“Emily Owens, M.D.,” the CW’s newest fall addition, is a medical series following a somewhat awkward surgical intern, Emily Owens, as she begins her work at Denver Memorial Hospital. Although its loveable characters and developing drama have hit potential, this juvenile mismash needs to find some direction – stat.
The series pilot, which premiered last Tuesday, depicts Emily’s first day on the job. To her dismay, she soon realizes that her high school nemesis, Cassandra, is also interning at Denver Memorial, and that perhaps adult life isn’t going to be quite so different from high school after all.
This high school angle is what the series relies on as its hook. From the very beginning, Emily laments that she didn’t thrive in high school, and as the pilot continues, the different specialties of the hospital are compared to adolescent cliques: jocks, mean girls, geeks, etc. While this aspect gives the series a somewhat unique different spin than other current medical shows, it’s one that is simply too cliché to work effectively and adds an unfortunately redundant flavor to the storyline.
However, the show’s biggest downfall is its lack of a individual identity – with characters and plots similar to those of “Grey’s Anatomy” and an inner-monologue technique that hints of “Scrubs,” “Emily Owens, M.D.” appears to be caught amidst the great medical television of the past. What’s more, it’s difficult to tell whether the writers intended for the tone to be dramatic, comedic or both, which leaves the audience not really knowing what to feel. Overall, the pilot may give viewers the feeling that this series isn’t quite ready to be on the air.
Yet the CW has created a likable character in Emily Owens (Mamie Gummer, “John Adams”). As a naïve, uncouth intern with a raging crush and plummeting self-esteem, Emily becomes someone that everyone can relate to. Mamie Gummer does a wonderful job playing up Emily’s “sugar, spice and everything nice” qualities, and truly fashions a character that audiences will want to be friends with.
The personality of Emily’s newest cohort, Tyra (Kelly McCreary, “White Collar”) is also intriguing. As the pilot begins, she’s the first to tell Emily what a cutthroat place a hospital can be, but then jumps at the chance to become her new BFF. She then has Emily do favors for her which ultimately puts a dent in Emily’s “good girl” reputation. This leaves audiences wondering what Tyra’s true intentions are, and whether she is actually friend or foe. If Tyra turns out to be the conniving siren that viewers suspect she is, the series could take a much more interesting turn.
“Emily Owens, M.D.” may have the potential to become a hit series, but the pilot episode was mediocre. By comparing Emily’s hospital to a high school, the writers of CW have given the show an adolescent vibe that may or may not work in its favor.
The pilot seems to swing back and forth between drama and comedy, giving it a somewhat confused and indecisive quality; however, with interesting characterization and decent acting to go with it, the show could work its way up. Hopefully the series will discover its identity as the season progresses, and become one of network television’s better new medical shows.
