First 5 Friday-Is There a Doctor I the House?

I am not totally a fan of medical television shows, I'll admit that right off. I am squeamish by nature and some of the stuff shown on these shows make me want to hurl. This weak stomach of mine has gotten me out of quite a bit sickening situations (Just ask Sneaky Momma if you don't believe it) but it has caused me to be somewhat girlie when it comes to the sight of anyone else's blood, puke, or excrement. Basically, I kill the spiders, she picks up the puke.

However, I digress. Medical shows are the foundation of television ever since St. Elsewhere and MASH. So, it only makes sense that I let you know how you should feel about them. (Just kidding)

FIRST 5 MEDICAL TELEVISION SHOWS IN HISTORY.

Scrubs-Okay, I believe, in its day, it was the funniest medical show in the history of television (its gone a little downhill lately, but still not bad). I know the stupidity of the show does take away from its poignant moments. But, there are still episodes that I have seen three or four times that still make me a little emotion. If the music, the writing, and the acting can still do that even after four years, that's a quality show.

ER-Look, I'm not a fan. I do recognize greatness and this show totally put Medical dramas back on the map after St. Elsewhere and Chicago Hope drifted off into obscurity. Plus, it has had a life span that is only dwarfed by the Simpsons. However, it has jumped the shark more times than perhaps any other TV show....well, any TV show that doesn't have Ted McKinley. It made the TV Medical Drama relevant again.

Grey's Anatomy-Even though it, too, has seen its better days, Grey's was a truly interesting watch. This show is always a train wreck waiting to happen. The story lines abound in this show and the character development is perhaps as good as any show I've ever seen. The draw back is, since I have gotten to know the characters pretty well, there's very few I really like. Aside from the Chief and Derek, the rest of the characters are so flawed they are hard to root for. I guess the genius of the show is the writer's weren't afraid to make these characters REALLY human. Plus, the story lines are a little on the unbelievable side.

M*A*S*H-While the other medical shows mentioned were groundbreaking in that particular genre, this show revolutionized TV. This show was the first to make you laugh and then bring you way down. I've seen every episode perhaps a half dozen times at least and I have found that its still relevant now as it was when it was satiring Vietnam thirty years ago. While the character development was still primitive in the beginning, it truly moved with the times. They corrected their character mistakes as the show grew, for instance, when the truly unredeemable Frank Burns character left, there next 'bad guy' was a man that was just flawed by having a silver spoon in his mouth. As the reality of war finally affected him, he became less boorish and more human. The hard ass nurse, Magaret, you begin to see the why behind the coarsness. Hawkeye's new running buddy, BJ, was not just the lacky Trapper was, he was an equal....and different from Hawkeye. Also, with this show there was never a true jump the shark moment, it just sort of faded away. The last episode is one of my all time FAVORITE last episodes (Future First 5 possibly?) as they have ideal closure.

HOUSE-How can you root for a drug addict who is a jerk of a doctor? He's rude, self centered, mean, and hateful. Why do I care about what this guy thinks of anything? It is intelligent, funny (although not Scrubs funny), and, forgive the pun, adicting. In the Sneaky household on Friday, the House marathon just stays on. Oh, by the way, maybe the most surprising thing about this show is that everything you first believe about House...well, that he is an ass....you, as you get to know him, discover that....yeah, he is an ass. But, no matter about his lack of redeeming qualities, you find yourself caring about him. You want him to be right, you want him to save the patient (no matter how irritating the family or patient is), and you want him to do it with sarcasm, cutting wit, and pure meanness. You're not proud of this, but you can't help it.

Hope the medical field treats you well whenever you catch it...whether it be Wednesday for Scrubs...Thursday for Grey's....all weekend for MASH and House....and Hulu for ER.