Picture a TV show set in the eerie, notorious underground tunnels of a hospital – a place so frightening the show is named after it. It follows a compelling group of characters as they confront both the immediate trauma they see and their own private battles. Because it’s not on traditional TV, the show doesn’t shy away from disturbing imagery, and it features a doctor struggling with addiction. All of this is done with incredible skill, earning the show widespread critical praise.
If you’re loving HBO’s The Pitt, you’re on the right track with The Knick. Honestly, if you’ve finished The Pitt and need something similar, this is a great place to turn. What The Knick does differently – and I think better, in some ways – is give the characters room to breathe. While The Pitt keeps things tightly focused on a single ER shift per season, The Knick sprawls out over a larger timeframe, and we get to see what these people are like outside the hospital walls. Plus, Steven Soderbergh directed every single episode, which really gives it a consistent vision. It allows for deeper character development, letting you really get to know who these people are beyond their professional lives.
A Disturbing Glimpse at Medical Torture and Treatment
As a huge fan of period dramas, I was completely captivated by The Knick. It’s set in 1900 and centers around Dr. John W. Thackery, played brilliantly by Clive Owen – he’s the head of surgery at The Knick hospital. Honestly, his medical genius is only matched by his serious struggle with cocaine and opium. Beyond Thackery, the show features some incredibly compelling characters. There’s Dr. Algernon Edwards, a remarkably skilled Black surgeon who constantly battles prejudice, and Lucy Elkins, a nurse who’s both fascinated and troubled by Thackery’s brilliance and his demons. Then you have Dr. Bertie Chickering, Jr., who’s eager to learn from everyone around him, even if he’s a little insecure about it all. It’s a really complex and gripping show!
Beyond its strong acting, creative vision, well-written stories, and beautiful visuals, The Knick didn’t shy away from showing incredibly graphic medical scenes. Because doctors at the time often lacked modern techniques, people usually only went to the hospital as a last resort, and the treatments they received were often brutal. The show is realistically disturbing, and definitely not for those who are easily upset by graphic content.
‘The Knick’ Never Got the Love It Deserved
Cinemax
From the beginning, The Knick was a hit with critics and viewers alike, earning an 87% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season and an outstanding 97% for the second. Lead actor Clive Owen even received a Golden Globe nomination, proving the show’s quality. Therefore, the fact that it only lasted two seasons wasn’t due to poor reception.
A significant challenge for the show was its high production cost, especially considering it premiered around the year 2000. While many fantasy series exist today, it’s surprising that budget was a primary issue. The problem was compounded by low viewership on Cinemax, where it aired from 2014 to 2015. Back then, streaming wasn’t as popular as it is now, so people needed a Cinemax subscription to watch on demand. With such high costs and limited returns, canceling the show after just two seasons was a logical decision.
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It was challenging to coordinate filming because Soderbergh was directing every episode while also working on his own films. There’s been some discussion about a possible Season 3, potentially directed by Barry Jenkins. Soderbergh has suggested future seasons could be set in different eras, but those ideas haven’t really gained traction.
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2026-02-27 06:32