logo
‘St. Denis Medical' creators Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer discuss navigating the ‘peaks and valleys of comedy'

‘St. Denis Medical' creators Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer discuss navigating the ‘peaks and valleys of comedy'

Yahoo11-06-2025
'It would feel stupid to walk away and do something that's less joyful,' expresses Eric Ledgin about why he has built his career around television comedy. The writer, who is one of the two creators of the NBC mockumentary series St. Denis Medical alongside Justin Spitzer, initially wanted to 'make movies that are important,' but got 'pushed into comedy by a friend.' He now revels in the format because 'half hour gives you limitless opportunities to do whatever you want.' The creative duo recently sat down with Gold Derby to discuss the origins of the hospital-set series, their favorite episodes from the first season, and more.
St. Denis Medical boasts a unique tone. It is a comedic mockumentary about the doctors, nurses, and administrative staff at a regional hospital in Oregon, but it also often includes moments of true stakes and dramatic heft. 'It's a comedy and it's comedy forward, but there's a lot of attention paid to character and conflict and realism,' explains Spitzer, who notes, 'It's not a drama, but we're not just a joke machine either.' Ledgin echoes the sentiment, adding, 'The thesis is that hospitals are funny places, and I think if you talk to healthcare workers, almost all of them would agree. Because it's a mockumentary, it would feel false if there weren't real moments of people being moved.' 'You have the peaks and valleys of comedy and serious, happy and sad,' adds Spitzer.
More from GoldDerby
Liam Payne confirmed as judge for Netflix singing competition, 'Superman' hits hard, and today's other top stories
Carrie Preston on fencing with Matthew Broderick and the heart, humor, and growth of 'Elsbeth': 'She's more than just quirky'
Brian Wilson, Beach Boys co-founder, dead at 82
WATCH our video interview with Wendi McLendon-Covey, 'St. Denis Medical'
The series features a large ensemble of television stalwarts including David Alan Grier, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Allison Tolman plus newer faces to broadcast television such as Josh Lawson, Kahyun Kim, Mekki Leeper, and Kaliko Kauahi. When the creators were first crafting the series, the number of full-time players they wanted to include was 'restricted by budgets, obviously,' but Spitzer explains, 'What's great about these workplace settings, certainly Superstore, is that you have so many recurring employees and nurses and doctors, so it gives you the chance to slowly expand the world.' Ledgin appreciates having a large ensemble because 'having more options helps, especially when you're on episode 50 and you're trying to come up with something fresh.' The characters he gravitated toward when he and Spitzer were breaking the pilot were surgeon Bruce, played by Lawson, and Alex, portrayed by Tolman, especially because they are so 'opposite' and therefore 'opposing forces.'
In addition to the premiere episode, which laid the foundation for the tricky balance of broad comedy and emotional stakes of the show, Ledgin and Spitzer co-wrote the tenth installment, 'People Just Say Stuff Online.' In the episode, Dr. Ron, played by Grier, gets a negative Yelp review from a patient who felt the advice he received from the doctor was disparaging. The idea for the episode was inspired by a real interaction Ledgin heard from a healthcare provider. 'This doctor, who was a cocky ortho guy, was telling me he had this patient who was overweight and had a knee issue and he said the person got really offended. I thought the story was going to be, 'Can you f—ing believe this guy?,' but instead he said, 'I need to be more sensitive.' It was this very touching story about this jock-seeming guy and that seemed surprising in a way that felt like an interesting launch pad.' Spitzer says the episode works because 'this is one of those complicated areas. You don't want to make people feel ashamed, you need to meet them halfway, but some things are worse for your health than other things.'
SEE 'I know this dude!': David Alan Grier explains why he leapt at the chance to play a 'burned-out' doctor on 'St. Denis Medical'
The episode also features an excellent push-and-pull between Ron and McLendon-Covey's Joyce, the hospital administrator concerned with maintaining St. Denis' four-star rating online. The dynamic between the two had been developing all season. Ledgin describes, 'They have this history and a respect, even when they argue, and that definitely informed a lot of what we did even in Season 1. We're having a little more fun in Season 2 exploring questions like, how long have they worked together, and how well do they know each other?' Spitzer observes that in comedy series like St. Denis Medical, 'The characters become very quickly a family or a group of people that generally like each other. ... You have conflict, you keep that, but underneath it, people really don't want to watch people who truly hate each other.'
In Gold Derby's recent interviews with Grier and McLendon-Covey, both actors expressed interest in doing a flashback episode to when Ron and Joyce were residents together at St. Denis three decades ago. Asked about the possibility, Spitzer confesses, 'It's hard with a mockumentary,' because who would have been filming in the hospital back then? Ledgin agrees, saying, 'I have a little trouble with the math of that.'
WATCH our video interview with Allison Tolman, 'St. Denis Medical'
Ledgin also wrote the season finale, 'This Place Is Our Everything,' which features a payoff to the season-long question about a potential romance between nurses Serena (Kim) and Matt (Leeper). Ledgin says of how he approached the arc and its first-season conclusion, 'I think the primary thing was just not forcing anything and making sure that it never felt paint by numbers. … If there's something that we did that was smart, it was not going in with a specific objective of what's going to happen with them. I could see it. I could also see it blowing up.'
Out of the 18 episodes from St. Denis Medical's first season, Ledgin and Spitzer single out a few as especially memorable. Spitzer cites the third episode, 'Weird Stuff You Can't Explain,' sharing, 'I love watching Val (Kauahi) drag the cross. It makes me laugh a lot. If I rewatch it, it still makes me laugh.' Ledgin mentions episode 14, 'Listen to Your Ladybugs,' because it features a subplot with Ron that he says 'happened to me in the middle of the season, and it was very cathartic and fun to see.' He also spotlights the penultimate episode, 'Bruce-ic and the Mus-ic,' which features Bruce competing in a dance contest at the hospital gala, and 'People Just Say Stuff Online,' which finds Bruce confronting his high school bully. Speaking of Lawson's performance, the creator says, 'I thought he executed that so well in such a maniacal way.'
SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions
Best of GoldDerby
TV Hall of Fame: Top 50 best choices who should be inducted next
Carrie Preston on fencing with Matthew Broderick and the heart, humor, and growth of 'Elsbeth': 'She's more than just quirky'
'RuPaul's Drag Race': Onya Nurve and Jewels Sparkles dish their 'ride of a lifetime,' stolen jokes, and turning drag 'inside out'
Click here to read the full article.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Alison Brie Shares ‘Community' Movie Update & Pitch For 'X-Rated' Version
Alison Brie Shares ‘Community' Movie Update & Pitch For 'X-Rated' Version

