Previewing Royal Pains

As everyone’s pocketbook shrinks, USA is banking on that most of America will sit in their air conditioned suburbs or apartments to see how the rich spend their summers in their new show Royal Pains airs tonight with a seventy-five minute limited commercial premiere at 10:00 (the premiere will be preceded by the season premiere of Burn Notice at 9:00 and Casino Royaleat 6:00). The show centers on a doctor (Mark Feuerstein, Good Morning Miami) who gets fired for caring as much for an average Joe as he does the benefactor of the hospital he works at when the latter dies in his care.

Naturally a slump ensues, and that is where his brother Paulo Costanzo (Road Trip) comes in and takes Feuerstein to the Hamptons to in order to crash some big wig parties. His doctor abilities come in handy when he saves the life a model which leads one of the bigger wigs to offer him up his guest house so he will be is very on concierge doctor. Of course considering he recently lost a job because he cared equally for the middle class as he did for the uber-rich, this working relationship could create some ethical grey areas.

The need for a personal doctor steams from the inadequacies of the lone hospital on the island (which begs the question why don’t all the rich people dig a million dollars each out of their cushions and build a better facility?) which just happens to be the employer of resident hottie Jill Flint (Gossip Girl). Also along for the ride is Reshma Shetty (30 Rock) who tries to get hired by Feuerstein after word gets out he is the new hot doctor.

The problem with Royal Pains is Feuerstein whose character makes it pretty hard to be likeable as he sulks for most of the premiere to the point where you will be prone to yell at your television for him to man up. Luckily the supporting cast saves the day. Costanzo steals most of his scenes as a likeable cad and there already seems to be a good back and forth between him and Shetty. And there is also the easy on the eyes Flint. At its best, the show could be something of a reverse Doc Hollywood with a doctor getting stuck with the rich instead of the boonies (and sadly without any “You can blink now” moments). If in future episodes Feuerstein stops his sulking, Royal Pains could turn into a watchable summer excursion.

Royal Pains airs Thursdays at 10:00 on USA and will be preceded by a new season of Burn Notice at 9:00.