Medical dramas have captured the world of health care professionals and the stories associated with their line of work for decades on television — and there are no signs they are letting up.
The high intensity of narratives involving life and death continue to move the needle for audiences and networks alike, and it’s easy to understand why the genre stands the test of time.
Here are some of the best medical dramas available to stream right now:
“Grey’s Anatomy”
Probably one of the most recognizable series that comes to mind whenever one might think of medical dramas, “Grey’s Anatomy” has managed to stick around for 16 seasons thanks to its ability to reinvent itself time and time again through a wide range of diverse characters who have each come and gone while displaying all of their emotional and physical exploits both plaguing and uplifting a breadth of protagonists.
Give older “Grey’s” seasons a spin on Netflix before hopping over to Hulu, where you can find newer episodes.
10 BEST ROYAL DOCUMENTARIES TO STREAM RIGHT NOW
“House MD”
Hugh Laurie once joked to a room of reporters that he “spent longer pretending to be a doctor than it would have taken [him] to become a doctor,” which he admitted was really “peculiar” given the fact that his father was a real-life doctor — and Laurie is right. The “Avenue 5” performer starred on the legendary hospital drama from 2004 until the series ended in 2012.
Whether you love or hate Dr. Gregory House for his brash bluntness and wicked smarts that teeter the line of egoism, “House” allows the audience to empathize with its doctors as well as the patients — each of them having to deal with Dr. House’s lacking bedside manner and penchant for carrying on as the grumpy genius.
All eight seasons of the popular series are available on Amazon Prime Video.
“The Resident”
In just two years since arriving on air, “The Resident” has established itself as a juggernaut among dramas in general.
The series follows Dr. Conrad Hawkins (Matt Czuchry of "Gilmore Girls" and "The Good Wife" fame), a senior and later chief resident internist, who mentors an up-and-coming second-year resident internist while breaking his residents down and building them back up, all in a viable program to prepare them for the bureaucratic hospital politics plaguing their workplace, Chastain Park Memorial Hospital.
11 BEST ROMANTIC MOVIES TO STREAM NOW
“ER”
Hang this one up there with “Grey’s Anatomy,” as “ER” reigned supreme before the arrival of “Grey’s.” Though the shows carry similarities, “ER” specifically takes place, well, in the emergency room, and kicked off the careers for a number of its cast members.
'ER' ACTRESS VANESSA MARQUEZ'S MOTHER FILES WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AFTER FATAL SHOOTING BY POLICE
Having aired for 15 seasons, “ER” is eclipsed by “Grey’s” in terms of longevity, but “ER” has still got over 330 episodes to binge on if you’ve got a soft spot for younger versions of George Clooney, Noah Wyle or Eriq La Salle.
Catch up on Hulu, if you’re up for it.
“M*A*S*H”
Centered on the medical units tending to our nation’s bravest warriors, “M*A*S*H” tracked the 4077th US Army Mobile Surgical Hospital and all of its shortcomings during the Korean War, though the 1970 film of the same name, along with early seasons of the program, seemingly mirrored that of the Vietnam War.
KELLYE NAKAHARA, 'M*A*S*H' STAR, DEAD AT 72
All 11 seasons of “M*A*S*H” are available to stream on Hulu.
“The Good Doctor”
Another of the more recent medical drama additions, “The Good Doctor” is also intense, but carries a feel-good element all its own.
A modern-day “Doogie Howser, MD” of sorts, the series follows a surgeon named Shawn Murphy, who has autism and, while young and gifted, finds it incredibly difficult to connect with those around him.
“The Good Doctor” is similar to Netflix’s “Atypical” – which also has a protagonist who has autism – in the sense that the two series beautifully bring light to the methods and processes people with autism may utilize in relating to the world and the intense patience and understanding folks without the condition should heed in interaction.
THE BEST 10 MOVIES TO STREAM ON HULU
Get your “Good Doctor” fix on Hulu.
“Nurse Jackie”
A nurse struggling to kick a drug habit when she’s got day-to-day access to a bevy of pills makes for a medical series worth checking out.
If it sounds a little bit in the vein of “House MD,” don’t worry — nurse Jackie Peyton, played by Edie Falco, actually cares about her patients to a degree that champions the profession, while bringing the drama and comedy, for that matter, to a series that’s all about overcoming the world of high-stakes health care at crumbling system prices.
THE BEST FAMILY MOVIES TO WATCH ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
If you’ve got a Netflix subscription, you’ve got access to “Nurse Jackie.”
“New Amsterdam”
Dr. Max Goodwin (Ryan Eggold) is the new medical director at the oldest public hospital in America and coincidentally the only one of its kind in the world capable of treating Ebola patients, Rikers Island prison inmates, as well as the president of the United States.
Dr. Goodwin comes in with a “never say die” approach to cutting through the thick bureaucratic red tape that stands in the way of bringing order to an underfunded and overworked hospital and staff.
'NEW AMSTERDAM' FLU PANDEMIC EPISODE PULLED BY NBC AMID CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
The hospital featured in “New Amsterdam” is inspired by Bellevue Hospital in New York City.
Having just finished up its second season on NBC, look to stream “New Amsterdam” on Hulu.
“Code Black”
While not a huge deviation from what one might expect to find in the typical medical drama, “Code Black” stands on its own by focusing on the fast-paced emergency room exploits as the doctors and nurses in the cast do everything they possibly can to keep their lack of resources from negatively impacting their lifesaving efforts.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Stream all three seasons of “Code Black” on Amazon Prime Video.