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Childrens Hospital

Childrens Hospital

2008–2016Ended7 seasons87 episodes~11 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

A hospital isn't a place for lazy people. It's a place for smart people who take care of people who aren't smart enough to keep themselves healthy. So begins Children's Hospital, a parody series that follows the lives, loves and laughs of a hospital staff.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Childrens Hospital?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Childrens Hospital streaming on Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Free

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Childrens Hospital?

Childrens Hospital earns 5 badges, led by Award-winning performance and One of a kind.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Cast

Reception

Is Childrens Hospital worth watching?

Childrens Hospital's Midcredits score is the 75th percentile of all shows, from 8.8K ratings across 2 sources. 81% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

75th percentile

Better received than 75% of shows

86th percentile among Short68th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)74th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

75 /100

72nd percentile of all shows

80th percentile among Short64th percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

Big peaks at both ends — people either love this or bounce off it hard.

Approval

How many liked it

81% liked it

74th percentile of all shows

86th percentile among Short67th percentile among 2000s
81% rated it 7–1019% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

90th percentile

8.7K ratings across platforms

95th percentile among Short84th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 26% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps describe it as a surreal, fast-paced, boundary-pushing medical parody that leans heavily on absurdity, but they disagree on whether that's brilliantly funny or simply stupid.

Fans praised

  • surreal, meta, fourth-wall-breaking humor that lands on multiple levels
  • short 11-minute episodes with breakneck pacing and rapid-fire gags
  • strong ensemble cast and clever parody of medical dramas

Detractors panned

  • lacks story structure and realism, comes across as aimless
  • humor falls flat, often crossing from parody into pure stupidity
  • derivative of other absurdist comedies, feels like a lesser imitation

What stands out

OriginalityDivisive85

highly original parody, but detractors see it as derivative of worse shows

HumorDivisive82

laugh-out-loud, meta, raunchy, and absurdist, but divisive

DialogueDivisive80

clever, quotable lines, meta and absurdist banter

PacingDivisive80

fast-paced 11-minute episodes, perfect for short attention spans

ActingDivisive78

talented ensemble cast, many unknown at the time, praised for bringing the absurdity to life

CharactersDivisive75

vain, incompetent doctors, good character synergy and growth

AtmosphereDivisive75

absurd world-building, hospital setting bent into surreal dimensions

Plot and storyDivisive40

intentionally chaotic and surreal, but detractors see lack of story structure

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 46 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Episodes

7 seasons

Season 7 · 2016 · 14 episodes

  • S7E1
    S7E1

    Kids Hospital

    Jan 22, 201611 min
  • S7E2
    S7E2

    One Million Saved

    Jan 29, 201612 min
  • S7E3
    S7E3

    Sy's Tenure

    Feb 5, 201612 min
  • S7E4
    S7E4

    Doctor Beth

    Feb 12, 201612 min
  • S7E5
    S7E5

    The Show You Watch

    Feb 19, 201612 min
  • S7E6
    S7E6

    DOY

    Feb 26, 201612 min

Watch experience

What is Childrens Hospital like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, light and gentle — an even-paced watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdJoyful
Heaviest: throughout
Absurdist humor: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Register
Absurdist · 6% of shows: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.Irreverent · 2% of shows
Told as
Resets each episode · 10% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe series holds its material at a knowing, ironic distance, satirizing medical dramas with absurdist humour.
The rideThe tone is consistently light and absurd with no dramatic shifts.
StructureThe series follows a conventional sitcom_reset format without notable narrative devices.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained comedic story with the status quo restored by the end.
Season formatSeasons are interchangeable batches of episodes with no overarching arc; any season is an entry point.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you grinning at the absurdity of its medical spoof, feeling light and amused.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40% (this title)

No archetype fits — true of 40% of shows: ensemble pieces, satire, slice-of-life.

Why this archetypeA sitcom-reset series with no overarching plot; each episode's comedy structure is too varied to assign a single archetype to the series as a whole.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfRomanticlove
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% (this title) · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% (this title) · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Romantic love · 10% of showsFriendshipAmbition · 14% of shows
Satirizes its theme: Attacks its theme through ridicule.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series centers on the doctors' personal lives and romantic entanglements, with their medical duties a secondary concern.
StanceThe show satirizes the romantic and professional lives of its doctors, treating their personal dramas with ridicule.

The world

ContemporaryInstitutionalUrbanStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
Settinga parody children's hospital

Content guide

Is Childrens Hospital okay for kids?

TV-14

Childrens Hospital is rated TV-14. As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (56/100), sexual content at moderate (52/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (25/100) and frightening material at moderate (56/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 5 other countries
  • Canada14+
  • Germany12
  • France10
  • Netherlands6
  • Türkiye13+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (23 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Childrens Hospital have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Childrens Hospital?

Cast

Rob Corddry won the Emmy for this show.

Rob Huebel
as Dr. Owen Maestro
Emmy nominee: Primetime Emmy nomination — Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
Rob Corddry
as Dr. Blake Downs
Emmy win: Primetime Emmy — Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama SeriesTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Ken Marino
as Dr. Glenn Richie
Emmy nominee: Primetime Emmy nomination — Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment ProgramTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Erinn Hayes
as Dr. Lola Spratt
Emmy nominee: Primetime Emmy nomination — Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series
Megan Mullally
as Chief
Michael Cera
as Sal Viscuso
Henry Winkler
as Sy Mittleman
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
Lake Bell
as Dr. Cat Black
Zandy Hartig
as Nurse Dori
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Malin Akerman
as Dr. Valerie Flame
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.

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What other shows share a tag with Childrens Hospital?

178 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: medical drama. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.