Spoiler-Free Review of “PULSE” on Netflix: Soapy Version of The Pitt Has Its Moments

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“Let’s get through this day…”

PULSE premiered on Netflix on April 3rd 2025 with all ten episodes available to stream now. The medical drama series stars Willa Fitzgerald, Colin Woodell, Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Jessica Rothe, Néstor Carbonell, and Justina Machado. Each episode runs for approximately 45-48 minutes.

In the middle of a dangerous hurricane in Florida, a hospital team works together to handle every emergency thrown their way, but tensions flare when a doctor is forced to work side by side with someone she just accused of sexual harassment.

Here is the trailer:

PULSE is a essentially a mix of The Pitt and Grey’s Anatomy, trying to find the balance between tense life-threatening moments and juicy drama. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Netflix

A cast to be excited about!

I was about to give this one a pass because medical dramas aren’t really my thing with a few exceptions, but the cast drew me in. The show is produced by LOST’s Carlton Cuse and we even have LOST alum Néstor Carbonell starring in the series.

That’s already enough for me, but then we have the talented Willa Fitzgerald, the underused Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day), and the always fantastic Justina Machado.

Everyone plays their parts well, but some deserved a little more screen time to shine. Either way, this is a worthy and talented cast.

Images courtesy of Netflix

Some adrenaline-filled moments.

I thought that the first half of this series was a lot stronger than the second half. While not nearly as exciting and intense as The Pitt, there were some moments that held my attention and had me on the edge of my seat. Just manage your expectations accordingly…

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

Rushed flashbacks and time jumps that felt forced.

Honestly, they took away from the core plot for me. I get that they were trying to make us care about the characters, but the layers revealed felt soapy and superficial, glossing over any real moments of understanding and growth.

Starts out as one show and then quickly  becomes another.

I was really confused by this. At first, this series tried to be like The Pitt with its approach and there were a lot of similarities, but then it named dropped Grey’s Anatomy and quickly became a cheaper version of that show, focusing more on the soapy side of things.

This show clearly tried to channel what makes both shows great for their target audiences by mashing these genres together, but it failed to capture a real sense of intensity and grit, making it seem like a desperate imitation at times, which was disappointing.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m in about 75 percent…

PULSE is a medical drama by the numbers despite having a talented and recognizable cast.

This series is more of a popcorn watch, but it does have some glimmers of potential. If you’re looking for a consuming medical drama, I’d recommend watching The Pitt instead, however.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on PULSE in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

This competition is killer…

When former friends, Shay and Adriana team up to participate in a Halloween scavenger hunt with a cash prize, they temporarily put their differences aside to outsmart their opponents. However, they soon start to realize that a dangerous threat is playing their own version of the game, stalking them during each hunt.

Winning is now a necessity as their lives are at stake. As old wounds and memories re-surface, Shay and Adriana attempt to unmask the threat before the night is over, but soon learn that Scream Hunt is not done with them just yet…

My young adult horror thriller is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Scream Hunt is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Horror of Dolores Roach” on Prime Video: A Tasty and Twisted Treat!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“I’m just like you if everything went wrong…”

The Horror of Dolores Roach released on Prime Video on July 7th 2023 with all eight episodes available to stream now. The horror dramedy series stars Justina Machado, Alejandro Hernandez, Kita Updike, Jessica Pimentel, and Cyndi Lauper. Each episode runs for approximately 26-30 minutes.

After getting out of prison, Dolores discovers that the home she knew and loved has changed drastically. She tries to turn her life around by becoming a masseuse, but things go horribly wrong when she resorts to extreme measures to keep her new life going.

Here is the trailer:

The Horror of Dolores Roach is loosely inspired by Sweeney Todd, bringing us plenty of shocking and disturbing moments and featuring an out of this world performance by Justina Machado. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Justina Machado is bloody fantastic!!!

I absolutely LOVED her in this and think it was her best performance to date. She was funny, extreme, relatable, and so incredible to watch in each episode. I normally don’t like voice-over narrations, but hers were actually spot on and perfect in this. She is flawless and I am a fan for life now!

I enjoyed the other characters as well and I really thought there was a strong dynamic between her and Luis.

Images courtesy of Prime Video

Bite-sized binge-worthy episodes.

I watched this series in one day. The shorter episodes worked and the pacing was spot on. This show was so addicting! I haven’t been this excited about a series in a long time. If you enjoy shows like Santa Clarita Diet, Shining Vale, and Based on a True Story, you’ll fall in love with this series.

I appreciated that it was not afraid to take us down a darker route. The balance of comedy/dramedy and horror worked seamlessly here. The series never took itself too seriously and that’s why it was so entertaining. It could have been a lot heavier (especially with some of the content), but I don’t think that would have translated as well.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I want more!

As soon as I finished this series, I wanted more. We were left with an insane cliffhanger and I truly hope that this series gets picked up for another season because I adored it.

As a note of warning, there were some stomach-turning moments sprinkled in here so be aware of that if that’s not your jam.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Prime Video

I’m in 100 percent!!!

The Horror of Dolores Roach is fresh, addicting, and muy loco!

The best new show you need to watch right now and certainly one of my favorites of the year already.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Horror of Dolores Roach in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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