The 10 Best TV Medical Comedies, Ranked (2025)

The hospital drama has been one of the most reliable draws for television audiences since the days of black and white, and it makes perfect sense. The genre brings with it high stakes that require split-second decisions to determine whether a patient lives or dives. Long hours and no time for a social life lead impossibly attractive doctors to engage in ill-conceived romances that implode at the worst times. And while all of those elements create binge-able drama, the medical world can also create timeless comedies.

While there haven’t been as many notable medical comedies over the years, the ones that have flourished are remembered as some of the most influential shows of their era. Whether it be grim, unflinching gallows humor or absurd anarchic satire, the following comedies prove there’s room for humor in the genre of medical television.

10 'Dr. Ken' (2015-2017)

Created by John Fox, Ken Jeong & Jared Stern

Fans of The Hangover or Community will want to check out the Ken Jeong sitcom, Dr. Ken. Drawing from Jeong’s history as a licensed physician,Dr. Ken follows Dr. Ken Park (Jeong), an animated, larger-than-life doctor practicing medicine in the San Fernando Valley. When he’s not treating patients, Dr. Ken is home raising his two children with his therapist wife, Allison (Suzy Nakamura). A typical episode will show Ken’s exaggerated approach to his personal and private life can both be a blessing and a curse.

The sitcom wasn’t the most well-received comedy, but those familiar with Jeong’s work will know what to expect from a show centered around the actor. Jeong’s boundless energy is on full display in every scene, and he has good chemistry with his cast mates. There’s also sitcom royalty present with Martin’s Tisha Campbell-Martin and Newsradio’s Dave Foley rounding out the cast of the ABC-produced medical comedy. Big names or not, viewers weren’t coming back for a second visit, and Dr. Ken was canceled after two seasons.

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9 'Green Wing' (2004-2007)

Created by Victoria Pile

If the patients knew how the doctors of the show Green Wing behaved, they would direct the ambulance to a different hospital. Green Wing begins with Caroline Todd’s (Tamsin Greig) first day at East Hampton Hospital Trust, and she, alongside the viewers, is introduced to the less-than-professional staff that show up for work. Illicit affairs and a vicious social food chain are tested daily, especially with narcissistic doctor Guy Secretan (Stephen Mangan) prowling the halls. Broad, irreverent and frenetic, Green Wing takes the viewer on a fast-paced tour of medical comedy.

British television enthusiasts will see a who’s who of across-the-pond comedic talent. Sarah Alexander from Coupling fame and Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Colman are just a few of the faces that make an appearance on Green Wing. The narrative of the sexually charged, ego-driven, healthcare professionals is told in a series of loose, sketch-structured scenes. An episode feels like a finely-tuned improv show, where scenes fade in and out while recurring jokes or nonverbal moments of play keep the energy fresh.Green Wing might be too silly for viewers wanting a grounded comedy, but the fast-paced nature of the show makes it easy to test-drive a few episodes.

Green Wing

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Release Date

September 3, 2004

Cast

Nick Frost , Sally Bretton , Oliver Chris , Olivia Colman , Michelle Gomez , Tamsin Greig , Pippa Haywood , Mark Heap

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

2

8 'Doogie Howser MD' (1989-1993)

Created by Steven Bochco & David E. Kelley

Child genius Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) attempts to balance the demanding career of a physician and the hormones of puberty on Doogie Howser, M.D. The high-concept dramedy begins with Doogie turning 16, a source of excitement and frustration for the young doctor. Doogie Howser, M.D. is a gentle examination of the difference between emotional and academic intelligence in a unique coming-of-age story.

The concept of a child doctor sounds more like a Saturday Night Live sketch than the plot of a network television show, but co-creator Steven Bochco was behind monster hits like Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law, so ABC had no reason to doubt his judgment. (That would be a year later when Bochco co-created the notorious Cop Rock.) Harris grounds the story as the titular doctor, and his subdued performance allows viewers to find the character accessible instead of a farce. Doogie Howser, M.D. isn’t a punchline type of comedy, but it is a family-friendly option for the category.

Doogie Howser, M.D.

