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Fox has given an early, 22-episode Season 2 renewal to breakout freshman medical drama Doc, starring Molly Parker.
This is a rare full-season order of that size in the new broadcast era where seasons often consist of 13-18 episodes. The last Fox drama to produce 22 episodes was the network’s previous medical show, The Resident, which delivered 23 episodes during the 2021-22 season.
What makes Doc‘s pickup size even more unusual is that it is given to a series that launched in midseason. As they only air for a couple of months, these freshmen have smaller orders, between 8-13 episodes. (Doc‘s was 10) That is not considered fully adequate for a show to prove itself, so midseason newbies typically receive a 13-episode Season 2 renewal that could be extended with additional episodes if the series returns strong in the fall. Doc joins very few midseason entries that have earned straight full-season Season 2 pickups, with CBS’ new flagship drama Tracker as a recent example.
Doc earned the big vote of confidence with a strong ratings performance. Its premiere has amassed over 16 million viewers to date across platforms (including encores), becoming the most watched Fox series debut episode in over five years, since 9-1-1: Lone Star in Jan. 2020. Season-to-date, Doc is one of only two new broadcast shows to grow in its second week in both adults 18-49 and total viewers. Its Live+Same Day delivery has been on the upswing over the past few weeks, with last Tuesday’s episode hitting a series high in 18-49 and near high in total viewers.
After a recent retreat, with several medical dramas, including Fox’s The Resident, ABC’s The Good Doctor and NBC’s New Amsterdam, coming to an end, the genre is having a comeback with four procedurals launching within three months this midseason. Of the four, two, Doc and Max’s The Pitt, already have been renewed. It is early for CBS’ Watson, but the drama starring Morris Chestnut looks promising for a second season right now. The fourth series, Netflix’s Pulse, premieres April 3.
Doc also has been part of a resurgence for formats. It is based on the Italian series Doc — Nelle tue mani. Another freshman breakout, ABC’s hot new crime drama High Potential, which also has received an early renewal, is an adaptation of the French and Belgian television series HPI. And of its slew of early CBS renewals last week, only one series got a multi-season pickup, comedy Ghosts, which is based on a British format.
While there have been sporadic successes, most recently The Good Doctor, adapted from a Korean drama, there probably haven’t been multiple broadcast hits of this caliber on the air at the same time ever as well as an European series adaptation that has done as well as the trio since NBC’s The Office.
And in another rarity, besides Tracker, the biggest new drama debuts of the last two seasons have had a single female lead played by an actress who in her 50s (Doc’s Parker, Elsbeth’s Carrie Preston), is about to turn 50 (High Potential‘s Kaitlin Olson), or older, Matlock’s Kathy Bates, 76. Doc also did something rarely seen on TV, with Parker wearing virtually no screen makeup in the first two episodes as her character recovered from a car accident.
Co-produced by Sony Pictures Television and Fox Entertainment Studios, Doc was developed for the U.S. by Barbie Kligman who serves as showrunner and executive producer. Hank Steinberg and 3 Arts’ Erwin Stoff are executive producer.
“We are thrilled that audiences have embraced Season 1 of Doc,” Fox Television Network President Michael Thorn said. “Barbie and Hank have done an outstanding job bringing one of the most emotionally powerful series on television to life. Renewing for a second season was an easy decision, thanks to this incredible team, our partners at Sony, and an exceptional cast, led by the talented Molly Parker.”
Doc follows the story of Dr. Amy Larsen (Parker), the hard-charging, brilliant ex-Chief of Internal and Family Medicine at Westside Hospital and her colleagues, loved ones and rivals who must navigate a new reality when she returns to work after a brain injury erases the past eight years of her life. The series mixes medical cases with amnesia-fueled love triangle.
Omar Metwally, Amirah Vann, Jon Ecker and Anya Banerjee also star, with Scott Wolf and Patrick Walker recurring.
“We’re ecstatic Doc has been picked up for a second season – a testament to the exceptional writing, captivating performances from our talented cast, and the incredible reception from audiences,” said Katherine Pope, President, Sony Pictures Television Studios. “We’re so grateful to our partners at Fox for their unwavering support as we continue making more episodes of this show!”
Doc airs Tuesdays at 9 PM on Fox and next day on Hulu. There are two episodes of Season 1 left, with the finale airing on March 18.
