'Pulse' review: Weak in medicine, heavy on drama

Netflix’s new medical drama ‘Pulse’ tries to follow in the footsteps of the fan-loved ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ but fails on multiple fronts.

It is a stylised rendition of what goes on in Miami’s busiest Level 1 Trauma Center at the Hospital of Maguire, with the resident doctors and interns balancing their messy private lives while handling critical medical emergencies.

The protagonist, Danny Simms (Willa Fitzgerald), is suddenly promoted to Chief Resident after she files a complaint of sexual harassment against her senior. Over 10 episodes, the plot reveals the circumstances that led to this scenario and the repercussions it has on not only her career but also on her loved ones.

A troupe of characters with their own quirks are introduced — the senior against whom Danny lodges her complaint, Xander Philips (Colin Woodell), Danny’s best friend who was actually set for Chief next year, Sam Elijah (Jessie T Usher), Danny’s disabled sister, Harper (Jessy Yates), and the womaniser Surgery resident Tom Cole (Jack Bannon). The series becomes a hotch-potch of plotlines and character arcs, all unfolding in the middle of the hectic schedules of the doctors dealing with a multitude of patients and tragedies. But it is safe to say, verisimilitude is not the show’s selling point. 

Both direction and acting are mediocre, with no performance standing out as extraordinary but none being terribly bad either. The storyline is all over the place, but the drama and romance keep the viewer invested to an extent. ‘Pulse’ is no ‘Grey’s Anatomy’, but does have a heartbeat to keep you going.