Comedy

Drama

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Release Date

September 19, 1989

Cast

Neil Patrick Harris , Max Casella , Belinda Montgomery , Lawrence Pressman , James Sikking , Markus Redmond , Mitchell Anderson

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

4

7 'Getting On' (2013-2015)

Created by Jo Brand & Mark V. Olsen

An extended care unit is the unlikely setting for a comedy in HBO’s Getting On. A remake of the UK sitcom of the same name, Getting On follows Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf), her head nurse, Dawn Forchette (Alex Borstein), and nurse Didi Ortley (Niecy Nash). Conditions are poor, the staff are overworked, and hospital politics make providing care for their elderly patients a struggle. The entire cast delivers outstanding performances, but Nash specifically does some of the best work of her career.

Getting On’s tone feels at first glance cynical to the point of bleak, so when moments of unprompted tenderness between caregiver and patient sneak up, they’re incredibly disarming. Whether they’re staff or patients, everyone on the hospital floor is in desperate need of love or acceptance, and the humor is mined excellently from the different ways these needs manifest. Anyone with an aversion to cringe comedy might find Getting On hard to sit through, but patience in the more awkward scenes is usually rewarded by really beautiful character work.

Getting On

Comedy

Family

Where to Watch

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Release Date

November 24, 2013

Cast

Alex Borstein , Niecy Nash , Mel Rodriguez

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

3

6 'House' (2004-2012)

Created by David Shore

Brilliant but troubled Dr. Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) takes the cases no other doctor can solve on the Fox show, House. Based in the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, Dr. House leads a team of diagnosticians as they treat patients who defy conventional medical solutions. Cynical, bitter, and anti-social, House struggles to hide an addiction to pain medication while maintaining his position of professional independence. Throughout 8 seasons, Dr. House will struggle with his reliance on pills and his inability to rely on people.

While House isn’t a traditional comedy, the humor from House’s snarky lines is a large selling point of the show. There’s of course the mystery centerpiece of each episode, along with the melodrama caused by House’s unorthodox methods, but the humor is consistent throughout. It can be argued Laurie’s charm and comedic timing are what allowed House to remain enjoyable when the occasional plotline veered into the realm of the ridiculous. Although a drama by design, House was funnier than many other comedies could hope to be.

House

TV-14

Drama

Mystery

Where to Watch

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Release Date

November 16, 2004

Creator

David Shore

Cast

Hugh Laurie , Omar Epps , Robert Sean Leonard , Jesse Spencer , Peter Jacobson , Odette Annable , Charlyne Yi

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

8

Studio

Fox

5 'Becker' (1998-2004)

Created by Dave Hackel

Ted Danson trades in his liquor license from Cheers for a medical license in the CBS sitcom Becker. Grumpy and in short supply of interpersonal skills, John Becker (Danson) is a physician working in a small private practice in the Bronx. Becker can navigate any number of diseases and medical maladies, but the most basic social interaction will set the doctor off on a trademark rant. Easily frustrated and unfiltered, Becker hands out as many biting comments as he does prescriptions.

The character of John Becker fits in nicely with a long line of television doctors who are rough around the edges but care so much. Becker’s no-nonsense interactions with his patients are most closely reminiscent of Laurie’s verbal takedowns in House, while also channeling the conservative fist-shaking of Archie Bunker (Carroll O’Connor). Becker is a sitcom that lives or dies on the performance of the lead actor, and Danson can confidently play a character that is both rude and likable enough for audiences to connect to. Danson’s star power, along with a strong supporting cast, propelled Becker to six seasons before ending its run.

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4 'M*A*S*H' (1972-1983)

Created by Larry Gelbart

War is hell in the classic wartime sitcom M*A*S*H. Adapted from the 1970 Robert Altman film of the same name, M*A*S*H followed the lives of the doctors and nurses stationed in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. Surgeons Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce (Alan Alda) and “Trapper” John McIntyre (Wayne Rogers) distract themselves from the horrors of war by causing general mischief at the base . M*A*S*H ran for 11 seasons - 8 years longer than the Korean War itself.

M*A*S*H is not only one of the most influential comedies, but it’s also considered one of the greatest shows ever made, and for good reason. The writing was razor sharp and Alda’s take on Hawkeye is the definitive performance of the character, but time isn’t always a friend to comedy. Overall, the legacy of M*A*S*H will most likely stay intact, but culturally, audiences are in a different headspace than the viewers tuning into a comedy made in the early ‘70s.

