User reviews

My wife recorded this show, much like she always does for any new show appearing in the fall lineup. I'll admit to being a little dubious about it, but decided to give it a shot. I must say I was pleasantly surprised. The premise is certainly different from most other TV series. The writing is outstanding and the characters are endearing. I always enjoy seeing people from diverse backgrounds bonding with each other. If I were to liken this show to anything else I've seen I'd have to call it "Breakfast Club in a Hospital." I will certainly continue watching Red Band Society and hope it remains as good, if not better, than it started out. Congratulations Fox, you've got a winner here!

This show caught me off guard. I recorded it just in case. i almost deleted it in the first couple minutes; but i let it go. And I'm very happy I did. I'm and old critical care and than ER RN; and I never liked working with kids. Mostly because of the parents. I was leery of it because I thought they were going to turn it into just a sob fest. But I was pleasantly surprised. It has an interesting way of telling the story; namely using the voice of a young boy in a coma who shares a room with another pt.. The medical story line not very well done; but hopefully they'll get better at that. For the most part it remains fun. It's just hard for me to watch them have a surgeon pushing a patients cart that's taking him to surgery. This never happens. I'm a big fan of Octavia Spencer but they have her giving orders for things that a doctors orders are necessary for. And she even runs a code that no doctor even showed up for. But these are relatively minor; the facts are this is a well written and acted show. I'll be watching more.

Wasn't sure what to expect and was extremely surprised. I found this show amazing. I never thought about people living in hospitals, it gave me a whole new perspective. Anyway I loved it. It's fresh and original. Characters are entertaining. Octavia Spencer is someone I aspire to be. It's going to be nice to see how the show evolves. Think this may become or at least hope it becomes a new favorite. Time for something different. It's not depressing, at least not to be. It's an eye opener. Hope it's around long enough to mature. Now in just going to ramble because review has to be at least 10 lines. Not sure why that's the minimum when you can write a review in less.

I wasn't sure what to expect so I had no opinions going in. I was pleasantly surprised by the show overall. The cast (with exception of cheerleader actress) all seem good and a few are really great! Love the nurse & the doctor & the eccentric rich guy! The kids do a good job of being real and sweet, while also being kids (and all that entails). I like the angle with the coma guy - its an interesting way they approach it. I think this is one of those shows that will only get better and better as the series runs along and the actors get to know each other and develop their characters more. I found it to be really charming! I like that it isn't too fast paced with stupid extras like weird camera tricks and things that so many other shows rely heavily on these days. The script and the acting/directing, etc. carry the show fine on their own. I cant wait to see next weeks - I will be adding this one to my TV lineup. Recommended to people who like shows with heart and substance, over those with action & scary junk.

I absolutely LOVE this show! I especially enjoyed it as the topic of the show is unlike anything else on TV at the moment. Each of the patients are just ordinary people and gives you perspective of things. It was completely enjoyable and uplifting but with moments of reflection and teary-eyedness, and is definitely 100% worthy of been given a chance. I pray they don't cancel this. New favourite show!!!

I honestly think it was one of the best light-hearted and decent shows i've seen. The topic of patients in a hospital hints at the seriousness of their problems but shows it in a fun way. I love the way they portrayed the child in the coma too. Hope it succeeds!!!!!

Interesting plot, good idea, but not high quality implementation. There is too much empty and unnecessary love in the show.

I really enjoy this new TV series and would love to see it continue! I do have one concern, however. As a 21 year old girl who has suffered from anorexia for 9 years and been in and out of hospitals for 3 years, I greatly hope that as the show continues, there is light shown on the seriousness of this disease. The show does not portray even slightly the extent of this disease. It is the number one cause of death in girls ages 18-24. It is deadly and it is serious. Just as much as cancer. So I ask that you please begin to better portray what it's really like to be in a hospital for an eating disorder, including the weight restoration, the constant monitoring, bed rest, feeding tubes, labs, dangerously low or high vitals, passing out, bathroom checks, the list goes on... Never in a hospital for an eating disorder would the patient be allowed to simply roam the hospital without monitoring and do as he or she pleases. The way it is portrayed in this show is far from reality. So please, do your research and help educate the public on the prevalence and mortality of this disease. Thank you.

