Red Band Society

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!

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.

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!!!!!

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.

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.