Shubhabrata Dutta
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ really opened a new door for viewers who were able to get a taste of a show that explores the medical genre while offering a gripping storyline. The popularity made it clear that people love exploring human anatomy, and this further led to the creation of many more medical shows. HBO Max also has many medical shows, many of which are reality shows with real doctors and patients. Here are the best shows on the streaming service that explore the medical premise, some fictional and some set in the real world.
19. Botched Bariatrics (2024- )
‘Botched Bariatrics’ follows the journey of people whose failed bariatric treatments have made their lives worse. However, without losing hope, they reach out to experts in the field, including bariatric surgeons and plastic surgeons, who try to rectify the wrongs performed in the previous surgeries and bring peace to the patients’ lives. From a woman with six belly buttons to a man with explosive bowels, the problems are complicated, and it is up to the surgeons to fix them. To find out how successful they are in the endeavor, you can stream ‘Botched Bariatrics’ here.
18. Take My Tumor (2024)
This graphic show follows renowned surgeons Kimberly Moore Dalal, Jason Cohen, and Ryan F. Osborne as they deal with the most challenging and extremely rare cases of life-threatening tumors. These range from every inch of the body to particular areas like the neck, face, stomach, and more. The series addresses the pain that the patients had to carry with them for so long and the risk the doctors take to remove that pain without giving up so that their patients can have the opportunity to live healthy and happy lives. You can watch ‘Take My Tumor’ here.
17. Pets & Pickers (2022- )
Created by Tyson Hepburn, this docuseries follows a group of doctors and picking specialists who join forces to provide the best treatment to pets, even those whose owners cannot afford the treatment, at the Regional Animal Protection Society in Richmond, British Columbia. The doctors carry out the required treatment, and the hospital pays for it using two thrift stores that it owns. More money to pay for the surgeries is made by the picking specialists who search abandoned storage bins for valuables. If you are an animal lover, this medical show is bound to bring a smile to your face and a few tears to your eyes. ‘Pets & Pickers’ can be streamed here.
16. My Feet Are Killing Me (2020-)
As everyday stuff as it sounds, the words “My Feet Are Killing Me” can be a lot serious. And this reality show is a testament to that. We follow Dr. Brad Schaeffer, Dr. Ebonie Vincent, and Dr. Sarah Haller, who confront bizarre cases of foot issues in patients and deal with them. Drs. Schaeffer and Dr. Haller are based in New Jersey, while Dr. Vincent is based in Southern California. From foot fungus to different-sized feet to wart clusters to webbed toes to horned feet, the possibilities are numerous, which is why the viewers are warned as there are graphic scenes. The series has four seasons and can be streamed right here.
15. Baby Surgeons: Delivering Miracles (2021-)
This three-episode reality show is more than enough to give you a taste of the extraordinary. It follows surgeons who perform intricate operations on the babies who are still inside their mothers. As surreal as it sounds, these professionals are saving lives before they are born. Emotional and undoubtedly scary, these true stories of childbirth and pregnancy, as revealed by the mothers and the medical staff, are indeed stories of miracles. You can watch the show here.
14. Bad Hair Day (2022-)
A reality show focusing on hair, ‘Bad Hair Day’ throws light on hair-related issues faced by a trio of hair restoration experts, Dr. Meena Singh, Dr. Angie Phipps, and Dr. Isha Lopez. Along with the treatment that is no less than a life-changing experience for the patients, who have been dealing with the issue for a long time, and is educational for the viewers, we also hear from the patients about their emotional experience of dealing with such issues. You can watch the series here.
13. Crack Addicts (2023-)
It’s certainly not what it sounds like. ‘Crack Addicts’ showcases the “stunts” pulled by Dr. Alessandra Colón and her staff to bring relief to their patients by sorting the nooks and crannies of their bodies via effective chiropractic methods. Patients arrive with painful physical conditions, and how the team provides the relief is not only satisfying for the patients but for the viewers too, not to mention the sound of the cracks, which are not cracks but the bones being repositioned to their original state. You can watch the show here.
12. Dr. Pimple Popper (2018- )
Many of you might have seen dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee carry out surgeries on people in YouTube reels. ‘Dr. Pimple Popper’ showcases Dr. Lee as she pulls off the strangest facial and skin surgeries to rid her patients of their disorders, pains, and troubles. The bizarre nature of the disorders is the hallmark of ‘Dr. Pimple Popper.’ Dr. Lee has her own clinic, Skin Physicians & Surgeons, in Upland, California. You can watch the 10-season show right here.
11. Awake Surgery (2022- )
This 3-episode show follows cosmetic surgeon Dr. Meegan Gruber, who does her job on her patients who are awake. From removing man boobs to having butt lifts, Dr. Gruber has managed to develop her own techniques to numb her patients so that they don’t feel anything when they are undergoing surgery. Her techniques are especially applicable to those who fear general anesthesia or don’t qualify for it. You can watch the show here.
