Hello, everyone! Hope you’re doing well! Today, I will be discussing the drama Pulse, which made its debut on Netflix as their inaugural original procedural medical drama series.
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Pulse launched on Netflix on April 3, 2025, offering 10 episodes of gripping medical drama, each lasting 45 minutes and rated TV-MA. Developed by Zoe Robyn and featuring showrunner Carlton Cuse, this series stars Willa Fitzgerald and Colin Woodell as they navigate the intense realm of emergency medicine in Miami.
The series chronicles the personal and professional journeys of doctors and staff at a bustling Miami trauma center, yet it transcends the typical medical procedural narrative. The show delves into how a group of ER residents confronts medical emergencies and personal turmoil amid a contentious allegation at their Miami hospital, fostering a tense environment that pervades every episode.
Danny Simms: A Resident in Turmoil
Willa Fitzgerald takes on the role of Danny Simms, a multifaceted character who balances escalating relationship issues with the high demands of an emergency room in Miami. Danny becomes pivotal to the show’s principal conflict when she makes a significant allegation that creates divisions among the hospital staff.
Fitzgerald’s rendition of Danny is both nuanced and captivating. As showrunner Carlton Cuse describes, “Danny is more complex than she appears. She’s even more intricate”, and this complexity is central to much of the series’ emotional depth. Her character’s journey examines themes of workplace harassment, power dynamics, and the personal repercussions of confronting authority in a high-pressure medical setting.
Xander Phillips: The Target and Its Consequences
Colin Woodell portrays Xander Phillips, a fellow resident whose connection with Danny becomes the heart of the hospital’s core controversy. The series employs dual timelines—current events interspersed with flashbacks—to illustrate the fallout from Danny’s harassment claim against Phillips.
Woodell’s performance carefully navigates the line of depicting a character who is both sympathetic and dubious. The show refrains from providing straightforward conclusions regarding guilt or innocence, instead concentrating on how the allegation impacts everyone involved, from fellow residents to hospital administration.
The Tempest Inside and Out: Miami Facing Challenges
As a hurricane approaches Miami, the atmosphere within the Maguire ER is equally tempestuous, with the serious allegation creating schisms among the residents. The show cleverly employs the looming threat of the hurricane as a metaphor for the internal disorder gripping the hospital staff.
The Miami backdrop is more than mere scenery; it is vital to the show’s essence. The diverse cast mirrors the city’s multicultural community, and the high-stakes medical scenarios often reflect the unique difficulties of practicing medicine in a major urban area susceptible to natural calamities.
Supporting Characters: A Divided Hospital
The ensemble features Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Daniela Nieves, Chelsea Muirhead, and Jessy Yates, each infusing their characters with depth as residents, nurses, and staff caught in the midst of the hospital’s turmoil. These supporting roles are not mere background figures; they each have their own interests tied to the outcome of Danny’s claim.
The concluding five episodes, starting with Episode 6, “Homestead,” act as a sort of reset, with several residents taking a well-deserved break while additional insights into Danny and her sister Harper’s upbringing are unveiled.
Mixed Reviews on Netflix: A Complex Introduction
All ten episodes of Pulse became available on Netflix on April 3, 2025, but the series has encountered obstacles regarding viewer reception. For some audiences, Pulse appears to be a casualty of unfortunate timing, following closely on the heels of the acclaimed HBO medical drama The Pitt, which premiered on January 9, 2025. Regrettably, Netflix canceled the series after just one season on July 2, 2025, despite its ambitious storytelling and strong performances.
The series garnered a 6.5 rating on IMDb, indicative of a mixed but not entirely unfavorable reception. While some critics lauded the show’s courage to confront challenging topics, others felt it struggled to establish its footing within the crowded medical drama genre.
If you’re a fan of medical dramas that address serious contemporary issues like workplace harassment and power dynamics, Pulse is definitely worth a watch on Netflix. Although it may not have achieved the lasting success of other medical series, it offers a thoughtful exploration of how personal disputes can fracture professional bonds in high-stress environments.
Despite its cancellation, Pulse provides a fascinating, albeit brief, investigation into medical ethics and personal responsibility that fans of medical dramas should not overlook.
Details About the Series:
Number of Episodes: 10 episodes
Platform: Netflix
Rating: 6.5/10 (IMDb)
Genre: Medical Drama, Workplace Drama
Protagonists: Willa Fitzgerald (Danny Simms), Colin Woodell (Xander Phillips), Justina Machado
Antagonist: The systemic issues within the hospital and the repercussions of the harassment claim