Hello, everyone! How are you? Today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on the drama Pulse, which debuted on Netflix as their inaugural original medical procedural series.
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Pulse was released on Netflix on April 3, 2025, offering 10 gripping episodes, each lasting 45 minutes and rated TV-MA. Created by Zoe Robyn and produced by showrunner Carlton Cuse, this series features Willa Fitzgerald and Colin Woodell as they navigate the intense environment of emergency medicine in Miami.
The narrative centers around the personal and professional experiences of doctors and staff at a bustling Miami trauma center, but it transcends the typical medical procedural. The show delves into how a group of ER residents handle medical emergencies and personal dilemmas amid a controversial allegation at their Miami hospital, creating a charged atmosphere that pervades every episode.
Danny Simms: A Resident in Crisis
Willa Fitzgerald takes on the role of Danny Simms, a multifaceted character balancing increasing relationship pressures with the demands of working in an emergency room. Danny becomes the focal point of the series’ primary conflict when she raises a serious allegation that causes divisions within the hospital team.
Fitzgerald’s depiction of Danny is rich and engaging. As Carlton Cuse, the showrunner, describes, “Danny is not as simple as she appears. She’s even more intricate,” and this depth contributes significantly to the emotional heft of the series. Her character journey explores themes of workplace harassment, power dynamics, and the personal ramifications of confronting authority in a high-stress medical setting.
Xander Phillips: The Alleged and the Aftermath
Colin Woodell portrays Xander Phillips, a fellow resident whose relationship with Danny ignites the hospital’s main controversy. The series employs dual timelines—present day and flashbacks to recent history—to illustrate the ramifications of Danny’s harassment claim against Phillips.
Woodell’s performance carefully balances the portrayal of a character who is both sympathetic and dubious. The show refrains from offering clear answers regarding guilt or innocence, instead highlighting the impact of the allegation on everyone involved, from colleagues to hospital administration.
The External and Internal Turmoil: Miami in Crisis
As a hurricane approaches Miami, tensions escalate in the Maguire ER, where the serious allegation has caused rifts among the residents. The show cleverly uses the looming hurricane as a metaphor for the internal turmoil affecting hospital staff.
The Miami backdrop isn’t merely a setting; it’s vital to the show’s essence. The diverse cast mirrors the city’s multicultural fabric, and the high-stakes medical cases often reflect the unique challenges of practicing medicine in a major city prone to natural disasters.
Supporting Characters: A Divided Hospital
The ensemble includes Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Daniela Nieves, Chelsea Muirhead, and Jessy Yates, each adding depth to their roles as residents, nurses, and staff caught in the hospital’s turmoil. The supporting characters are not mere background figures; they each have personal stakes in the outcome of Danny’s allegation.
The concluding five episodes, starting with Episode 6, “Homestead,” serve as a reset of sorts, allowing several residents a well-earned day off while revealing more about Danny and her sister Harper’s upbringing.
Reception on Netflix: A Challenging Start
All ten episodes of Pulse became available on Netflix on April 3, 2025, but the series has struggled with audience reception. Some viewers believe Pulse suffered from poor timing, following the critically acclaimed HBO series The Pitt, which premiered on January 9, 2025. Unfortunately, Netflix canceled the show after one season on July 2, 2025, despite its ambitious storytelling and strong performances.
The series received a 6.5 rating on IMDb, indicating a mixed but not entirely unfavorable reception. While some critics admired the show’s approach to challenging topics, others felt it struggled to establish itself in the crowded medical drama genre.
If you enjoy medical dramas that tackle serious contemporary issues such as workplace harassment and power dynamics, Pulse is definitely worth checking out on Netflix. Although it may not have enjoyed the lasting success of other medical series, it offers a meaningful exploration of how personal conflicts can disrupt professional relationships in high-pressure settings.
Despite its cancellation, Pulse presents a compelling, albeit brief, examination of medical ethics and personal accountability that fans of medical dramas should not overlook.
Series Overview:
Episode Count: 10 episodes
Platform: Netflix
Rating: 6.5/10 (IMDb)
Genre: Medical Drama, Workplace Drama
Main Characters: Willa Fitzgerald (Danny Simms), Colin Woodell (Xander Phillips), Justina Machado
Adversary: The systemic issues within the hospital and the repercussions of the harassment claim