Previewing Do No Harm

Sometimes it seems like the only drama on network television are about cops, doctors or lawyers. Last year NBC tried to shake up one of those genres with Awake where a cop lived two separate lives, one where his wife survived a car accident, the other his son. I pondered at the time who would watch the show? Procedural fans would be scared off by the weird sci-fi element and sci-fi fans would stay away from a procedural. It turns out I was right as the show died a slow and little watched death before being canceled.

Not to be deterred, NBC announced another Awake sounding show last fall and will be airing it at the same day at the same time of the year that Awake aired. But instead of living in two different realities, the main character in Do No Harm lives two different lives. Yep he has a split personality. And instead of being a cop, it is another television trope of being a Doctor (this is a updated version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde).

Steve Pasquale fills the shoes of the brilliant neurosurgeon and his evil counterpoint. He was arguably the most consistently entertaining actor on Rescue Me always ready for some great comic relief but really does not pull off the dual role on the show. The best parts are when he is the evil version which tends to be humorous for the most part, but I am not entirely sure if that is intentional. Also included in the cast are the underused (at least in the premiere) are Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show) as his boss and Samm Levine (Not Another Teen Movie). The always attractive Alana de la Garza (Law and Order which means she is now a cop away from hitting the procedural trifecta) as a fellow doctor who catches the eye of both personalities.

Do No Harm starts off with the good doctor keeping his alter ego suppressed for the past five years with medication. The only problem is that the evil half has built up immunity to the drug and has five years worth of debauchery to get to. With the drugs no longer working, the good doctor homes to make a truce with his bad half to do no harm, which I do not think will go over well. And do not ask me why the doctor does not lock himself up every night like a werewolf. The two switch places at 8:25 in the morning and the evening each day (there is a humorous suggestion about moving across the globe so they can experience different times of the day).

Like Awake, Do No Harm has an interesting concept, but much like Awake, it is doubtful Do No Harm gets a second season, and I am not sure it will end up all of its episodes.

Do No Harm airs Thursdays at 10:00 on NBC. You will be able to stream recent episodes after they air on Hulu. You will also be able to download Do No Harm on iTunes where you can currently download the premiere already for free.