St. Denis Medical Showrunner Teases Reactions To Season 1’s Ending

St. Denis Medical has been a chaotic show so far, but the season 1 finale is poised to be even more bizarre. The mockumentary procedural has become a standout for NBC, drawing positive reviews and large audiences. St. Denis has already been renewed for a second season, thanks to strong numbers on NBC’s streaming platform, Peacock. Episodes currently air on NBC, and they are made available just one day later on Peacock. That distribution strategy helped the show capture a wide audience.

With season 1 coming to a close in the coming weeks, showrunner Eric Ledgin is already preparing for the finale. In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Rachel Foertsch at SXSW, Ledgin discussed what he expects to see from the audience. He previously served as a producer for Superstore, which is known for a chaotic season 2 ending that saw the store destroyed by a hurricane. While he does not intend for the ending to be as shocking as Superstore‘s tornado, he does expect a divisive response to a “special” finale. Check out his quote below:

So, different show, different—I think [Superstore creator] Justin [Spitzer], when he’s running his show, has a certain philosophy of finales that I definitely appreciate and enjoyed writing when I was on his shows.

I don’t feel quite the same about it, at least for this show, but I did want a finale that felt special and different than the rest of the episodes, and most importantly either tied off or at least answered some of the themes and plots that we’ve brought up through the course of the season. I think we have definitely done that, and I’m very excited to hear whether people strongly disagree with me online or are happy with it.

I’m sure it will be a healthy mix of both, and I’ll take all of it personally. But I’m very excited for the finale. Like I said, drunk bachelorettes, and there’s a lot of other big fun that takes place.

What This Means For St. Denis Medical’s Season 1 Finale

The Finale Will Be Controversial

Most finales tend to be a celebration of a show or the culmination of a season-long arc. This show appears to be on a similar yet different path. Ledgin hinted at the presence of drunk bachelorettes, which could mean either a wedding within the existing St. Denis cast or unfortunate patients. Either way, a wedding involving an underfunded hospital is sure to cause some of the chaos that Ledgin hinted at. It is not going to be nearly as devastating as the tornado that wrecked Superstore‘s titular store, but it will likely have a lasting impact on the characters.

A controversial conclusion could be exactly what this show needs.

The entire main cast is expected to return for season 2, so it is unlikely that anyone will be leaving the show in the finale. Still, there are always chances for Ledgin to take a massive swing and change things completely. The hospital, for instance, could be rewarded with additional funding, which would remove much of the show’s tension. Alternatively, the chaos could be short-term. Regardless, Ledgin expects to see some trepidation from audiences after season 1’s final episode.

Our Take On St. Denis Medical’s Season 1 Finale

St. Denis Can Withstand Some Controversy

If St. Denis Medical has proven anything, it is that it is capable of securing strong responses from viewers. It has generated consistent ratings throughout its run, but the responses have been somewhat muted. ScreenRant‘s Sarah Little called the show a series that “fails to leave a big impression“. A stand-out finale could generate more press and greater interest for its upcoming sophomore outing. A controversial conclusion could be exactly what this show needs.

New episodes of St. Denis Medical air Tuesdays at 8pm EST on NBC.