7 shows to watch if you like Berlin ER

Berlin ER is a new German medical drama on Apple TV Plus, directed by Fabian Möhrke and Alex Schaad. Released on February 26, it follows Dr. Suzanne Parker (Haley Louise Jones), who moves from Munich to Berlin for a fresh start at a busy, understaffed hospital.

However, she soon faces unexpected challenges, including a struggling ER and difficult colleagues, while unexpectedly becoming its head. The show’s intense scenes and plot twists have made it a hit among medical drama fans.

While facing constant denial and bullying, Parker steps up in her leadership era and takes over the team with determination to change the conditions of the hospital and save lives.

However, if viewers are hooked on Berlin ER, they might enjoy other medical dramas like House MD, Grey's Anatomy and The Good Doctor with similar engaging storylines.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the writer

House MD, Scrubs, and five other shows to watch if you binge-watched Berlin ER

1) Grey's Anatomy

The ABC drama is running for its 21st season and is still etched at the heart of medical drama fans with its cliffhangers involving surgical interns, attendings, and new residents.

The show stars Meredith Grey, (played by Ellen Pompeo), who joined as a surgical intern, and was later promoted as the chief of general surgery, and other colleagues who come to Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital and embark on compelling personal and professional life drama. Further, the medical residents turn mentors into their surgical interns.

The show first aired its pilot episode in 2005 and has crossed more than 400 episodes. The star cast includes Miranda Bailey, Patrick Dempsey, James Pickens, Sandra Oh, and Katherine Heigl.

Grey's Anatomy, like Berlin ER, creates the perfect blend of ethical conflicts between medical professionals dealing with personal and professional struggles. Viewers can watch this show on Disney + Hotstar, Hulu, and other platforms.

2) House MD

The series, which first aired in 2005, follows the life of Dr. Gregory House (played by Hugh Laurie), a medical prodigy but a complicated disease expert. However, the catch is that he is addicted to pain medication and also finds it a challenge to deal with patients and his colleagues.

While House unconventionally navigates through peculiar cases and serves his predictions to colleagues and patients in a satirical manner, he also deals with personal life and addiction issues. The ethical dilemma of his addiction, along with exceptional medical work at hospitals like Dr. Suzzane Parker in Berlin ER, results in numerous dramatic meltdowns and nail-biting life-saving scenes.

The enemies-to-friends arc, where his colleagues Dr. James, played by Robert Sean, and Dr. Lisa, played by Lisa Edelstein, make the audience root for House even further with more enthusiasm. This series ran for eight seasons till 2012 but set a milestone for Hugh Laurie as a versatile actor. The show is available on Amazon Prime, Peacock, and Hulu.

3) The Good Doctor

When it comes to medical dramas sharing similar tropes with Berlin ER, ABC's The Good Doctor delivers a fresh perspective by following a brilliant medical surgeon as he navigates his personal health challenges while striving for excellence.

Dr Aaron Glassman (played by Richard Schiff) introduces a young, dynamic surgeon, Shaun Murphy (played by Freddie Highmore), to his hospital board of Sa Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. However, he faces resistance, as Shaun has autism and savant syndrome.

Despite various problems due to his autism, Shaun faces difficulties in social interaction. However, he shines through with his exceptional medical skills and intuition and saves many lives, thus proving his caliber as a surgeon.

The additional character trait of Shaun's humble heroism and unhinged vulnerable moments in the show garner a special place in the heart of his audience, which made it extend to 7 seasons. The Good Doctor is available for viewers to watch on Amazon Video, Apple TV and Fandango platform.

4) Scrubs

Berlin ER has a quirky comedy with moments of seriousness and tragic life-death scenarios. The show was first aired under NBC production and moved to the ABC network. The show even went on to receive the Peabody Award in 2006.

The series follows the life of John Dorian, aka J.D. (played by Zach Braff), a young doctor navigating his medical career and bringing new transitions and growth. At the same time, he deals with the hospital's peculiar staff, strange patients, and unpredictable medical cases.

The series is highly acclaimed for its comic scenes and witty verbal banters with its staff. Binging on this series brings a refreshing take on the typical intense medical dramas with its comic angle. Viewers can binge-watch this show on Disney+Hotstar.

5) ER

This counterpart of Berlin ER starring young George Clooney was a surprise for Clooney Fans when they first discovered this show. The series was a top hit in the mid to late 90s and set a benchmark for forthcoming medical sitcoms.

Set in a fictional Chicago trauma center, this medical drama follows ER residents, staff, and nurses as they handle intense emergencies and personal struggles. Known for its gripping plot and tense life-or-death decisions, the show feels authentic thanks to creator Michael Crichton, who drew from his own experiences as a medical student.

The series won various Emmy Awards and aired until 2009, after entertaining its fans with 15 seasons. ER is available on Hulu for viewers to watch.

6) Chicago Med

The Gaffney Chicago Medical Center's ER staff and doctors have witnessed more chaos than a storm-tossed sailboat during a heaving storm surge. And that covers the plot of this Wolf Entertainment medical drama series.

Akin to Berlin ER, the show's intense meltdowns around severe medical cases and personal life crises make it binge-worthy and capable of keeping the audience on the edge of their seats all through.

The ethics of medical treatments in jeopardy, the struggles of teamwork, and the pressure of saving lives are the premises of this show, which first aired in 2015 and is now in its ninth season. Viewers can watch all 10 seasons on the Peacock streaming channel.

7) Code Black

Code Black, in medical terminology, symbolizes an explosion threat that requires high-security measures and immediate evacuation. This term metaphorically represents this intensely driven medical drama that premiered in 2015.

Code Black stars Daniel Charles (played by Oliver Patt) and another ensemble cast. The doctors, staff, and residents of ER face ethical crises while trying to save lives while dealing with medical cases inspired by real-world problems and also delve deeper into complex relationships amongst themselves just like Berlin ER.

This medical series got renewed for its ninth season in January 2024 and is still a hit amongst the fans. Code Black is available on Disney+Hotstar and Amazon Prime.

Berlin ER and its compelling equivalent shows transform ordinary living room banter into critical medical debates, with viewers all of a sudden finding themselves self-diagnosing conditions along with fictional medical residents. Berlin ER is available on Apple TV+ for viewers to watch.

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