M*A*S*H

Drama

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Release Date

September 17, 1972

Creator

Cast

Alan Alda , Loretta Swit , William Christopher , Jamie Farr , Harry Morgan , Mike Farrell , Gary Burghoff , Larry Linville , David Ogden Stiers , Wayne Rogers , McLean Stevenson , Jeff Maxwell , Kellye Nakahara , Odessa Cleveland , Johnny Haymer , Patricia Stevens

Rating

Seasons

11

Story By

richard hooker

Writers

Larry Gelbart , Richard Hooker

Network

CBS

3 'Nurse Jackie' (2009-2015)

Created by Liz Brixius, Evan Dunsky & Linda Wallem

In Nurse Jackie, Edie Falco plays Jackie Peyton, a New York City emergency nurse hiding a serious drug addiction. Married with two children, Jackie also engages in an extra-marital affair at work, giving her access to prescription medication. Nurse Jackie is a study in dualities, a character study of a woman who lives two separate lives forged by her addiction. Sentimental without teetering into the saccharine, and funny without lessening dramatic stakes, Nurse Jackie is a well-rounded, enjoyable watch.

Nurse Jackie may be the darkest in tone, but it’s a comedy first and drama second, using bold writing that dares to infuse humor into a story exploring addiction and its effects. Falco is riveting in the role, adding a world-weary depth to an already densely complicated character. Tragic and funny and many times uncomfortable, Nurse Jackie didn’t mind lingering in the discomfort its protagonist felt and caused. Fans who still mourn the early cancelation of Glow will also enjoy Betty Gilpin’s sly comedic presence when she joins the cast for its fifth season.

Nurse Jackie

TV-MA

Comedy

Drama

Thriller

Where to Watch

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Release Date

June 8, 2009

Cast

Edie Falco , Paul Schulze , Peter Facinelli , Dominic Fumusa , Anna Deavere Smith , Betty Gilpin

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

7

Studio

Showtime

2 'Childrens Hospital' (2008-2016)

Created by Rob Corddry

The healing power of laughter is the medicine of choice at medical parody Childrens Hospital. Creator Rob Corddry stars as Dr. Blake Downs, a doctor clad in bloody scrubs and clown makeup. Childrens Hospital is a fast-paced satire of medical shows like Grey’s Anatomy in the spirit of The Naked Gun or Wet Hot American Summer. Each episode will see the vapid doctors of Childrens Hospital fall in and out of love, constantly treating their libidos before the sick young patients surrounding them.

While many of the famous medical comedies strive to acknowledge the heartbreak and drama in a hospital setting, Childrens Hospital’s sole focus is comedy. Comedy experts like Party Down's Ken Marino and ’s Megan Mullally deliver perfect send-ups of the overly sexed-up doctors that roam the storylines of nighttime hospital soaps. Originally a web series, the gleefully darkly comedic series found a home on Adult Swim, where it won multiple awards for short-form programming.

Childrens Hospital

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Release Date

December 8, 2008

Cast

Ken Marino , Rob Huebel , Rob Corddry , Lake Bell , Erinn Hayes , Megan Mullally , Michael Cera , Zandy Hartig , Malin Akerman , Henry Winkler , Brian Huskey , Beth Dover , David Wain , Nick Offerman , Jordan Peele , Kulap Vilaysack

Seasons

7

1 'Scrubs'

Created by Bill Lawrence

One of the most beloved hospital sitcoms of all time, Scrubs follows JD (Zach Braff), a young medical intern, as he takes his first professional steps at Sacred Heart Hospital. JD’s vivid and cartoonish fantasies are interrupted by the harsh world of medicine that stands to challenge his optimistic viewpoint. With the help of his best friend Turk (Donald Faison), and possible new love interest Elliot (Sarah Chalke), JD will navigate early adulthood and a stressful career.

Creator Bill Lawrence has worked on many incredible shows, most recently Ted Lasso and Bad Monkey to name a few, but Scrubs will always be his crowning achievement. The cast fit perfectly with one another, creating intriguing relationship dynamics that continued to deepen and develop on emotionally rich episodes over the comedy’s 9 season run. An immensely rewatchable mixture of silly and sweet, Scrubs will remain an all-time classic for years to come.

Scrubs

Comedy

Drama

Where to Watch

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Release Date

October 2, 2001

Cast

Zach Braff , Donald Faison , John C. McGinley , Eliza Coupe , Kerry Bishé , Michael Mosley , Dave Franco

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

9

Studio

ABC

Keep Reading: The 20 Best TV Medical Dramas, Ranked