Common Sense Media Review
By Kari Croop
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Hammy medical drama blends mob violence and surgical gore.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
What's the Story?
In a move to shield her brother from a deadly gambling debt, thoracic surgeon Dr. Grace Devlin (Jordana Spiro) agrees to go "off book" on Chicago's gritty Southside and become the mob's personal physician. But her secret life as THE MOB DOCTOR is rife with ethical complications, and Grace can't always be honest with the people she loves -- including her best friend (Floriana Lima), her boyfriend (Zach Gilford), and her boss (Zeljko Ivanek).
Is It Any Good?
The Mob Doctor is one of those shows whose title and premise are so silly that it could go either way. (Is this attractive young surgeon really a "mob doctor"? Yes, she is -- and it's pretty much how it sounds.) But in the end, the show smacks more of hammy melodrama than genuinely compelling television thanks to characters that feel half-formed and dialogue that doesn't ring true to life. In fact, it might be more entertaining as a parody than as decidedly serious fare.
While other medical dramas have played with plots that mix the crime world and the medical profession, there hasn't been a show that's been willing to commit to the marriage of the two. But now that there is one ... there won't likely be another.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence and the show's depiction of organized crime. How does the violent content here compare to other movies and TV shows about the mob (think The Sopranos or Goodfellas)? How realistic are the characters and the situations they find themselves in?
Are the main character's actions justifiable? Does that mean they're ethical, too -- and what's the difference? What would you do if you found yourself in a similar situation?
Is this series a medical drama, a crime drama, or both? How successfully does it combine the two genres? Can you think of any other shows like it on the air?
TV Details
- Premiere date : September 17, 2012
- Cast : Jordana Spiro , William Forsythe , Zach Gilford
- Network : Fox
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Award : NAACP Image Award - NAACP Image Award Nominee
- Last updated : October 3, 2024
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