Royal Pains
| Royal Pains | |
|---|---|
 Royal Pains intertitle |
|
| Genre | Medical drama Comedy-drama |
| Created by | Andrew Lenchewski John P. Rogers |
| Starring | Mark Feuerstein Paulo Costanzo Jill Flint Reshma Shetty |
| Opening theme | "Independence" performed by The Blue Van |
| Composer(s) | James S. Levine |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 42 (List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Paul Frank Rich Frank Jeff Kwatinetz Michael Rauch Andrew Lenchewski |
| Location(s) | Long Island, New York |
| Camera setup | Film; Single-camera |
| Running time | approx. 42 minutes |
| Production company(s) | 34 Films Prospect Park Entertainment Universal Cable Productions |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | USA Network |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV) |
| Original run | June 4, 2009 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Royal Pains (stylized as "℞oyal Pains") is a USA Network television series that premiered on June 4, 2009, starring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty. The series is based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies. The series was renewed for a fourth season by USA Network on September 15, 2011.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Series synopsis
The series follows Hank Lawson, a young emergency room doctor who, after being wrongly blamed for an important patient's death, moves to the Hamptons and becomes a reluctant "doctor for hire" to the rich and famous. When the administrator of the local hospital asks him to treat the town's less fortunate, he finds himself walking the line between doing well for himself and doing good for others.
[edit] Cast and characters
- Henry "Hank" Lawson (Mark Feuerstein): Formerly a successful New York E.R. doctor, he was dismissed from his job after a wealthy hospital benefactor died in his care. When he saves someone's life during a trip to The Hamptons, he accepts an offer from Boris, a German nobleman, to remain as a "concierge doctor" in the resort community. He usually attends wealthy clientele, but also others in need of care and often without the means to pay. According to the episode "Keeping the Faith", he and his brother are Jewish.
- Evan R. Lawson (Paulo Costanzo): Hank's younger brother. He is an accountant and self-appointed CFO of HankMed. Evan's job is to promote the HankMed business, at times using strategies that Hank finds inappropriate or too commercial. He is involved with Paige, the daughter of a wealthy, conservative military man who is not sure Evan is the right man for his daughter.
- Jill Casey (Jill Flint): Hank's on again/off again girlfriend and an administrator at Hamptons Heritage, the local hospital. Jill works with Hank to open a small clinic while running the local community hospital. Jill is torn between her life in The Hamptons and the desire to return to work she did with an aid organization.
- Divya Katdare (Reshma Shetty): Hank's Physician Assistant. She joins the team early and is invaluable to Hank. She initially has to keep her medical career a secret from her parents. Forced by her parents into an arranged betrothal to a childhood friend, she has finally broken free of their control and is living on her own.
[edit] Recurring characters
- Boris Kuester von Jurgens-Ratenicz (Campbell Scott): A wealthy and titled German businessman who offers Hank and Evan his guest house, and is Hank's first client. Boris has a genetic disease he is determined will die with him, and which he fights with equal determination, often by seeking rare or risky treatments. Used to getting what he wants, Boris has a rigid code of conduct, which can at times put him at odds with Hank.
- Eddie R. Lawson (Henry Winkler): Hank and Evan's loving, ne'er-do-well father who left the boys when they were young. Accused of embezzlement, Eddie served a short term in prison and is now on parole, and has begun to rebuild his relationship with his sons.
- Paige Collins (Brooke D'Orsay): Evan's girlfriend, to whom he has recently proposed. Paige is the daughter of a wealthy, conservative former military officer with political aspirations who does not think Evan is good enough for his daughter. Paige and Evan meet when she hires him to play her pretend boyfriend, but their pretend relationship soon blossoms into a real one.
- Dr. Emily Peck (Anastasia Griffith): A self-assured rival doctor who works with (and becomes briefly involved with) Hank. Emily is hired to substitute for Hank while Hank makes an extended visit to Cuba with Boris, and soon comes into conflict with Divya because of her confidence and her detached approach to her patients.
[edit] Episodes
[edit] Location
Principal production of the show's pilot occurred in the Hamptons. However, other locations throughout Long Island were used, with Oheka Castle being the most prominent. Although actually located 60 miles to the west, in Huntington, Oheka served as the Hamptons home of Boris, the German nobleman who offers his guest house to Hank and Evan. In later episodes, exterior and aerial shots of Oheka are used to introduce scenes in the guest house.
In one episode, a Long Beach drive-thru convenience store, Dairy Barn was used as a fictional hot dog stand;[citation needed] a sign can be seen in the opening of that scene. Also, several scenes were shot on the bay side of Point Lookout. Other places used as fictional Hamptons locations include Northport Village in the Town of Huntington, Old Westbury Gardens, Freeport's Nautical Mile, which served as the exterior and parking lot of Hampton Heritage Hospital (in one scene, Freeport's charter coat can be seen across the bay) Caumsett State Historic Park[citation needed] and Oyster Bay Town Hall, which was transformed into the entrance of the Hamptons Heritage Hospital emergency room. Catalina Beach Club in Atlantic Beach, New York was transformed for the pilot episode into the fictional Hampt Inn, the hotel Hank and Evan stayed in upon their arrival in the Hamptons.