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Alison Brie Shares ‘Community' Movie Update & Pitch For 'X-Rated' Version

After six seasons and movie, two Community characters might finally seal the deal if Alison Brie has her way. The 2x Golden Globe nominee recently revealed her hopes for her character Annie Edison in the long-awaited feature adaptation of the NBC/Yahoo series, while sharing an update on the production schedule. More from Deadline Joel McHale Shares Update On 'Community' Movie & Says Donald Glover Is Not To Blame: 'It's My Schedule On This One' 'Community' Movie Is Being 'Reworked' But Yvette Nicole Brown Says 'A Script Exists' 'Love Island USA' Breaks Peacock Ratings Record 'There's no update,' she told husband and Together co-star Dave Franco in a sit-down for Entertainment Tonight. 'I would say it's paused due to a number of factors. The entire cast is still enthusiastically on board to do the movie.' Brie added, 'Something I would love to see for Annie is full sex with Jeff Winger. You know, I think an X-rated Community movie would consummate that 'will they, won't they.'' During the show's six-season run from 2009 to 2015, recent high school graduate Annie and disgraced fake lawyer Jeff (Joel McHale) carried on a flirtation and even kissed on a few occasions, but they never went further than that, usually because the creepy reality of the age difference deflated the moment. As for Franco's thoughts on his wife's potential intimate scenes with McHale? 'You know what? I'm down,' he said after the initial shock. After creating the comedy series, Dan Harmon penned the long-awaited movie with former show writer Andrew Guest. Peacock officially ordered the feature in 2022, confirming the return of stars McHale and Brie, as well as Danny Pudi, Gillian Jacobs, Jim Rash and Ken Jeong. Yvette Nicole Brown has also confirmed her return, noting in October that the script was 'being reworked' to include her character Shirley. Last September, Community: The Movie was announced as one of 19 projects that will benefit from $51.6 million in incentives from California's film and TV tax credits program. McHale previously took responsibility for the movie's delay, telling GQ that fans 'can fully blame my schedule' following speculation that Glover's busy schedule was holding up production. Best of Deadline 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery Everything We Know About Season 3 Of 'Euphoria' So Far

Sex trafficking warrant served at L.A. home owned by alleged ‘TikTok Cult' pastor
Sex trafficking warrant served at L.A. home owned by alleged ‘TikTok Cult' pastor

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Sex trafficking warrant served at L.A. home owned by alleged ‘TikTok Cult' pastor