It's the pediatric ward in Ocean Park Hospital. Kara Souders is a mean girl cheerleader who collapses at practice and needs a new heart. Leo Roth is the leader who lost his leg to cancer. Anorexic patient Emma Chota has a history with Leo. Dash Hosney is a brash cystic fibrosis patient. Charlie Hutchison is a young comatose patient who is watching everyone from an inbetween realm. Jordi Palacios is a new patient who lies and schemes to get Dr. McAndrew (Dave Annable) to operate on him without his guardian's consent. Nurse Dena Jackson (Octavia Spencer) is the everyday commanding boss of the ward and the momma bear to the kids. Brittany Dobler (Rebecca Rittenhouse) is the new naive nurse. Hunter Cole is the new bad boy patient with a golden heart.

It's a teen drama in a hospital. The teen drama is the important priority. The young cast is likable and has developed good chemistry possibly with the exception of Jordi. He's a bit of a wild card. His character is holding so much hidden at the beginning that it's hard to empathize. The medical drama is held back a little. I figure they would kill off one of the kids early but they never did that. They brought in another kid so that they could kill him off. I get the need to maintain cast stability in a teen drama. It's also a different TV era where any character can be killed off. The medical drama seem secondary to all the romantic entanglements of every teen high school drama. That's a choice the show makes and I perfectly fine with that.

I was hooked after the first episode. Great story line, fantastic mix of comedy and drama. The characters are fun and well defined. Keep up the great work and don't listen to the person who gave you a poor rating. People like that fall asleep in anything with depth. Octavia kills it. The rich guy is a riot. The Doctor brings empathy and levity to the hospital. The kids are all doing very well and educate young people at the same time. The banter between the two girls is quite realistic to young girls in their position. Love how supportive they are with each other. If you've had the unfortunate experience of spending time in a children's hospital... you really root for them.

I slightly recall viewing this when it was airing on tv and i thought i'd give it another go, since it was so short and i had forgotten close to everything about it. I liked how teen-esque it still was, even with the hospital setting. I guess i wanted it to be more like the book, i fell in love with hope, and be super depressing, which it wasn't, and maybe that's kind of good??? The anorexia storyline was personal to me and i'm not sure it quite hit the mark of what i wanted out of ED rep but it'll do because im obsessed with ciara bravo. When they tried invalidating her disorder all the time, saying she didn't HAVE to be in the hospital, practically saying she chose to have the disorder, that was wild and crazy nuh uh. With this said, blonde girl kara's eyebrows were always going crazy and it made me so mad LOLLL like girl pls...some of the show was unrealistic and it didn't really leave off on exciting cliffhangers but it was what it was!

The show has a couple decent enough characters to keep me invested and it's different enough to keep me watching but it's got a lot of grating qualities too.

The show's set up, as a breakfast club of sorts, is problematic for the TV show format as hospitals are very temporary places. In fact, I'll go far enough on a limb to say, that this is the worst idea for a TV show when a movie would be so much better with this premise.

In the pilot, Leo gives a speech to the group about how they're all united by their illnesses (and obviously being in the hospital on the same date) and must wear red bands in solidarity. So as a result, we're actively rooting for people to stay sick and hospital bills to go through the roof. This is probably a health care reform opponent's nightmare scenario: That as soon as we start being generous with free health care, kids will start living in the hospital.

The band leader of the group is the soft, sensitive Leo, who is as close to the manic pixie dream guy I've ever seen. It seems like everyone from Emma (a broadly drawn stereotype of an arty kid with her trademark fedora), to Dash who man-crushes on him pretty heavily, to the nurses, is inexplicably drawn to him.

The show also heightens the romance angle a little too much and it's moderately disappointing that their choosing to make romances happen with the adults. The British quack doctor is naturally attracted to the only other black woman on the show as if it's simply not OK to have unattached characters. Likewise, the handsome doctor claims to be bad with women even though but has bedded every character he's set his eyes on.

For some reason, the show (because of the novelty factor and a few strong performances) is still watchable and there might be a range of opinions on how people respond to these characters.

I love this show already, the characters are making me care for them the story line is great. Many of my favorite shows that watch I didn't love the pilot episode. This one is just so good. I have no complainants at all. It's funny and serious at the same time. It is a show that that just kind of makes you feel good or happy when your watching. I hope that the rest of the episodes will be just as good! I look forward to the rest of the season!!! OK so you to put in 10 lines to write this review I;m not sure what else to say but I want people to know about this show and give it a shot so I'm coming up with my ten lines!!! Ahh this is line ten! Enjoy !!!!!!!

