Best Medicine, Season 1 Feature Scores
Explore all 40 feature scores for Best Medicine, Season 1, organized into pros and cons.
Scores by Feature
Summary
40 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.03 (8%)
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Positive 3.5-4.415 (38%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.48 (20%)
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Negative 1.5-2.412 (30%)
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Very negative below 1.52 (5%)
Pros
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Performances are a major strength, especially when the material gives the leads room for vulnerability and emotional shading. One pilot-focused review found the ensemble restrained, but later episode coverage was much more enthusiastic.
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The lead cast is the clearest point of consensus, with Josh Charles repeatedly singled out as the anchor and Charles and Spencer earning praise even in otherwise negative reviews.
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The show can be very effective as low-stakes comfort television, with several reviewers calling it soothing, enjoyable, or a favorite. Harsh detractors found the same formula bland or disappointing.
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Josh Charles and Abigail Spencer are repeatedly praised for their chemistry, especially once the romance develops. The pilot drew a more skeptical reaction, with one review calling the early romantic setup telegraphed and unearned.
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The medical-case-of-the-week structure generally works, especially when cases intersect with character growth. Repeated town traditions risk becoming formulaic, though later episodes use the format more effectively.
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Many reviewers think the heart-and-humor balance works, especially later in the season, but others find the whimsy forced or the mix of comfort comedy and bittersweet drama indecisive.
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The pilot struggled to land its emotional hooks for one critic, but later episodes earned strong praise for romantic progress, family conflict, and a genuinely heartbreaking finale beat.
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The premiere follows the original British pilot extremely closely, described as essentially a beat-for-beat remake.
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The Martin-Louisa slow burn improves substantially after a shaky, telegraphed pilot. Later episodes earn strong praise for satisfying progress, sweet interactions, and convincingly staged romantic tension.
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Martin Clunes’ Season 1 appearance is treated as an exciting tribute to the British original and helps give Episode 9 extra resonance.
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The series is described as mostly family-friendly, though it includes blood, bodily fluids, sexual references, innuendo, and some light profanity.
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Casting reactions are mixed overall, but Josh Charles is repeatedly treated as a strong fit for the lead. Other commentary ranges from merely adequate to criticism of broader casting choices.
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Sexual material is described as restrained by network-TV standards, supporting a relatively mild assessment despite recurring innuendo and relationship jokes.
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Episode 9’s medical emergency is praised for creating real tension and a sense of stakes even when the outcome never seems truly fatal.
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Blood, scraped skin, bodily fluids, and medical imagery appear, but the content-focused review specifically says the amount is not excessive.
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Martin’s brusque behavior can make him actively off-putting early on, but later episode coverage finds much of the supporting cast warm and likable.
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Music reactions are split: one reviewer praises the melodic score for deepening emotional scenes, while another dismisses its sentimental piano as treacly.
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Critical response is divided rather than uniform, with positive notices for charm and performances alongside substantial complaints about writing, humor, and originality.
Cons
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Themes around community, class, and individualism often feel underexplored. Critics complain that potentially meaningful ideas are treated superficially or abandoned quickly.
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Originality is a consistent weakness. Multiple reviewers describe the premise, beats, and emotional arc as highly familiar, predictable, or formulaic.
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The remake struggles to justify its existence for skeptical critics, who describe it as derivative and question what this version adds beyond the original formula.
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Port Wenn is widely seen as idealized and implausible, with thin economic and social friction. Some reviewers accept that fantasy as part of the comfort, while others find it unconvincing.
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Humor is the most persistent fault line. Several critics find it bland, forced, muted, or unsophisticated, while more positive coverage enjoys the dry wit and later episodes’ comic rhythm.
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The show’s brief treatment of economic hardship drew a strong criticism for feeling out of touch and then brushing the issue aside.
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Writing is a frequent weakness, with complaints about thin characterization and shallow material. A notable exception is the romance-focused episode writing, which one review found especially well matched to the characters.
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The hour-long format is a recurring drawback for comedy-focused viewers, with one critic calling episodes inexplicably stretched and another preferring this style at sitcom length.
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One review sharply criticizes the handling of George and Greg, arguing that the gay couple is reduced to flamboyant stereotypes rather than given enough dimension.
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One critic felt the pleasant, promising show sold in the promotion did not match the disappointing, personality-light series they actually watched.
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Port Wenn can be an inviting fantasy that feels pleasant to revisit, yet several critics find it too polished, two-dimensional, or television-perfect to feel like a real community.
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The ensemble can feel overstuffed, with one review arguing that the show tries to serve too many personalities and spreads itself too thin.
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Elaine’s characterization drew a specific continuity complaint, with her priorities and personality seeming to shift from episode to episode.
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The dramatic material is criticized as surface-level in early coverage, with the strongest emotional scenes standing out partly because the surrounding drama often feels thin.
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One early review doubts the show will leave much of a lasting impression, suggesting limited staying power once the immediate coziness wears off.
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Glendon initially has the makings of a stronger antagonist, but one review feels the show reforms him too quickly and sands away useful conflict.
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Pacing impressions conflict: one reviewer thought the hour moved like a half-hour comedy, while another found the pilot slow and dragging.
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Appeal depends heavily on tolerance for cozy, low-stakes small-town television. Some reviewers found it soothing and easy to like, while others reported boredom, disappointment, or little reason to continue.
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As a comfort dramedy, the show is polarizing: one reviewer says it delivers exactly the soothing experience it promises, while another rejects it even on those terms.
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Martin’s gradual softening and vulnerability become a clear strength as the season progresses. By contrast, several early reviews found the supporting townspeople thin, caricatured, or insufficiently developed.
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The premiere produced sharply opposing reactions: one review called it dull, predictable, and hard to stick with, while another said it set a high bar with wit and heart.
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The supporting cast has charm and likability, but reviews repeatedly note uneven material, thin roles, and a risk of slipping into caricature.
Cast & Creators
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Martin BestJosh Charles is the strongest performance consensus in the season, praised for dry wit, calibrated grumpiness, vulnerability, and the ability to keep exaggerated material grounded.
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LouisaAbigail Spencer receives strong praise for bringing empathy, warmth, and subtlety to Louisa, with her chemistry opposite Josh Charles becoming more effective as the season develops.
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Aunt SarahAnnie Potts is singled out as a standout supporting presence, with her Aunt Sarah performance treated as an especially reliable source of warmth and personality.