The first season of Best Medicine is approaching its end in the 2026 TV schedule, with Fox’s newest medical series building a fanbase quickly enough to score a Season 2 renewal pretty early on. Unlike most hour-long medical shows, Best Medicine is a dramedy rather than a straight drama, which has meant the executive producers and writers finding a way to sometimes play Dr. Martin Best’s (Josh Charles) blood phobia for laughs without making a joke of why he suffers from it. Two EPs opened up to CinemaBlend about finding a balance to avoid getting “cartoony.”
The origin of his blood phobia certainly isn’t funny, as the once-renowned surgeon froze up during an operation when a young child was in a car accident, reminding him of the traumatic loss of his sister as a child. But Josh Charles’ portrayal of Martin trying not to gag or pass out at the sight of blood is often pretty funny, with Best Medicine taking full advantage of the humor of a doctor who can’t stand the sight of blood. Plus, it added an interesting layer early on to his relationship with Elaine, who was the first person in Port Wenn to learn his secret.
