, from distressing ones such as when a patient was left unattended during surgery at another clinic and brought to the ER, to heart-wrenching scenarios like an elderly person facing imminent death in pain, to intriguing situations like a couple involved in a car accident while engaging in oral sex.
It’s unlikely that this hospital would be your first choice in a life-or-death situation, given it seems more suited for soap opera scenes rather than effective medical treatment, with staff engaging in personal distractions like flirting, arguing, or experiencing emotional breakthroughs while tending to patients.
As a gamer, I’ve got to admit that despite some rocky writing at times, this series is quite entertaining to watch, thanks to a cast that’s got the chops to keep things engaging. Fitzgerald and Woodell have both delivered captivating performances elsewhere, but here they bring something unique to the table.
Fitzgerald’s character exudes a certain toughness, reminiscent of her roles in shows like Amazon’s Reacher and Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher. On the other hand, Woodell’s character is slippery, a trait he showcased perfectly on Max’s The Flight Attendant and Peacock’s The Continental: From the World of John Wick. Together, they create an intriguing dynamic that keeps me hooked from episode to episode.
In the central roles, Jack Bannon skillfully plays both charming and kind as surgical resident Cole, a character who fits the stereotype of the “jerk with a golden heart.” Justina Machado is fittingly cast as Cruz, the stern yet fair director of the ER. The pairing of Chan (Chelsea Muirhead), a third-year resident who always appears tired, and Camila (Daniela Nieves), the perpetually cheerful newcomer, is particularly endearing. Their contrasting personalities create an engaging dynamic that makes their relationship the most convincing and captivating in the series. This bond develops gradually through friendly banter, mutual vulnerability, and occasional gift muffins.
It’s not surprising that these two characters appear to be least impacted by the Danny-Phillips scandal, as the storyline about sexual harassment serves to structure and intensify the drama. The audience’s feelings towards the characters fluctuate with each new rumor, mirroring our own changing sympathies as more truth unfolds piecemeal through flashbacks. However, this focus comes at the cost of giving less attention to some secondary characters, who have limited opportunities to develop outside of this central narrative.
As a gamer, it’s nice to witness a significant character like Harper (Jessy Yates), Danny’s sister and fellow resident, who isn’t merely reduced to her wheelchair-using status. However, it feels disappointing that she seems to be defined predominantly by her relationship with Danny. She certainly has her moments, standing by Danny in his HR matter or engaging in disagreements about the family matters that led them there. Yet, she is notably absent from the romantic and professional squabbles that dominate the storylines of other characters.
At least she’s in a more advantageous position than her coworker and friend, Elijah. Despite Jessie T. Usher’s diligent attempts, the character portrayed as an ambitious doctor is confined to being merely responsive, serving primarily to express strong emotions regarding Danny Phillips’ issues without taking any substantial actions on his own.
Despite Pulse not fully delivering on the climax of the Danny-Phillips storyline, it commendably steers clear from simple labels like “victim” or “villain”, instead opting for complex discussions about power dynamics, consent, attraction, and manipulation. However, spreading these themes across ten hours makes it challenging to sympathize with either character initially, as we’re left questioning if they might harbor hidden monstrous qualities. By the end, this repetitive exploration of their conflicts becomes tiresome, leaving us fatigued from watching them reiterate their disagreements repeatedly.
Towards the end of the period, a character considers departing Maguire entirely. She observes to a colleague, “This environment is poisonous,” and she’s spot on. With numerous rules being disregarded and power structures unaddressed by medical personnel who appear to be unable to resist forming romantic or intimate relationships with each other, the situation appears to be a potential minefield of legal and HR issues.
Despite the likelihood that the story may require this character to depart, it’s challenging not to wish for their continued presence, and to share in that sentiment. While conflict and separation might be essential for driving the plot forward, what truly draws us to Pulse are its instances of camaraderie: two colleagues consoling each other following a heart-wrenching event; a group of coworkers jesting about a colleague’s amusing high school memories; even the team of nurses (Arturo del Santo plays a significant recurring role as charge nurse Luis) engaging in a friendly game of desktop basketball during an uncommon quiet period.
Maguire Medical might seem a bit disorganized at the moment, yet, similar to the energetic team members who work there, it’s a place filled with warmth and immense promise.
Read More
- Maiden Academy tier list
- Cookie Run Kingdom Town Square Vault password
- Cookie Run Kingdom: Shadow Milk Cookie Toppings and Beascuits guide
- Girls Frontline 2 Exilium tier list
- Wizardry Variants Daphne tier list and a reroll guide
- 10 Hardest Bosses In The First Berserker: Khazan
- `H&M’s Wild White Lotus Getaway`
- Badass Ravi Kumar star Himesh Reshammiya’s wife exposes his hilarious habit; former says ‘mere naam pe TRP le rahi ho’
- Be Happy’s Abhishek Bachchan reveals how daughter Aaradhya gives him a reality check; says he did the same with dad Amitabh Bachchan
- Tap Force tier list of all characters that you can pick
2025-04-03 10:26