Best Medicine Season 1 Episode 1 “Docked” Review: Another Quirky Small-Town Doctor Drama
- Je-Ree
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
FOX has never met a cozy small-town drama it didn’t want to unpack, and Best Medicine is its latest attempt to turn charming dysfunction into must-watch television. Season 1 Episode 1, titled “Docked,” introduces viewers to a brilliant but abrasive surgeon trading city prestige for seaside simplicity. On paper, it sounds like a recipe for success. In execution, it landed with all the excitement of a waiting room magazine from 2009.
The pilot episode of Best Medicine leans hard into familiar territory: the big-shot doctor with a terrible bedside manner, the quirky coastal town full of locals who don’t know what to make of him and an obvious romantic setup that you can see coming from miles away. If this sounds like something FOX has done before, that’s because it has and Docked does little to justify why this version needed to exist.
Dr. Martin Best arrives in town carrying emotional baggage, professional burnout, and a personality that screams “I don’t like people.” That alone could have worked. The twist is that he also can’t stand the sight of blood, which is… an interesting choice for a medical show. While the irony is clearly meant to fuel the comedy, the joke wears thin fast. Instead of feeling sharp or inventive, the humor feels muted and overly reliant on awkward silences and social discomfort.
There’s a certain Murder in a Small Town vibe baked into Best Medicine, that picturesque setting masking a show that never quite clicks if you’re not already on board with the formula. For viewers who enjoy quaint medical dramas with eccentric townsfolk and gentle humor, this might be comforting. For others, it’s a slow march through predictable beats that never spark to life. Or for viewers that enjoyed the original series Doc Martin from the UK, this one may be for you as Best Medicine is the US version.
The cast, on the other hand, is undeniably strong. FOX assembled a group of actors who should, in theory, elevate the material. Unfortunately, Docked gives them little to work with. Performances feel restrained, almost as if everyone is waiting for the show to find its rhythm. Chemistry is hinted at, especially in the clearly telegraphed romantic arc, but nothing feels earned yet. Instead, it comes off as another checkbox on the “small-town TV starter pack.”
That’s perhaps the biggest issue with Best Medicine Season 1 Episode 1: it doesn’t offer anything new. The premise promises chaos, but the pilot plays it remarkably safe. Every conflict, every joke, every emotional beat feels pre-approved by a network template. Even the comedy, which is clearly intentional and carefully placed never quite lands if this isn’t already your style of humor.
By the end of “Docked,” it’s clear exactly where Best Medicine is headed. There will be clashing personalities, gradual softening of the gruff lead, heartfelt moments with townspeople and a slow-burn romance that’s about as subtle as a lighthouse. None of that is inherently bad. It’s just painfully familiar and familiarity alone doesn’t make for compelling television.
As a season opener, Docked struggles to hold attention. The pacing drags, the laughs are sparse and the emotional hooks fail to sink in. While the show may find an audience looking for low-stakes comfort viewing, this pilot didn’t do enough to justify sticking around for the long haul.
Best Medicine clearly wants to be warm, witty and charming. Instead, Season 1 Episode 1 feels like a well-lit waiting room where time moves slowly and nothing urgent ever happens. For viewers craving something fresh or bold, this prescription may not be the cure.
Still, television has a way of surprising us, and FOX has seen shows grow beyond shaky starts before. Whether Best Medicine can evolve beyond its overly familiar pilot remains to be seen. For now, “Docked” serves as a reminder that a strong cast and a proven premise aren’t always enough to keep viewers from checking their watch.
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