Most recent medical dramatic programming goes beyond the events pertaining to the characters' jobs and portray some aspects of their personal lives.
The BBC series Dr. Finlay's Casebook (1962–1971) is an early example of another common variant of the genre in which a medical practice is used as a focus for stories detailing the life of a (usually small) community.
[3] Also in 1972, the first episode of M*A*S*H aired; the show's tone was generally comedic, but dark—poignant moments emanating from the death caused by war were not uncommon.
[6] Communications theorist Marshall McLuhan, in his 1964 work on the nature of media, predicted success for this particular genre on TV.
Thus the TV image, in fostering a passion for depth involvement in every aspect of experience, creates an obsession with bodily welfare.
[7]According to Professor George Ikkos, the president of the psychiatry sector of the Royal Society of Medicine, medical dramas have accumulated large audiences because the characters in the shows are often depicted as everyday citizens who have extraordinary careers, which promotes a sense of relatability among viewers.