Royal Pains (USA, Thursdays 10/9 Central)

Jun 04, 2009 Web Exclusive By Lily Moayeri

USA Network original shows generally do not suck. As the newest in the network’s character-driven series, Royal Pains does not suck, either. Mark Feuerstein plays Dr. Hank Lawson, who is dismissed and blackballed after a judgment call at his hospital that costs a major donor his life. After endless days of television watching and apparently not showering, his brother, Evan (Paulo Constanzo) drags Hank out to the Hamptons for a weekend break. Crashing a party thrown by an incongruously German Campbell Scott, Hank correctly diagnoses one of the party guests and gets stamped as the next “concierge doctor” for the Hamptons’ elite. Resisting this new position—and in the process becoming almost more pretentious than the Hamptons residents with his prejudice against the rich—Hank nevertheless proceeds to help people at their homes. This is done in MacGyver-like fashion using household items in place of medical supplies. Overrun with beautiful scenery and beautiful women, which Evan—whose screen time counts for the funniest moments of the show, if stereotypically so—embarrassingly chases after, are all met with unrealistic resistance by Hank. The exception is the local hospital administrator played by Jill Flint—another case of Hank’s prejudice against the rich. Royal Pains is anything but a medical show. Enjoyable without trying to be anything but a light hour of comedy, who doesn’t like a doctor who makes house calls? Only concern is, what is going to happen to Royal Pains when it is not summer in the Hamptons anymore? (www.royalpains.usanetwork.com)

Author rating: 7/10

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Average reader rating: 5/10

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James
June 5th 2009
5:46am

FYI just watched this show, sucks! Wished it didn’t but it does. Haha all wealthy people are dumb, evil, and think they can buy anthing… jeeze lets just stereo type everyone. Wealthy people just don’t deserve to live I guess according to all these shows that exploit wealth as evil.

john
July 9th 2009
7:29pm

You have to be kidding me Lily. This show does suck and bad. Totally unrealistic specifically in how these characters behave. Stupid crap.

Kathy
September 2nd 2009
7:08pm

I love this show! Can’t wait untill next summer to pick up the New Shows.

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