What Would 'E.R.' Look Like in a Country with Socialized Medicine?

The Pitt has revived my interest in hospital dramas of late, which means that I am willing to look to other countries to get my fix. Thankfully, Apple TV+ will soon make that possible with Berlin ER, an emergency room series set in a country with socialized medicine. Germany has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, everyone has health insurance, everyone gets the same level of care, and everyone gets to choose their doctors.

But this is an E.R.. And they’re probably a popular setting for American shows because doctors are not allowed to turn away patients in an emergency situation. Yes, sure: They can send them bills and bankrupt them, but they do have to at least stabilize them before they send them on their way to destitution (in theory, at least). In other words: There’s probably not that much difference in an emergency room in Germany: It’s understaffed, overcrowded, and everyone is on the verge of death.

The question is: Do they still bang in supply closets?

Berlin ER premieres on February 26th on Apple TV+.