It’s now a workhorse, but when it launched, Grey’s Anatomy was revolutionary. The soapy depiction of medical residents’ personal lives informing and interfering with their work made it more than another hospital drama. Twelve seasons in, the formula is often imitated, and now Melissa George, who appeared on Grey’s, is donning the scrubs. In NBC’s Heartbeat (debuting March 22 and 23), she’s a cardiothoracic surgeon with a perfect blowout. George’s Dr. Alex Panttiere pauses her search for a donor heart to play a flirty game of basketball with her doctor beau (Dave Annable). “I’m bored. Wanna have sex?” she asks, making the common TV mistake of confusing bland frankness with wit. She’s not the only one who’s bored.
Heartbeat has welcome flashes of true weirdness. But the show isn’t thoughtful enough to earn its insouciance. Life-and-death situations are a tricky place to try to find sassy edge.
–DANIEL D’ADDARIO
Heartbeat airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. E.T. on NBC
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How Donald Trump Won
- The Best Inventions of 2024
- Why Sleep Is the Key to Living Longer
- Robert Zemeckis Just Wants to Move You
- How to Break 8 Toxic Communication Habits
- Nicola Coughlan Bet on Herself—And Won
- Why Vinegar Is So Good for You
- Meet TIME's Newest Class of Next Generation Leaders
Contact us at letters@time.com