Netflix's Pulse Has Only 50% on Rotten Tomatoes, but Is It Really That Bad? (Spoiler, Yes)
Netflix's new medical series had the potential to take on The Pitt, but the creators decided to go the soap opera route.
It's hard not to notice a new trend in – the surge in popularity of medical series. Earlier this year, Max released The Pitt – an unexpected hit on the platform that has already been renewed for a second season. Netflix followed suit, releasing Pulse a few months later.
What Is Pulse About?
In the Miami hospital, everyone is discussing the top news of the day: resident Danny has filed a sexual harassment complaint against senior resident Xander.
A hurricane is bearing down on the city. During the investigation, Xander is suspended and Danny gets his job.
However, the man remains: due to the bad weather, the hospital has a huge influx of patients and a shortage of doctors. Danny will have to work side by side with Xander and manage an entire department.
Pulse Can't Stand Up to The Pitt
The new series was unlucky with its premiere date: the show will definitely be compared to The Pitt and not in favor of the Netflix project. However, it is unlikely that the Pulse would have received wide acclaim even in a different scenario: it has great ambitions, but suffers from excessive sentimentality.
The main intrigue of the series is what happened between Danny and Xander? From the very beginning of the show, we know that the two were in a relationship. The writers keep the audience in the dark for a long time and create an aura of mystery on the screen.
The present is interspersed with the past: flashbacks drop clues now and then, the picture becomes more accurate, and Danny and Xander open up from a new side. Without giving away any spoilers, let us just say that the prolonged suspense is exhausting.
Pulse May Have Explored Workplace Romance, but Became a Soap Opera
The show's creators had the opportunity to explore the sensitive topic of office romances, but instead they simply dive into the twists and turns of love.
Pulse raises the issue of power dynamics in the workplace: you don't have to wait until the end to understand – the responsibility for the relationship and the consequences of the affair rest on the shoulders of the boss.
Danny finds herself trapped: her career, reputation and the respect of her colleagues are at stake, and they don't know what happened or whose side to take. But despite the interesting premise, don't expect an in-depth analysis of the violation of professional boundaries.
Want a quality medical drama? Pulse is clearly inferior to its competitors. Do you need to unload your brain with love affairs against the backdrop of sunny Miami? Then Pulse is for you.