10. Stuck (2022- )
This reality show is similar to ‘This Came Out of Me’ and follows doctors and medical professionals who pry out foreign bodies from those of the patients. As normal as it sounds, the objects are more foreign than you might think. We also get to hear from the patients how they came to be in that situation. From a sex toy in a rectum to a barbed nail in a forearm, the possibilities are many. If you want to witness them, you can watch the show here.
9. This Came Out of Me (2022- )
As the title suggests, this docuseries offers a BTS look into how Dr. Ruby Rose and other skilled physicians tackle Emergency Room issues in patients from all across Texas. These issues range from removing bugs from ears to draining an infection and many more gross complications that need to be handled very carefully. You can watch the 4-episode series here.
8. Save My Skin (2019-)
A reality medical show, ‘Save My Skin’ follows dermatologist Dr. Emma Craythorne and her team from the UK, who handle mild to extreme cases of skin conditions in their patients, some of which are even debilitating. These include bizarre cases that require anything from extractions to complex operations. From lipoma to pus-filled bumps to cysts to rosacea, the team has to deal with all sorts of cases and ensure that the patients can get back to a normal lifestyle. You can watch the series here.
7. Something’s Killing Me (2017–2019)
Hosted by BD Wong, ‘Something’s Killing Me’ is a docu-series that showcases unidentifiable symptoms and diseases encountered by doctors and law enforcement in the victims who often end up fighting with death itself. With re-enactments and interviews with doctors, patients, and their families, the series delves deep into the issues and shows how the experts race against time to find out the root cause. You can watch the show here.
6. In Treatment (2008–2021)
Shifting from the body to the mind, ‘In Treatment’ follows psychotherapist Paul Weston (Gabriel Byrne), who speaks to his clients and takes us on a journey of exploring the human psyche and its complexities. With each client comes new issues, and one time, it takes a toll on Weston as well, and he has to reach out to his therapist, Gina Toll (Dianne Wiest). How does that turn out? ‘In Treatment’ follows both the clients and the therapist to give us a better perspective of psychotherapy. Developed by Rodrigo García, the series is based on the Israeli series ‘BeTipul.’ You can watch ‘In Treatment’ here.
5. Body Cam (2018- )
Created by Tom Keeling, ‘Body Cam’ is a thrilling docuseries that shows the everyday dangers faced by law enforcement officers all across the country. Via the footage captured by the body cam of the officers, we get first-hand experiences of high-stakes situations that can be potentially fatal for them. Along with the videos, we are provided with insights into the situations as well. As tough a pill it can be to swallow, in many of these cases, it’s no-holds-barred, and anything goes. You can watch the series here.
4. ER (1994-2009)
As the title suggests, ‘ER,’ created by Michael Crichton, follows all the happenings inside an emergency room at the Cook County General Hospital in Chicago. The second longest primetime medical show after ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘ER’ stars Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Sherry Stringfield, Noah Wyle, Eriq La Salle and Julianna Margulies. Spanning 15 seasons, it showcases both the professional and the personal lives of the doctors as well as the patients, underscored by the urgency and the risks that exist in an ER. Needless to say, the depth to which the storylines go is insane, and this is one of the reasons why it has a huge fan following. You can watch the series here.
3. Getting On (2013–2015)
Love, care, compassion, loneliness, death, and all the other spices of life are thrown into a dark cauldron of hospice humor in this comedy drama. The events of ‘Getting On,’ adapted from the British show of the same name by Will Scheffer and Mark V. Olsen, take place in the Billy Barnes Extended Care Unit of Mt. Palms Hospital in Long Beach, California. It follows the daily lives of the doctors, nurses, and the other staff of the place as they attend to the needs and requirements of the elderly, especially the women, while coping with their own personal and professional issues. While for the patients, the place offers recovery, there’s a lot more going on in there, much to the hilarity of the viewers. Starring Alex Borstein, Niecy Nash, Laurie Metcalf, Mel Rodriguez, and Lindsey Kraft, ‘Getting On’ offers an entertaining watch. You can check out the show right here.
2. Autopsy: The Last Hours of… (2014- )
This intriguing medical series looks into the tragic mysterious/controversial/ sudden death of celebrities. With crucial evidence, the actual autopsies that were carried out, and interviews with the near and dear ones, the series offers a never-before-seen exploration into some of our favorite personalities, including Scott Weiland, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Brittany Murphy, Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, and Kurt Cobain. The series has 13 seasons as of now. You can stream ‘Autopsy: The Last Hours of…’ here.
1. The Knick (2014–2015)
Created by Jack Amiel and Michael Begler, ‘The Knick’ is one of the best medical shows out there. Set in the early 20th century, the events of the show take place within the walls of the Knickerbocker Hospital, aka The Knick (fictional) in New York. Limited by the medicine and the technology of the time, the hospital staff, led by Dr. John Thackery (Clive Owen), have to provide their patients with the best treatment. There is also Dr. Algernon Edwards (André Holland), a Black American, who, despite being more qualified than his peers, has to face racism from the all-white staff and the society at large, as was prevalent during that time. How the Knickerbocker Hospital functions while coping with its own issues, as well as the societal ones, is what we see in this gripping medical drama. You can watch ‘The Knick’ right here.
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