This article contains spoilers for St. Denis Medical Season 3 Episodes 1-5.
Once, NBC’s output was so strong that the network launched its ‘Must See TV’ campaign in 1993, starting Thursday nights with Mad About You, Wings, Seinfeld, Frasier, and L.A. Law. Towards the end of the decade, the branding expanded to Tuesday and Wednesday nights, but Thursday remained the pinnacle of NBC Comedy well into the 2000s and 2010s, with shows like The Office, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and Community. The rise of streaming saw network television fall out of favour, effectively ending NBC’s popularity and its consistent output of multi-season hits. In recent years, the network has tried to recapture its dominance with St. Denis Medical, which returns for the 2026-2027 TV season on Monday nights alongside The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins – perhaps the closest NBC will get to replicating even a fraction of ‘Must See TV’s’ impact.
And NBC are right to be confident in the former, at least. After two seasons, St. Denis Medical has quietly affirmed its status as NBC’s strongest yet most underrated comedy. Created by Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer, the series builds on NBC’s past workplace mockumentaries, including Superstore, which Spitzer created and Ledgin produced. Set in an underfunded, understaffed hospital in Oregon where doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while keeping their sanity, Season 3 picks up where Season 2 left off after Ron (David Alan Grier) undergoes bypass surgery.
Those hoping Ron’s “Where’s my Joyce?” faux pas in the Season 2 finale would lead to an established romance in Season 3 may be disappointed by the direction the first five episodes sent to critics take. Episode 4, the funniest of the five, explores the gossip surrounding Ron and Joyce (Wendi McLendon-Covey) when the latter signs up for a dating app. Bruce (Josh Lawson), experiencing a love he’s never felt before with Dr. Emerson (Ariana Madix), wants the same for his friend, so takes it upon himself to spread rumours around St. Denis until Ron has no choice but to confront Joyce himself (twice, because the first time he makes her cry with his abrasiveness). While the episode technically leaves the door open for a future romance, Grier and McLendon-Covey’s chemistry is too good to not explore further. Keeping Ron and Joyce as best friends, as they seem content to be, feels like a waste of their connection, but this is a sitcom, and slow burns are a staple of the genre.
In terms of romance, St. Denis Medical invests further in Matt (Mekki Leeper) and Serena (Kahyun Kim). After a will-they-won’t-they build-up, the pair finally got together last season, but their relationship faces an early test in Season 3 when Serena clarifies that Matt isn’t her boyfriend because labels add pressure, only to feel jealous when she learns a fellow staff member is spending time with Matt at church outside of work. Once they settle their relationship status, the two fall into an easy rhythm inside the hospital as they learn more about each other. They even take a hilarious step further that may come too soon for Serena while working the med tent at an EDM festival, where dodgy lobster causes an influx of patients with GI issues.
The series remains easy to watch, packing its 21–25-minute episodes with jokes a minute and memorable character moments that do not feel orchestrated for 10-second social media posts. The writers behind St. Denis Medical evidently want to preserve television in an era when more and more content is designed for consumption while audiences scroll through their phones, and media literacy seems to be at an all-time low. Episode 4 may be the funniest, but the remaining episodes don’t fall short, embracing the silliness the sitcom formula allows for. Episode 1 reunites Grier with his In Living Color co-star Damon Wayans, who plays Dr. Highland, a charming but pompous doctor filling in while Ron is recovering from surgery. Although the two rarely interact, the episode makes effective use of Alex (Allison Tolman), whose desperation to win Highland’s approval provides much of the episode’s cringe comedy.
The ensemble remains one of television’s best, with no weak links, even if some are better utilised. Wendi McLendon-Covey continues to prove herself a master of line delivery, with her pronunciation of KPop Demon Hunters standing out in particular – a delivery that will immediately enter your repertoire. But she also brings surprising emotional depth to Joyce as she grapples with ageing and feelings of inadequacy while those around her fall in love. David Alan Grier matches her comic timing, with Ron’s stubbornness and grumpiness still providing plenty of entertainment after he returns to work. He and Allison Tolman share a sweet scene in Episode 1, developing a pairing the show leans into more often after their Season 2 finale heart-to-heart.
Meanwhile, Josh Lawson keeps Bruce lovable despite qualities that would turn most people off. He usually has the right idea, even if his motivations are selfish, as when he teaches a grungy teenager how to socialise with his peers, only to fall flat on his face (literally) while trying to impress. Even the recurring cast brings its A-game, with newcomer Doreen (Ambrit Millhouse) making a strong enough impression to warrant a promotion to series regular. Brandon (Dan Leahy) is another familiar face who packs punches with his wit, aimed at the expense of those around him, including Joyce.
However, St. Denis Medical continues to underutilise Kaliko Kauahi’s Val. It’s as if the writers aren’t sure how to involve a nurse administrator in the day-to-day goings-on at St. Denis, preferring to sideline her in favour of quick jabs and bringing her in only when someone needs to be no-nonsense. She works well teaching Matt to be less gullible, and later, when she plays Ron for a fool for neglecting his duties to work on a rare collectable, but it would be nice to see her work a case or receive a storyline that allows for character development. Kauahi is certainly capable of delivering, considering the writers give her an inch of an episode’s script and she takes a mile.
Despite its occasional shortcomings, St. Denis Medical remains one of network television’s strongest comedies, with Season 3 continuing to build on the relationships and character dynamics that made its first two seasons so enjoyable. NBC may never recapture the dominance of its ‘Must See TV’ era, but with St. Denis Medical, it has a comedy worthy of standing alongside some of its best.
