NEW SHOW: Red Band Society: Give Me More!

Having only been in the emergency room once in my life, and never having been hospitalized, I was unfamiliar with the red-band system. So, I had no comprehension of how this new drama got its title until the moment on the roof when Leo passes out some of his to the others. I was already hooked on this series, but that was the ringer for me - I couldn't look away after that, and I don't want to. I can't wait to see more of this series, because the pilot was done so well! Even the narration being done by a coma patient, which could be a weird situation, works. However, hopefully they lay off the over-the-top similarities to other medical programs, like a Clooney look-alike doctor. 

Alex Martinez / FOX

Red Band Society "Pilot" (S01E01): Cheerleader Kara reigns her squad with terror, so when she breaks her arm in a fall that knocks her unconscious, it's no surprise that only one of her teammates visits her in the hospital. [the lesbian mini-point was odd.] However, that's only the tip of the iceberg - she's spoiled, high maintenance, does drugs, and has an enlarged heart. Despite the fact that mommy and daddy have money, Kara must wait a while for a transplant, and she'll be sharing a room with coma patient Charlie in the meantime. [I wonder what her breaking point will be when she realizes she's not a 'special snowflake.'] But, she has a special connection with Charlie - when she's unconscious, she can communicate with him, and he tells her to order pizza so he can smell it, and inform his dad that he's not at fault for what happened. Kara does both these things, discovering that Charlie's divorced father lost visitation rights because of the accident, so he masquerades as a volunteer guitar player to be near his son. [so he'll be caught pretty soon, as I'm sure he won't be able to keep up with Kara's demands.]

The other newbie to the hospital is Jordi, a Mexican orphan with osteosarcoma who begs Dr. McAndrew to take him on as a patient, even though it means he will immediately lose a leg. [actually, given that he doesn't know his father's whereabouts, I'm betting the guy will surface at some point.] Leo, a veteran to hospital life, had a similar situation, and becomes Jordi's roommate. Leo takes an immediate liking to him, and promptly shows him around and introduces him to Ruben, a rich hypochondriac who suggests Leo throw a going-away party for Jordi's leg. [please tell me Ruben will be a regular...] So, Leo connects with Dash, a party kid with cystic fibrosis who skips classes to smoke medical marijuana in a supply closet. [loved how Dash tagged the service elevator.] Dash hooks the kids up with a surgeon's car while the doctor is operating, and Jordi talks the cashier of a mini-mart into selling them beer so crippled Leo could get laid. But, they're caught as they go to unload, so Kara blackmails Charlie's dad into getting more. Meanwhile, between talking Nurse Brittany into giving him a sponge bath and constantly trying to get someone's lungs, Dash trades Ruben weed for rooftop access for the party.

Dr. McAndrew and Nurse Jackson know about the kids' party (whose final guest is anorexic Emma), but turn the other way, knowing that the kids need this. Nurse Jackson comes across as a strict disciplinarian, but her heart is apparent, as when Kara uses tape to write on the window that the room needs pizza, she orders ten be sent. [that was so adorable!]

Not convinced this is must-see-TV yet? Watch a little bit of the pilot, complete with behind-the-scenes information:

Red Band Society airs at 9pm RT/PT, Wednesdays on FOX!