‘St. Denis Medical’ Review: NBC Comedy Could Be the Next Great Mockumentary

Wendi McLendon-Covey and Allison Tolman headline a show that really works when leaning into surprising ruffles to “The Office” formula

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Wendi Mclendon-Covey and the cast of "St. Denis Medical." (Ron Batzdorff/NBC)

“The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” “Abbott Elementary” and now “St. Denis Medical,” the latest in a line of television workplace mockumentary comedies. Mentioning these previous titles shouldn’t be a knock against “St. Denis,” as it feels like it was designed to purposefully coast on these titles’ previously established rhythms, ensembles, dynamics and storylines. It’s a gentle, familiar-feeling show, and while it really works when it finds spiky, surprising and even uncomfortable ruffles to the formula, it plays pretty well when it’s just pulling it off too.

To describe the show’s world is as simple as saying “‘Modern Family’ but the family is doctors,” or “‘Scrubs’ but they’re aware of the camera.”

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