Heartthrobs to antiheroes, these TV doctors have changed the way we view medicine

You’ve dragged yourself to the doctor's office, sneezing and coughing, head spinning from that cold that refuses to go away. You’re expecting, no, demanding, that your doctor resemble George Clooney's Dr Doug Ross from ER—you know, tall, handsome, well-dressed. Instead, in walks a nice, older, almost-retired physician who, while perfectly competent, doesn’t exactly fit the TV doctor mould you've been conditioned to expect after years of binge-watching medical dramas. "Where’s McDreamy?" you think, sulking internally as your kindly doctor writes you a prescription. TV lied to you once again, but it did leave us with some seriously iconic doctors.

Saints to flawed heroes

Doctors on TV have been part of our viewing experience for over 50 years. In the early days, shows like Medic (1954) offered a one-dimensional and highly flattering representation of doctors. These early portrayals depicted physicians as benevolent figures, comforting patients through tough diagnoses and always delivering cures. Medic was steeped in an aura of reverence for medicine, presenting doctors as incorruptible and saint-like, guiding viewers through excruciatingly detailed medical procedures and promising hopeful outcomes. At the time, medical technology and advancements were treated with awe, and the public’s fascination with curing previously untreatable diseases mirrored these on-screen portrayals.

However, this idealised image of doctors began to crumble as societal expectations changed. Shows like House shifted the paradigm, presenting doctors as brilliant yet deeply flawed characters. Dr Gregory House, for instance, is a drug-addicted, egotistical diagnostician who barely interacts with his patients, treating them more like puzzles to solve than individuals needing care. The focus shifted from caring for patients to diagnosing and curing them at all costs, with House’s character embodying the arrogance and recklessness that has become synonymous with modern depictions of TV doctors. His cold, almost detached demeanour was an extreme contrast to the compassionate, holistic physicians of earlier decades.

Similarly, Grey’s Anatomy portrays doctors as flawed, overly emotional individuals grappling with personal issues that often bleed into their professional lives. Doctors are no longer presented as untouchable heroes but as regular people prone to the same failings as anyone else. This shift signals a broader cultural change in how we view authority figures in medicine—where once the public placed blind faith in the infallibility of doctors, contemporary shows reflect a more sceptical, and at times cynical, view of the medical profession.

Our favourite physicians

Out of all of our favourite tv doctors, let’s get the most obvious one out of the way: Grey’s Anatomy’s Dr Derek Shepherd, aka McDreamy. Played by the effortlessly charming Patrick Dempsey, Derek was the neurosurgeon with the best hair in the game and a heart that rivalled his surgical skills. McDreamy was the epitome of the classic TV doctor archetype: good-looking, charismatic, and incredibly talented. He’s the doctor that made us all dream about walking into a hospital and finding someone like him, though spoiler alert: they usually don't exist in real life.

Next up is Dr Miranda Bailey, aka “The Nazi” (before political correctness forced them to drop that nickname). Bailey, played by Chandra Wilson, is the complete opposite of McDreamy. She’s no-nonsense, tough as nails, and demands the best from everyone around her. But despite her gruff exterior, Bailey’s compassion and loyalty to her interns and patients make her one of the most beloved characters on Grey’s Anatomy. What makes her stand out? She's relatable—while other doctors get caught up in love triangles and dramatic surgeries, Bailey's just trying to survive the chaos.

Enter the sophisticated Dr Addison Montgomery, the neonatal surgeon who walked into Grey’s Anatomy to stir up drama between McDreamy and Meredith. Played by Kate Walsh, Addison is the type of doctor you imagine swooping into an emergency room with red-bottomed designer heels and a solution to every problem. While she began as somewhat of an antagonist (though her meddling was seriously deserved), Addison soon became a fan favourite, even scoring her own spin-off show, Private Practice.

Dr Max Goodwin from New Amsterdam, played by Ryan Eggold, is the man who enters the hospital with a mission: to disrupt the system and put patients before profits. Max is the kind of doctor we wish we had when dealing with insurance nightmares and endless hospital bureaucracy. He’s kind, idealistic, and refreshingly optimistic, even when facing his own battles (a particularly inconvenient cancer diagnosis). Max’s character represents a new breed of TV doctors—those who challenge the broken healthcare system when profit seems to be the new aim, especially after the struggles of COVID.

More than inclusivity

A polar opposite to Max is Dr Vijay Kapoor, played by Anupam Kher. Vijay is the wise, old-school neurologist who’s seen it all. He may not have the flash of a McDreamy, but his gentle demeanour and genuine care for his patients make him unforgettable. Dr Kapoor’s Indian heritage made him stand out, especially to desi audiences. His cultural background is subtly infused into his character arc—whether it’s his relationship with his son, the hints of traditional values, or how he deals with his patients. There’s something familiar for us in Kapoor’s mannerisms, his language, and his balancing act between traditional ideals and modern-day challenges. He isn’t tokenised or reduced to his ethnicity; instead, his cultural roots add an extra layer to his persona, making him a more nuanced and relatable figure for South Asian audiences. He is a skilled and experienced doctor, an immigrant who navigates the American medical system with grace, but he also carries the weight of cultural expectations and personal hardships that many viewers would recognise.

Having a character like Dr Shaun Murphy on television is profoundly important because it challenges the conventional portrayal of doctors and opens up conversations about neurodiversity. As a physician with autism and savant syndrome on The Good Doctor, Shaun breaks the mould of what society typically expects from professionals in high-stakes fields like medicine. The main debate on the show is ‘Will Shaun succeed as a doctor?’, and while he has more against him than on his side, we soon see the sceptics won over as well. His character not only highlights the unique strengths and perspectives that individuals with autism can bring to their work but also helps dismantle stereotypes. The portrayal is a big step forward in how we understand and represent neurodivergent individuals in media.

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