NBC's St. Denis Medical aired its finale on Tuesday, April 29, and has already been renewed for a second season. Co-created by Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer, the sitcom is "a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity." St. Denis Medical stars Wendi McLendon-Covey, David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Kahyun Kim, Mekki Leeper, and Kaliko Kauahi.
Season 1, episode 18 sees the show's ongoing plotline come to a head when Val tells Serena that Matt is in love with her. "This Place is Our Everything" ends with Serena wrapping her head around the new information, while Matt begins to doubt that she will ever return his feelings. In addition to the finale's big reveal, Alex and Joyce both struggle to keep everyone at the hospital happy, but eventually put their foot down and do what they feel is best.
I chatted with Allison Tolman, Wendi Mclendon-Covey, and David Alan Grier about the St. Denis Medical finale's major cliffhanger, Joyce and Alex's dilemmas, and Ron's dynamic with Bruce.
The St. Denis Medical Characters Would Advise Matt & Serena Not To Move Too Fast
"It could blow up in their faces, then you have to keep working together, and it's going to be a horror show."
ScreenRant: What advice do you think your character would give to Matt and Serena after the season 1 finale?
Joyce Wants To Be Loved By The St. Denis Medical Staff
"She overpromises because she wants people to love her, but in the end, she can't make good on any of that stuff."
Wendi McLendon-Covey: That was so much fun to say, and then roll away on my little scooter. I love that Joyce just continues to disappoint. She overpromises because she wants people to love her, but in the end, she can't make good on any of that stuff.
I mean, it's amazing how fast $10 million can disappear and just saying yes to everything. And here's the thing, I believe that everything that was asked of her was necessary, but it's just not going to happen. $10 million doesn't stretch as far as it used to, sadly. [Laughs]
Joyce had such a good idea with the birthing center, which Ron supported. Do you feel like it's become easier for them over the season to compliment one another?
Wendi McLendon-Covey: That's something I hope we can delve into more in season 2. We've kind of alluded to the fact that these two were in their residency together. So they've known each other for decades, and they fight like brother and sister, and they're both jaded.
So I would like to have some flashback scenes of those two in the '90s during their residency and see what happened there. I don't know if we're a show that does flashbacks, but it would be nice to see what went on with those two.
How have you been interpreting that relationship? Because there's definitely some animosity, there's some respect, and it seems like they really do care about each other.
David Alan Grier: Yeah, reluctantly. I mean, we all have those people in our lives who deep, deep, deep, deep down inside, there is some goodness underneath the callous outer shell. That's yet to be explored. I don't really try to come to a lot of conclusions before it's necessary in a character.
So they could go a bunch of ways in terms of expanding that, giving the audience more information, exactly how our relationship started, and where it is now. I could even envision that Ron was probably going to retire, and then Joyce coaxed him back and said, "No, no, no, we need you here." It's just a thought.
Alex And Tim Are At Peace With Their Recent Life Decision
"They just had to sit down and talk about it, but that time was not in the middle of a gala when they were drunk."
Alex and Tim have decided not to have kids. Do you feel that they are at peace with this decision?
Allison Tolman: I think so. I think that the conversations that happen at home that we never see between the penultimate episode and the final episode—I wish we could be a fly on the wall for them, but I feel like they're really at peace. I think they're a strong couple.
I think that they're really aligned. They just had to sit down and talk about it, but that time was not in the middle of a gala when they were drunk. [Laughs] So that's the lesson from the gala episode—not to try to have those important life conversations in the wrong circumstances.
I feel like Alex has grown so much, and her putting her foot down in the finale really showcased that. How are you hoping she continues to evolve as a character now that you're renewed for season 2?
Allison Tolman: I know. I can't wait to see. I haven't even imagined what is going to happen in season 2. I'm still getting used to the idea that we have a season 2. It's such a blessing to be going back to work again, and for me, it's my first season 2 pickup. I've done some anthologies. I've done some shows that have only had one season, and so I'm still just getting used to the fact that we get to go back to work again. We feel so incredibly lucky.
Grier Believes That Ron Sees Through Bruce's Act
"He thinks he's this super guy, but he's such a fragile man."
What I found really interesting is that it seemed like Joyce and Alex were almost paralleling each other. They were both trying to overpromise themselves to everyone. What do you think the difference was between them?
Wendi McLendon-Covey: I believe that Alex doesn't write checks that her ass can't cash, but Joyce does. I think Alex is firmly rooted in reality, and so anything she's saying, it's coming from a place of truth, and she really just does want to help people.
Joyce is a little different in that she's pushing this entire hospital uphill in front of her. So the things that she promises—Joyce just shouldn't make any promises. She just shouldn't. The follow-through is not there, and the stuff she's promising is just way out of her league. So Joyce should just not promise anything ever.
How do you think Ron feels about Bruce? Sometimes, I wonder if he actually hates him as much as it seems.
David Alan Grier: I mean, when I was a kid, there was this dude who I went to school with. He was from Hawaii. All I asked him about was, "Did you surf? Did you grow up surfing? What is surfing like?" And he just rolled his eyes and he said, "Guys that surf are the gods of the sea."
I was like, "What?" He said, "Because that's how they walked around. They were these great gods of the sea who rode on boards." That's the way Ron looks at Bruce. He sees right through him. He thinks he's this super guy, but he's such a fragile man.
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More About NBC's St. Denis Medical
Created By Eric Ledgin And Justin Spitzer
Devoted nurse Alex has just been promoted to Supervising Nurse in the emergency department at St. Denis Medical Center in Oregon. She works alongside an eclectic team of underfunded yet dedicated doctors, nurses and hospital staff, including her boss, Joyce, who wants nothing more than to turn the hospital into an international medical destination, and Dr. Ron, who's done it all, seen it all and is pretty much over it all. They're all doing their best not to lose their patience in a hospital overrun with patients — while caring for everyone who comes in the door, including each other.
Check out our other St. Denis Medical interviews here:
- Allison Tolman
- Eric Ledgin
- Justin Spitzer & Eric Ledgin
- Eric Ledgin & Jim Donnelly
- Josh Lawson
- Josh Lawson & Kaliko Kauahi
- Morgan Jay
- Kahyun Kim & Mekki Leeper
St. Denis Medical season 1 is available to stream on Peacock.