Why oh why did they have to cancel this show after only one season. The characters are so engaging and I can't help but feel invested in their journey. The format of the show is so well done with Charlie's voice-over from his coma. He's extremely insightful and upbeat. All the kids are very "The Breakfast Club" with their individuality and eccentricities yet they all have something in common...their illnesses. Even though they're sick it doesn't rule their lives. The kid cast are very good.

This show may only go for one season but I would recommend everybody watch it. It's that special mixture of funny and emotional all the while making you reflect on your own life, in a good way. Seriously watch it. It's super good.

Such a underrated show! it deserves more seasons and i'm mad that it only got one freakin season

This was such a great series! When it began, my husband and I were immediately hooked! A bunch of kids, from all backgrounds, living in a hospital ad receiving care for serous illness! Why did they cancel this show? I've read it was because of the subject matter! Why? Life IS about serious subject matters! These young actors were REAL! They deserved future shows and it's very sad that they didn't give them the opportunity!

Many bad reviews of red band society are based upon the fact that the show isn't similar to real life, but does it really have to be? the show deals with many different things in parallel, and doesn't manage to mess it up. it doesn't present itself as being realistic at all, it's entertainment that's why. this show is fantastic, and you get so so attached to the characters (so much so that there may be a few cries). red band society is definitely more of a teens show, as that's the target audience, so don't expect too much from something that isn't meant to be complex and factual.

Instinctively not a big fan of "hospital-based" drama series because I work in the hospital myself, as a doctor. My whole idea of relaxing at home is certainly not watching another hospital environment. That being said, I still get curious about these medical drama series, so I tune in once in a while to see if it's worth recommending or not. I do not expect fictional plots and characters to portray real-life scenarios. People should be warned that whatever happens in a TV show is not necessarily true, or remotely close to reality. With a tiny speck of hope, I still wished that hospital dramas did justice to real life scenarios.

I tried watching one episode of the red band society while putting my "doctor-spectacles" aside, pretending to be a non-medical person. I failed after 10 minutes. While the plot tried to convince the audience that life in the hospital can be really cool, I couldn't help but notice something terribly missing and shallow about the story. (again, while keeping that "I-dont- work-in-a-children's-hospital" state of mind). I found it difficult to connect with the characters in the story. Even with the doctor. Im impressed with portrayal of the nurse's character Octavia. Great acting. Overall, everyone seemed kind of 2-dimensional and lonely. They come into the hospital to form new bonds, as if they all came in empty handed without existing family support. They probably do, just not emphasized yet-which hopefully they will soon). When patients do come to the hospital, either for long or short periods, it is usually the time when families and loved ones converge and form stronger bonds to support each other in this vulnerable moment. Wish they had emphasized on individual stories, strengths and moral support before they all jump right in to newly-found belongingness and brotherhood. I hope they try to de-romanticize the plot a little bit more in order to attract more sympathizing viewers.

Now doctor-spectacles back on. I have never seen chronically-comatosed patient not intubated; a cancer patient on chemotherapy with no hair on the scalp, yet with bushy eyebrows; a lonely surgeon who rarely hangs out with his own colleagues.. The show could probably do better.

I've watched the pilot episode 4 times already. Octavia Spencer is fantastic and all the kids work so well. I love the narrator. I hope his storyline plays out happily. The only thing that bugged me is the kid who's apparently gone through tons of chemotherapy(and is bald) still has eyebrows like Colin Farrell. I'm not generally a stickler for realism in my entertainment but some errors are just TOO glaring.

After reading the IMDb page and seeing the cast list, it looks like I'll be missing some characters (like Wilson Cruz's nurse). I already like at least half the people in the show and hope Fox won't pull the plug early (like they've done to so many other promising shows).

I didn't know what to expect going into this pilot. I read the description several days prior and actually passed it by several times. I am sorry I did. This show is great. It has the potential to be one of my favorites of the new year. The characters are really interesting and I can't wait to see how they develop. Its true that some parts of the pilot were a little corny, but it just added to the shows charm. This show really forced me to go through a bunch of different emotions. I laughed, I cried, I truly enjoyed myself. I cant wait for more episodes. I just hope that the rest of the season is this touching and thought provoking.