Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer’s new ensemble comedy,St. Denis Medical,premiered Tuesday, November 12 on NBC. The duo is no stranger to workplace sitcoms, having previously collaborated onSuperstore, which ran from 2015 to 2021. Spitzer acted as the showrunner of the America Ferrera-led series, while Ledgin served as a writer and co-executive producer.St. Denis Medical, meanwhile, follows a team of doctors and nurses who do their best to prioritize patients, despite the challenges of working at an underfunded hospital.
While the nature of hospital work is drastically different from the retail struggles of Cloud 9, the chaotic environment easily appeals to fans of Spitzer’s previous shows.St. Denis Medicalfeatures a handful of alumni, butMekki Leeper’s"fish out of water" character, Matt,offers a sense of nostalgia due to the similarities he shares withSuperstore’sJonah Simms.When speaking withScreenRant, Ledgin addressed whether Matt was inspired by the beloved Cloud 9 employee. Check out what he had to say below:
ScreenRant: The moment Matt walked in as a “fish out of water” character on his first day, I had to wonder if he was Jonah Simms-inspired.
Eric Ledgin: That’s really funny. He’s such a different character in terms of his background. I loved writing for Jonah because there was a part of me that felt very Jonah-like, in terms of trying to curate the perfect sandwich or whatever, but Matt, and specifically Mekki Leeper, brought something that is just so wide-eyed, and so, “I just want to be a part of this!”
He’s a try-hard in a way that I really enjoy writing to. I think the biggest thing that they have in common is just that they’re fish out of water. They’re starting out fresh in an environment they don’t totally fit in. But I think that’s also just often a good way to give viewers a window into a new workplace. Have someone who’s also there for the first time so that you’re kind of seeing it through their eyes.
What Superstore’s Jonah And St. Denis Medical’s Matt Have In Common
Both characters bring an upbeat energy to Spitzer’s workplace sitcoms.
St. Denis MedicalandSuperstorebegin during Matt’s and Jonah’s first day on the job. The characters are unsure of how they should be contributing and make their fair share of mistakes. While Jonah accidentally changes the store prices to twenty-five cents, Matt uses an EpiPen on himself instead of his patient. However, despite having an abysmal starting shift, the characters end their evening on a positive note. Jonah isimmediately smitten with Amy, even decorating Cloud 9’s ceiling with glow-in-the-dark stars to give the floor supervisor a “moment of beauty.”
St. Denis Medical Stars Josh Lawson & Kaliko Kauahi Tease A Very Different Vibe From Superstore
St. Denis Medical’s Josh Lawson and Kaliko Kauahi discuss the comedic stylings of the doctor mocumentary and how it compares to Superstore.
Although there is no grand romantic gesture in theSt. Denis Medicalpilot, a brief conversation with Serena lifts Matt’s spirits, and he admits to the camera crew that he’s met the girl of his dreams. Outside of crushing on their co-workers,Matt and Jonah bring similar energies and mannerisms to their respective series.They both have an innate desire to be a part of the team, and their optimism can be felt through the TV screen.
Matt Still Has Plenty Of Unique Traits In St. Denis Medical
His background and work ethic is different from Jonah’s.
As stated by Ledgin, Matt and Jonah come from very different backgrounds. Jonah impulsivelydecides to work at Cloud 9after flunking out of business school, while Matt spends years training to be a nurse. Although many of Matt’s values remain unknown,it’s possible that he and Jonah would disagree on several topics.Matt was raised in an extremely religious community, which is one of the reasons he never considered options such as organ donation. In addition, neither character’s parents approve of their jobs, but while Jonah spends years keeping his whereabouts a secret, Matt is honest about his aspirations.
St. Denis Medical
St. Denis Medical follows a diverse team of doctors and nurses at an underfunded Oregon hospital as they manage patient care and maintain camaraderie amid challenging circumstances.