A large operation was seen unfolding in Tujunga on Friday morning when federal and local law enforcement served a search warrant for alleged sex trafficking at a home owned by a controversial pastor and subject of the Netflix docuseries 'Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult.' El Monte Police Department officials confirmed to KTLA that authorities served the search warrant around 6 a.m. at a home located at 7744 McGroarty St. In addition to sex trafficking, the warrant was also issued for allegations of tax evasion, mail fraud, money laundering and COVID-19 pandemic-related accusations, which were not specified by law enforcement. Sky5 was overhead around 6:45 a.m., when FBI personnel were seen investigating the large residence and speaking with people at the scene, including possible victims or witnesses. At least six people were seen detained with handcuffs, including an older woman who, unlike the other detainees on the ground, was sitting in a chair with her legs covered under a blanket. Another woman was seen sitting on an outdoor couch, wiping her eyes while clutching a child wrapped in a blanket on her lap. Police did not immediately say whether anyone was arrested during the service of this warrant. A property records search for the home listed six current owners, including Robert Shinn, who was the subject of Netflix's 'Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult.' A source involved in the series confirmed to KTLA that the property involved in this search warrant was the same property at the center of the series. The Los Angeles Times reported that Shinn, founder of and pastor for Shekinah Church, also founded a company called 7M Films in 2021 'to help social media stars and TikTok dancers find jobs in L.A.' The 2024 miniseries examines the story, lawsuits and abusive cult allegations surrounding the Shekinah Church and 7M Films. The media focus was largely brought forth by two different sets of sisters who worked with Shinn: influencers Melanie Wilking and Miranda Derrick (formerly Wilking), and Melanie and Priscylla Lee. A summary from a 2024 Time article described the series as revealing 'claims from multiple former 7M members about how Shinn abused and manipulated them and created a cult-like environment.' No sexual assault charges were brought against him. Although Shinn did not personally reply to the Netflix series, the L.A. Times noted that his company, 7M, replied through an Instagram post calling the docuseries a 'slanderous work of fiction, born from a failed extortion attempt.' The post concluded by saying, 'We will continue to pursue all legal remedies available to stop the spread of salacious lies and expect to be fully vindicated in court.' According to CNN, Shinn filed a defamation suit against several former church members, claiming they made 'false statements' referring to his organization as a cult, and that they launched a campaign to 'cancel' him. The defendants then joined a cross-complaint with other former church members, claiming Shinn, his wife and others of 'fraud, forced labor and human trafficking, as well as Robert of sexual battery.' In addition, the L.A. Times reported that this countersuit against Shinn alleges 'brainwashing, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, manipulation and exploitation.' The case was scheduled to go to trial on July 7 in Los Angeles, however, the defendants' attorney group has since confirmed to KTLA that the trial is now set to begin on October 27. 'Regarding the search warrant, we are gratified that the federal government is investigating Robert Shinn and look forward to our clients and his victims receiving the justice they deserve,' stated a partner with Brown Neri Smith & Khan, LLP. Authorities did not state any connections between Friday's search warrant operation and the docuseries controversy. Nidia Becerra, Alexis Lewis, Alberto Mendez and Jennifer Thang contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword

What is Boban Marjanovic's role in 'Happy Gilmore 2'? Explaining the NBA player's character in 2025 movie
What is Boban Marjanovic's role in 'Happy Gilmore 2'? Explaining the NBA player's character in 2025 movie

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

What is Boban Marjanovic's role in 'Happy Gilmore 2'? Explaining the NBA player's character in 2025 movie

Boban Marjanovic became a fan-favorite NBA player thanks to his size, and the center has been able to turn that into a bit of a Hollywood career. Marjanovic has been in several movies and TV shows as an actor, most notably as Ernest in "John Wick: Chapter 3." He also joined Adam Sandler when Sandler made "Hustle," the Netflix basketball movie starring both Sandler and Juancho Hernangomez. "Happy Gilmore 2" features many celebrity cameos, but Marjanovic's presence on the screen is different than his counterparts. Here's a breakdown of Marjanovic's role in the latest Adam Sandler movie. 📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp What is Boban's role in 'Happy Gilmore 2?' Boban Marjanovic is set to play the new version of Mr. Larson in "Happy Gilmore 2." In the original "Happy Gilmore," Mr. Larson was a giant of a man who became one of Gilmore's biggest fans. He was a crucial part of the movie, which included Shooter McGavin hitting a golf ball off of his foot. Marjanovic, who stands at 7-4, appears as though he will play a new version of Mr. Larson, perhaps representing Mr. Larson's son. MORE: Breaking down Happy Gilmore's iconic "step-up" swing, including USGA legality When does Boban appear in 'Happy Gilmore 2?' It's unclear exactly when Marjanovic will first appear in the movie, but we can at least look to the original for an idea. In "Happy Gilmore," Mr. Larson appeared relatively early in the movie and kept reappearing throughout, until the very end. Therefore, it's possible that Marjanovic has just one scene in the movie, or it could be the case that he has cameos in several scenes over the course of the runtime. MORE: How to buy a replica of the 'Happy Gilmore' hockey stick putter Boban scene in 'Happy Gilmore 2' Ahead of the release of "Happy Gilmore 2," Marjanovic shared a picture of his scene in the movie, which shows him crushing something in his hand. Additionally, Marjanovic made the movie's trailer, as he is shown crushing a golf ball into dust. At the very least, Marjanovic will get to put his size to good use. MORE: 14 best quotes from "Happy Gilmore" Who plays Mr. Larson in 'Happy Gilmore 2?' Boban Marjanovic is expected to play the role of Mr. Larson in "Happy Gilmore 2." Even if Marjanovic doesn't play a character named Mr. Larson, his character will likely fill the void left by Richard Kiel, who passed away in 2014. Kiel played the original Mr. Larson and became a key figure in the first movie. What happened to Mr. Larson? The original Mr. Larson was played by Richard Kiel, as the veteran actor was a notable character in "Happy Gilmore." However, Kiel passed away in 2014 at the age of 74. Kiel became known for his portrayal of Jaws in two James Bond Movies, but his role as Mr. Larson may have a longer-lasting impact due to the movie's longevity.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store