Netflix's Pulse did not deserve a critical bludgeoning

In the midst of the (well-deserved, if not slightly exaggerated) fanfare surrounding HBO Max’s The Pitt, Netflix dropped its own medical drama: Pulse. Due to unavoidable comparison, which was obviously made worse by the timing of its premiere, Pulse was butchered by critics. Well, let’s set the record straight. While Pulse may not be peak or prestige TV, it delivers on many fronts—some of which, in my opinion, are where The Pitt falls flat—crafting a world and stories that are heartening, challenging, and fulfilling. Though its future continues to hang in the balance (as nearly all Netflix shows do for a cruel and far too long period after launching), the series deserves some love to offset the barrage of negativity it has received from those recently enamored by The Pitt and/or exhausted after two decades and counting of Grey’s Anatomy.

One of the most strategic and rewarding elements of Pulse is we are immediately dropped into the eye of the storm at Maguire Hospital, both professionally and personally. The pilot episode begins with Hurricane Abby beginning to wreak havoc in Miami, causing a major bus to crash. Meanwhile, as the residents and attending doctors of Maguire’s Emergency Department prepare for this catastrophe, their workplace has just been thrown off-kilter, as Chief Resident Xander Phillips (Colin Woodell) has just been suspended because of a sexual harassment claim from third-year resident Danny Simms (Willa Fitzgerald), our protagonist and lens into this world.

With Phillips out, and the storm about to hit, a replacement must be named immediately to take charge of the other residents and lead the hospital through this intense, high-stakes situation. Ultimately, Dr. Natalie Cruz (Justina Machado), Maguire’s Chair of Surgery and Emergency Medicine, gives the responsibility to Danny — a choice that many in the hospital use to further demean her and question/invalidate the legitimacy of her accusation. To offer additional complications, the ER is left short-handed because of the hurricane, so Dr. Cruz puts Phillips’s suspension on hold—although he is no longer Chief Resident—so he can assist. This immediately undermines Danny’s authority as a leader, as the team automatically looks to Phillips for direction and answers. Thus, as the series begins, Danny is understandably frazzled and distraught because she has, essentially, been set up for an epic failure, forcing her to prove herself on several levels and offering a fantastic opportunity for Fitzgerald to put her talent on display.

However, while the brunt of the show’s focus is on Danny and overcoming these impossible odds, beginning in the middle of a crisis allows the writers to showcase, and the audience to see, the strengths and glaring flaws of those in the ensemble. With the limited time it has, Pulse begins to dive into the realities of other characters, like Danny’s sister and fellow resident Harper (Jessy Yates), a doctor who is paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, and thus whose experience is vastly different from everyone else’s, specifically exploring how she is treated entirely different than her colleagues by patients and their family members. Sophie Chan (Chelsea Muirhead) is a surgical intern who gives everything she has to become the best doctor while being severely mistreated by Surgical Resident Tom Cole. Others we follow, but who don’t get quite as much attention, are Sam Elijah, who has worked with and harbored a crush on Danny for years and is her primary competition for Chief Resident, a brutally underused Jessica Rothe as nurse Cass Himmelstein, and Néstor Carbonell as surgeon and mentor Ruben Soriano.

Surprisingly, despite his introduction, Xander is quite an intriguing and nuanced character to follow. At first, it’s simply impossible to imagine harboring anything except extreme negativity toward him. As flashbacks throughout each episode depict the events that build to Danny’s accusation, the entire situation becomes increasingly complex. This isn’t to say Danny’s claim is unfounded or that Phillips isn’t in the wrong — spoiler alert: he certainly is. That said, it’s a bit more complicated and as such, personally speaking, leads to very tangled feelings about the character and his relationship with Danny. It’s a risky move to make Xander the co-lead, but it pays off. Specifically, it never feels like the series is sending the wrong message to viewers about his behavior with Danny, and Woodell brings a humanizing energy to Xander that other performers might not have been able to.

But the standout of them all is Daniela Nieves (Peacock’s Vampire Academy) as third-year medical student Camila Perez. The energy both Nieves and Camila bring to the screen and story, respectively, is such a breath of fresh air. She is the human embodiment of a ray of sunshine. Camila’s primary relationship is with Sophie, the latter of which is focused on tough love and treating others as she was treated when in their shoes, but Camila is ready to break the cycle. (If I had to choose a favorite character, there’s no competition. It’s easily Camila.)

In addition to the hurricane and sexual harassment claim, there are other well-developed and impactful stories told, relationships tested between just about every other character, and of course, we see the difficulties of working in the emergency department. There’s a great balance between showcasing the doctors’ work and their relationships, both romantic and otherwise, not focusing too much on one at the cost of the other. If I had to offer a critique, it would be that I hope the flashbacks are dialed back if it’s renewed. It was necessary for the story being told here, but we could do with less.

Though Pulse only explores a short time in these characters’ lives throughout these ten episodes—not quite as short as confined to a single day like in The Pitt—it’s a major period of upheaval and change, promising much more to come. Also unlike The Pitt, which I’m beyond grateful for as someone with a very weak tolerance for gore and general grossness (even the fake stuff), the cameras are primarily focused on the doctors as they complete procedures and perform tasks, rather than a close-up, detailed shot of the malady.

It may not be groundbreaking or prestigious but Pulse is extremely enjoyable and entertaining, so much so that I’ve watched the series twice since it premiered in April. Frankly, it didn’t deserve to be torn apart so ruthlessly. It features an impeccable cast playing brilliantly crafted characters and well-written stories. What more can you ask for? Fingers crossed there’s another season in the works. Even if it doesn’t get renewed, the ending is satisfying enough, so it’s definitely worth a watch.