‘Pulse’ Review: Netflix Medical Drama Takes a Beat to Find Its Stride

Twenty years ago, “Grey’s Anatomy” opened with the premise: What if a pretty surgical intern hooked up with her hot neuro attending and romance ensued? “Pulse,” a new medical drama created by Zoe Robyn (“Hawaii Five-0,” “The Equalizer”), attempts a twist on this premise: What if a resident hooked up with her chief … and then she accused him of sexual harassment?

It’s a compelling spin on a problematic trope (work romance between people with a significant gap in power dynamic), but does it work? The answer is: Sort of.

Created by Zoe Robyn (“Hawaii Five-0,” “The Equalizer”) with Carlton Cuse (“Lost,” “Jack Ryan”) as co-showrunner, Netflix’s “Pulse” drops us in the midst of two separate storms. One is the very literal Hurricane Abby, which is about to hit Miami’s fictional Maguire Medical Center. The other is the revelation that Maguire’s chief resident Dr. Xander Phillips (Colin Woodell) is being investigated over the harassment claims made by his underling, Dr. Danielle “Danny” Simms (Willa Fitzgerald). It’s made even more complex when Danny’s supposed best friend, Dr. Sam Elijah (Jessie T. Usher), finds out about the whole situation as there’s definitely some unrequited love on his part.

Moreover, Danny has been chosen to step in as interim chief, causing friction among the staff as they prepare for the inevitable fallout of the incoming hurricane. And fallout there is: the opening scene features a bus full of high school soccer players crashing and plummeting off what appears to be the MacArthur Causeway and into the choppy waters of Biscayne Bay. Like Dr. Romano getting crushed by a helicopter on “ER” and the “Grey’s Anatomy” plane crash, it’s a lot. But if you’re able to move past this low-budget Michael Bay-esque start, the rest of the season settles in comfortably enough. At least, visually speaking.

While “Pulse” has the chance to delve into some of the heaviness of harassment in the workplace, it instead chooses to dance, tip toe and sashay around it. Through a series of flashbacks, viewers get a glimpse at Xander and Danny’s did-they, didn’t-they relationship, but with every scene, there are only more questions and more mixed feelings about how everything went down.

Robyn has said that the creative team wanted to lean into the gray area of a workplace romance, and it’s clear that they do. Perhaps a little too much. Maybe it’s the minimal chemistry between Danny and Xander. Or maybe it’s the fact that they give too many concessions to bad behavior without really acknowledging the messiness at the center of their romance. There’s no doubt some (if not many) will see this as missing the mark in a post-#MeToo world.

Where “Pulse” shines, though, is when it digs into some of its more complex supporting characters. The bilingual banter between hospital OGs Dr. Natalie Cruz (“One Day at a Time” star Justina Machado) and Dr. Ruben Soriano (“Lost” alum Nestor Carbonell) adds a touch of Miami charm to the series.

Some viewers may gravitate toward Dr. Tom Cole (“Pennyworth” star Jack Bannon), who plays the obnoxious Dr. Jerk trope to a tee, but it’s actually Danny’s exceedingly supportive sister Harper (played by newcomer Jessy Yates) who proves to be a real scene stealer. Yates manages to make you laugh in one scene and feel her frustration in the next. Moreover, she offers one of the better representations of a wheelchair user on a streaming television show — something that is still lacking in 2025.

The best chemistry on the show hands down, though, belongs to frenemies Sophie Chan (Chelsea Muirhead) and Camila Perez (Daniela Nieves). Camila is the quintessential Miami girl — perfect makeup and not a hair out of place, with a Spanish accent and a bubbly personality. She’s the new intern from the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine (unlike Maguire, this is a real place) and she’s not about to let Sophie’s deadpan demeanor bring her down.

And speaking of Miami, it’s clear the showrunners did a little more homework than most when it came to setting the scene. Shoutouts to the pastelitos from Versailles, a quick glimpse at the Freedom Tower, and even mentions of downsouth areas like Florida City and Homestead will bring a smile to anyone watching from the 305. The only thing that’s missing is at least a few characters with a Miami accent. Maybe for Season 2?

Competition is fierce in the world of medical procedurals at the moment. At a time when everyone seems to be talking about the realism of “The Pitt” or the quirky charm of “Doctor Odyssey,” is there enough room for yet another? Given the longevity of “Grey’s” despite some truly off-the-wall choices over the years, I wouldn’t pull the plug on “Pulse” just yet.

“Pulse” premieres Thursday, April 3, on Netflix.

The post ‘Pulse’ Review: Netflix Medical Drama Takes a Beat to Find Its Stride appeared first on TheWrap.