If you’re anything like me, you know just how hard it is to find a truly captivating show on any streaming platform. Anything you find is either too short, too long, dubbed in a different language or includes an actor you have a personal vendetta against. As someone who is not really a fan of movies and tends to fall asleep less than 10 minutes in, I put a lot of time into hunting for an engaging show that is longer than five seasons. A lot of people think it takes a special kind of crazy to watch shows that are 10 to 20 seasons long… well… I am that crazy individual. In binging a LOT of shows, I’ve found that the most entertaining and appealing ones are centered around first responders. Now, I’m not about to be a gatekeeper so here are five of the absolute best first responder television shows that I have ever watched. These shows will have you seeing one edit on TikTok and immediately scurrying over to Netflix, Hulu or Peacock for a rewatch.
First up is “Grey’s Anatomy,” a 21 season medical drama that is primarily fixated on the life of Meredith Grey. Of course, to keep an audience, the show stemmed into so much more than her. From secret family members to cutting LVAD wires (if you know you know) to complex relationships, the actual medical part can sometimes get lost. However, the drama is what makes this show super binge worthy. At first, I got to season two and had to stop because I thought it wasn’t for me but then I started it back up one day and couldn’t take my eyes off the screen. Since I finished it for the first time, I’ve rewatched it about two or three more times. If near death experiences of patients and surgeons and relationships between every single staff member at a hospital interest you, run to Netflix right now to start watching.
Next up is “The Rookie,” a police show based in Los Angeles, California. The show was originally centered around John Nolan, a 45 year old from Pennsylvania that experienced a bank robbery in his hometown. Unsure what to do next in his life, he flies to California to join the LAPD as the robbery was a wake up call for him. The show is now on season seven and honestly, John is still a main character but way less than he was at the beginning. “The Rookie” will have you on the edge of your seat when it comes to its jaw dropping season finales and the relationship between Officer Lucy Chen and Officer Tim Bradford… these two are the definition of, “when will you finally get together?” The show does a great job of making the police cases super binge worthy and making your emotions fluctuate when certain characters get killed off so get to watching now, on Hulu.
“One Chicago” is an amazing first responder series with three different shows that all intertwine at times. “Chicago Med” and “Chicago PD” are obviously the medical and police dramas in the giant series, however, “Chicago Fire” is where you are going to want to begin. “Chicago Med” has some interesting plotlines, however it really is one of those shows that will make you go, “they should’ve called it quits ages ago.” Additionally, “Chicago PD” is an awesome bingeing show… up until season ten, I am very biased though. “Chicago Fire” is the literal glue to the series, containing so many characters that you grow to love and making you bawl your eyes out when some of the actors leave. The show is all about firehouse 51 and the tight knit family of firefighters that work there. The relationship between Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide that begins a little later in the show is something that will keep you watching if you find yourself getting bored in an episode. The calls they go on are extremely interesting and show off how fierce each firefighter can be when someone gets in the way. Once you’ve caught up with “Chicago Fire,” start PD and finish off with Med… trust me you can wait to watch that one.
“Station 19,” a remarkable firefighting show that is a spin-off of, “Grey’s Anatomy.” The show unfortunately ended last year, leaving it with seven amazing seasons. Similar to, “Chicago Fire,” this show also has an extremely close knit family of firefighters that would do anything for each other, including risking their lives to save each other on a call. Unlike most shows, everyone at the station gets their spotlight and though Maya Bishop and Andrea Herrera are arguably the two leads, every person ends up being the main character as the show progresses. As I’ve highlighted the best couple in each series, Maya Bishop and Carina DeLuca carry the show after season three… again, I’m definitely biased. The writers do an awesome job of bringing over “Grey’s Anatomy” actors in certain episodes and making the calls both dramatic and witty at times. As you finish the show, you’ll be left willing to give anything just to watch it again for the first time.
Lastly is, “The Resident,” another medical drama that sadly ended a few years ago. Unlike “Chicago Med,” this show knew when to call it quits and leave the fans with a solid ending, even if it was upsetting. Nicolette Nevin, a nurse and one of the main characters, is really the person that will keep you watching, as she is the peacemaker in the hospital and one of the few that helps in solving the largest medical mysteries. Her relationship with Conrad Hawkins is so monumental for the show that many fans would’ve stopped watching if the two ever separated. Without giving too much away, the show has its ups and downs when it comes to characters entering and leaving, as well as with certain couples that are on and off. If you need a down to earth and interesting medical show to watch when you’re bored, definitely watch “The Resident” on Hulu.
