First Impressions: Best Medicine (Fox)

Best Medicine “Docked”
Developed and written by Liz Tuccillo
Directed by Jamie Babbit
Airs Tuesdays at 8pm EST on Fox

Look quickly, and Best Medicine appears to be nothing but a soft remix of the British series it was based on, trading in its British seaside setting for similarly picture-esque Maine, softening some of its edges into a Hallmark-ified mix of Monk and Bless This Mess. And while its not entirely inaccurate – at times, Best Medicine‘s pilot episode lacks engaging conflict and leans a little too heavily on the schmaltz and inane simplicity f its small-town setting – there’s a surprising amount of goofy charm in the fledgling medical dramedy, and a few moments of heart and humor that slightly elevate it above the sea of cozy cliches it builds its foundation on.

Starring Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best (a Boston surgeon who suddenly develops a crippling phobia for blood), “Docked” (directed by TV vet and director of 90’s cult classic But I’m a Cheerleader Jamie Babbit), Best Medicine‘s first hour introduces us to the fictional town of Port Wenn, Maine and its inhabitants, packed to the brim with the kind of small town whimsy, all over-saturated sunrises and quirky personalities, as a doctor whose become disillusioned with himself tries to acclimate himself to the town he spent parts of his childhood in, after accepting a job as the new town doctor (the previous doctor having died on the job at the ripe age of 93). And from the word go, “Docked” dials up the kitsch to 11; there’s an aging gay couple who own the local restaurant (New York transplants themselves) who have a pig named Brisket, a pair of goofily friendly local handymen (one played by Futurama‘s John Dimaggio) and enough panning shots of idyllic Maine country sides and interiors of coastal boutique shops to make any New Englander’s eyes roll.

Thankfully, “Docked” often corrals itself with off-color bits of humor, which ground it in a way some of its other attempts at creating a small-town atmosphere fall a little bit flat (like my favorite bit, when the restaurant owners feed Brisket bacon, commenting on how much she likes it). Whenever the pilot episode feels like its going to lean too hard into the inherent triteness of its own coziness, Liz Tuccillo’s script smartly pulls back a bit and widens its comedic lens; like the first medical case of Dr. Best’s tenure, which involves estrogen cream, a horny middle-aged couple, and a scandalous secret that involves men growing boobs. Though it may lean a little too hard on its attempts to soften the edges of the medical procedural in its blatant appeal to comfy, small town Americana, these little bits of humor – which include a kind, slightly depressed sheriff and Dr. Best’s Aunt Sarah (played by Annie Potts) – are not only welcome bits of personality, but separates itself some of the cringier elements baked into its premise (and existence as a fairly straightforward adaptation of a British dramedy that ran for a decade itself).

There are still plenty of rough edges Best Medicine will need to figure out, if it’s going to keep viewers engaged for more than a few episodes of curious watching. The character of Elaine is the show’s most obvious weak spot, a Gen Z adaptation of the character from the original British series (a role that was played by the masterful Lucy Punch for its first season) that falls absolutely flat, as we watch her constantly film herself – wearing a teddy backpack, because that’s her obligatory ‘hook’ – for YouTube, declaring that she’s bound to become a star with her shitty content and clear lack of actual work ethic. While I’m all for complex, conflicted characters, Elaine’s shrill obnoxiousness (effectively captured in Cree’s performance, to her credit) is a striking shortcoming of “Docked”, her presence in the episode a wildly miscalculated attempt to “modernize” a character and place it in a 2026 context, in a way that makes absolutely no sense, and does nothing but detract from the more interesting show happening around her.

“Docked” is also the kind of pilot that’s too afraid to take big, dramatic risks, instead telegraphing many of its plot details, in ways that sometimes feel like they’re coddling an already-amiable audience. That’s not to say Best Medicine is a bit too soft for its own good – with its kitschy setting and clear emotional parameters, its softness is kind of the point – but there’s definitely room for Best Medicine to iterate on itself, both as an adaptation and within its genre, if its willing to occasionally go out on a limb, pushing itself beyond some of the meticulously familiar plot rhythms and superficial character dramas into something a little weirder, riskier – and potentially, more emotionally resonant.

Part of this intrigue comes from the show’s cast, which suggest there are potentially more interesting, dynamic stories to come for some of the archetypes it introduces throughout “Docked”. Beyond the terrific casting of Josh Charles and Abigail Spencer in the leads (actors who are capable of such incredible range, as this avowed fan of Sports Night and Rectify can attest to), Best Medicine‘s cast also includes Futurama‘s John Dimaggio, Josh Segarra (whose turn as a Big Bad on Arrow‘s fifth season was a breath of fresh air amidst an otherwise stale season), Annie Potts, Clea Lewis, and even Did Conn (Frenchy from Grease) in recurring roles as local Port Wenners, offering Best Medicine a diversity in comedic and dramatic skills rarely offered something so Hallmark-ian on its surface.

“Docked” may not be an episode that grabs an audience’s attention with any signature moment or enthrallingly intriguing detail in its premise – and its certainly not a pilot that dares to take any sort of real dramatic risks, making it a kind of “high floor, low ceiling” series for Fox as it dips its toes back into procedurals that aren’t strictly set in massive, corporate hospitals or insanely dramatic police departments. In spite of that, however, “Docked” feels like a bit more than the sum of its parts, with pockets of personality and pathos that could blossom into one of the more enjoyable (if slightly weightless) series of 2026.

Grade: C+

Other thoughts/observations:

• A middle-aged woman telling “someone should warn them moisture doesn’t last forever!” was the moment I realized this series might actually be onto something.
  
• “Aren’t you supposed to marry the love of your life?” I do hope Abigail Spencer gets to stretch her dramatic muscles as Louisa, because my god, she is an actress with some incredible range.
  
• “This place won’t let you hide… and that’s a good thing.”
  
• someone gives Dr. Best a whoopie pie, and there is a mention of a lobster roll, so it can be considered an Officially Accurate Maine depiction. However, being named the best lobster roll in “northeast Maine” is not exactly an accomplishment.
  
• Michael Potts (of The Wire) makes a brief appearance as Susan’s soon-to-be ex-husband. Really hoping they bring him back for more.