Pure Genius
GenreMedical drama
Creator
ComposerWill Bates
Starring
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Num seasons1
Num episodes13
Executive producer
ProducerPatrick Ward
Runtime45 minutes
Company
NetworkCBS
First airedOctober 27, 2016
Last airedJanuary 26, 2017

Pure Genius (originally titled Bunker Hill) is an American medical drama television series created by Jason Katims that aired on CBS from October 27, 2016 to January 26, 2017. The series stars Augustus Prew as James Bell, who is a Silicon Valley tech billionaire, and Dermot Mulroney as Dr. Walter Wallace. It was produced by True Jack Production, CBS Television Studios and Universal Television. In May 2017, CBS cancelled the series after one season due to negative reviews from critics and lack of an audience.[1]

Premise

James Bell is a Silicon Valley billionaire who dreams of building a hospital with ultimate cutting-edge technology to treat rare and incurable diseases. He partners with a maverick surgeon, Dr. Walter Wallace, who leads the effort in clearing out the bureaucracy of medicine, and focus on forward thinking, advancing technology, and saving lives—at no cost to the patient.

Cast and characters

  • Augustus Prew as James Bell, a Silicon Valley tech billionaire who opens Bunker Hill. He originally kept it secret that the hospital was founded to develop treatments for his impending hereditary mental disorder. Though James keeps the research going, he devotes his energy to every rare case the hospital gets.
  • Dermot Mulroney as Dr. Walter Wallace, a triple board-certified and renowned surgeon, who also serves as the Bunker Hill's Chief of Staff.
  • Odette Annable as Dr. Zoe Brockett, a double board-certified physician in Paediatrics and Internal Medicine
  • Reshma Shetty as Dr. Talaikha Channarayapatra, neurosurgeon
  • Brenda Song as Angie Cheng, Bunker Hill's Chief Biomedical Engineer
  • Aaron Jennings as Dr. Malik Verlaine, head of the Ehub which performs remote monitoring of patients
  • Ward Horton as Dr. Scott Strauss, an Ivy League–educated neurologist and Catholic priest

Production

Development

On January 22, 2016, it was announced that CBS had given the pilot order known as Bunker Hill.[2] The episode was written and authored by Jason Katims who was expected to be an executive producer, alongside Sarah Watson, David Semel and Michelle Lee. Production companies involved with the pilot include True Jack Productions, CBS Television Studios and Universal Television. The show was ordered at the CBS upfronts 2016 to air in the network's 2016–17 TV schedule and was officially picked up on May 13, 2016.[3] A few days later, it was announced that it would premiere by October 27, 2016 and air on Thursdays at 10:00 P.M. On August 10, 2016, it was announced that the series name was changed from Bunker Hill to Pure Genius.[4]

On November 21, 2016, CBS announced that it would not order more episodes than the 13 episodes commissioned. The production for the first season wrapped on December 15, 2016,[5] and the remaining commissioned episodes were broadcast for the remainder of its run.[6]

On May 17, 2017, Pure Genius was cancelled after one season by CBS.[1]

Casting

In February 2016, it was announced that Brenda Song, Dermot Mulroney, Reshma Shetty and Ward Horton had been cast in the pilot's leading roles.[7][8][9][10] Although the pilot was ordered, in March 2016 it was reported that Aaron Jennings and Odette Annable had joined the cast.[11][12]

Reception

Critical reception

Pure Genius has received generally negative reviews from television critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 26% rating based on reviews from 23 critics. The website's consensus reads, "Pure Genius is weighed down by stereotypical doctor drama trappings, suffocating its chances of bringing anything compelling and entertaining to the genre."[13] Metacritic reported a score of 43 out of 100 based on 19 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[14]

Willa Paskin of Slate described the show as "idiotic tech propaganda that’s about one-tenth as curious about the issues it raises as it should be." They characterized the show as featuring implausible science and technologies where workers have no regard for patient privacy, and James as a contemptuous CEO-type character who is consistently more confident than Bunker Hill's medical professionals.[15]

References

  1. ^ "Ransom, Pure Genius and Training Day cancelled by CBS". May 17, 2017.
  2. ^ Nellie Andreeva (January 22, 2016). "Jason Katims Medical Drama 'Bunker Hill', Bob Daily Comedy 'Superior Donuts' Get CBS Pilot Orders". Deadline Hollywood
  3. ^ Nellie Andreeva (13 May 2016). "Training Day, Bull, MacGyver, Matt LeBlanc Comedy Picked Up By CBS". Deadline Hollywood
  4. ^ Anthony D'Alessandro (August 10, 2016). "What Inspired 'Parenthood' Creator Jason Katims To Make CBS Medical Drama 'Pure Genius' – TCA". Deadline Hollywood
  5. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (21 November 2016). "'Pure Genius': CBS Not Ordering More Episodes Of New Medical Drama Series"
  6. ^ Nemetz, Dave (22 November 2016). "Pure Genius: No Additional Episodes Ordered for CBS Freshman Drama"
  7. ^ Petski, Denise (February 19, 2016). "'The Jury' Pilot Casts Hina Abdullah; Brenda Song Joins 'Bunker Hill'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 24, 2016). "Dermot Mulroney To Star In CBS Pilot 'Bunker Hill'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 25, 2016. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  9. ^ Petski, Denise (February 25, 2016). "Ana Cruz Kayne Joins CBS Pilot 'Four Stars'; Reshma Shetty In 'Bunker Hill'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (February 29, 2016). "'The Trail': NBC Comedy Pilot Casts Krysta Rodriguez; Ward Horton Joins CBS' 'Bunker Hill'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 29, 2016.
  11. ^ Petski, Denise (March 8, 2016). "Aaron Jennings Joins 'Bunker Hill' CBS' Pilot; Talitha Bateman In 'Furst Born'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
  12. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 11, 2016). "Odette Annable To Star In CBS Drama Pilot 'Bunker Hill'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  13. ^ "Pure Genius: Season 1 (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  14. ^ "Pure Genius : Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
  15. ^ Paskin, Willa (27 October 2016). ""It's Network TV" Shouldn't Excuse Pure Genius". Slate Magazine