Netflix’s “Pulse” medical drama seemed ready to succeed in its first announcement. Who would not want to watch Willa Fitzgerald (from “Reacher” and “The Fall of the House of Usher” Fame) try to survive his job in a trauma center in Florida? Yes, the format of the show seemed a bit similar to the previous success series like “Gray’s Anatomy” and “Er”, but at the beginning of 2025, these two programs were firmly out of the spotlight. As such, “Pulse” seemed to fill a new hole in the television landscape; The apparent logic in Netflix was that she had a sure blow on her hands, as long as no other streaming service published her own medical drama hitting almost at the same time.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened. In January 2025, three months before “Pulse” dropped, HBO Max published the first episode of “The Pitt”. The show quickly took off, obtaining mass critical praise and non -stop media coverage. Everyone was talking about “The Pitt” and, thanks to its traditional weekly outing program, they continued to speak of “The Pitt” for 15 weeks in a row.
The release of “The Pitt” as Hbo Max did was probably the most mean thing you have ever done to Willa Fitzgerald. As the advertisements for “The Pulse” hit people’s television screens, the HBO Max series had already conquered everyone as a spiritual successor of “Er” and “Gray’s Anatomy”. Before anyone could see a single episode of “The Pulse”, he was already considered a “The Pitt” discount. This did not help that writing on “pulse” has never really reached the same heights as its main competitor. Now, several points of sale have confirmed that “pulse” has been quietly canceled by Netflix, and it is unlikely that another network or streaming service picks up the series.
It was not only the Pitt who screwed the pulse
As the deadline noted it in its coverage of the cancellation of the program, “Pulse” was unlucky to come at the end of a new resurgence of medical dramas. As the point of sale observed, it was “the last of five new medical dramas to be launched in six months”, with the other four series in question – “Doc” on Fox, “Brilliant Minds” on NBC, “Watson” on CBS, and, of course, “Le Pitt” on HBO Max – having all taken and renewed for a second season.
Deadline did not even mention “Doctor Odyssey”, the medical issue on the theme of the boat which was created in the fall of 2024. This series was also tragically canceled after a single season despite his just part of fans (including John Oliver), but this is another example of the way in which medical emissions are In Right now and how “pulse” could not take advantage of the trend.
But while “Pulse” is now forever condemned to live in the shadow of “The Pitt” and his other competitors, there is still a lot to love in the show. The thing that most distinguishes the series is its # Metoo-esque route; In the first episode, Danielle (Fitzgerald) reported her boss Xander (Colin Woodell) for sexual harassment. The rest of season 1 then explores the events that led him to report it, as well as the numerous training effects of his decision. It is a disorderly and uncomfortable scenario of which all the spectators were not satisfied, but it is undeniably a daring element to put in the center in a medical drama. “Pulse” may not have been for everyone, and it may never be beaten “The Pitt” in the notes, but it is always worth checking.