Two episodes of the second season take place in Cuba, but were filmed in Puerto Rico.[2]
[edit] Production
The pilot was filmed on location on Long Island, New York in the spring and fall of 2008.[3] The pilot was directed by Jace Alexander, who also filmed the pilot of Burn Notice, another USA Network show, which airs in the hour before Royal Pains. Andrew Lenchewski wrote the pilot and Rich and Paul Frank executive produced the project, with Lenchewski co-executive producing and John P. Rogers producing. The series was then picked up for a 12-episode season.[4] On Feb. 24, 2011, the show completed its second season.
The theme song is "Independence" by the Danish band The Blue Van.
[edit] Reception
Royal Pains has become one of the highest rated shows on cable.[5] The series premiere was watched by 5.57 million viewers, the highest series premiere for the USA Network since Psych in 2006.[6][7] With episodes two and three watched by 5.59 million viewers and 6.5 million, respectively, it was the first show in five years to have viewership increase from week two to week three.[8][5]
[edit] Ratings
| Season | Episodes | Timeslot (EST) | Original airing | Viewers (in millions) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season premiere | Season finale | Season | ||||
| 1 | 12 | Thursday 10:00 pm (June 4, 2009 – August 27, 2009) | June 4, 2009 | August 27, 2009 | 2009 | 7.47[9] |
| 2 | 18 | Thursday 10:00 pm (June 3, 2010 – August 26, 2010) Thursday 9:00 pm (January 20, 2011 – February 24, 2011) |
June 3, 2010 | February 24, 2011 | 2010–2011 | 7.33[10] |
| 3 | 16 | Wednesday 9:00 pm (June 29, 2011 – August 31, 2011) Wednesday 10:00 pm (January 18, 2012 – February 22, 2012) |
June 29, 2011 | February 22, 2012[11][12] | 2011–2012 | TBA |
[edit] DVD releases
Universal Studios Home Entertainment released the first season of Royal Pains in Region 1 on May 25, 2010, and released it in Region 4 on August 25, 2010. Season Two was released in Region 1 on May 17, 2011.[13] A DVD was released on January 3, 2012 containing the first 10 episodes of the third season.[14] Episodes are also available on iTunes.
| Title | Region 1 | Region 4 | Bonus Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season One | May 25, 2010[15] | August 25, 2010[16] | Deleted Scenes; Gag Reel; Commentary; Paulo's Video Blogs; Dr. Irv Danesh: The Real Doctor of Royal Pains; "High Top Fade Out" (Psych, episode 4.07)[17] |
| Season Two | May 17, 2011[13] | Deleted Scenes; Gag Reel; Commentary; Guest Starring; Location, Location, Location | |
| Season Three (Volume One) | January 3, 2012[14] |
[edit] Novel series
Beginning in 2011, D.P. Lyle began publishing a book series based on the television series, under Signet Books' Obsidian imprint.[18]
| Title | Author | ISBN | Publication date |
|---|---|---|---|
| First, Do No Harm | D.P. Lyle, M.D. | 0451234146 | June 7, 2011[18] |
| Sick Rich | 0451235533 | January 3, 2012[19] |
[edit] International distribution
 |
This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2011) |
| International market | Broadcaster | Season premiere | Local title (if different) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, |
Universal Channel, | 2 | 2010 | |
| Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia |
STAR World, | 3 | September 30, 2011[20] ([21]) | |
 Italy |
Joi; Italia 1 | 1 | September 10, 2009; June 6, 2010 | |
| Italy |
Joi | 2 | September 10, 2010 | |
 Spain |
Paramount Comedy | 1 | October 14, 2009 | |
| Spain |
Paramount Comedy | 2 | September 13, 2010 | |
 Poland |
TVP 1 | 2 | January 6, 2010 | Bananowy doktor |
 Australia |
Seven Network | 2 | February 1, 2010[22] | |
| TV1 | 1 | July 27, 2011 | ||
 Portugal |
Sony Entertainment Television (Portugal) | 1 | February 15, 2010 | Mágoas de Grandeza |
 Brazil |
Sony Entertainment Television | 1 | February 21, 2010 | |
 Mexico |
Sony Entertainment Television | 1 | February 21, 2010 | |
 Greece |
Star Channel | 1 | March 13, 2010 | |
| Greece |
Star Channel | 2 | 2011 | |
| Greece |
Star Channel | 3 | February 19, 2012 | |
 Romania |
Universal Channel | 1 | May 3, 2010[23] | |
 United Kingdom |
Universal Channel (UK) | 2 | May 9, 2010[24] | |
 Philippines |
2nd Avenue | 1 | May 11, 2010 | |
 Israel |
Yes Stars Drama | 1 | June 8, 2010 | |
 Japan |
WOWOW | 1 | July 3, 2010 | kyumeii hanku: serebu shinryo fairu (Emergency M.D. Hank: Celebrity Medical Files)[25] |
 Bulgaria |
Nova Television | 1 | July 17, 2010 | Houscall Doctor (Доктор на повикване) |
 France |
Canal+ | 1 | July 18, 2010 | |
 Norway |
Viasat 4 | 1 | July 19, 2010 | |
 Denmark |
TV 3 | 1 | ||
 Slovenia |
POP BRIO | 1 | September 3, 2010 | Dr. De Luxe |
 Sweden |
TV 6 | 1 | ||
 India |
STAR World | 2 | December 12, 2010[26] | |
 Serbia |
Fox Life | 1 | June 6, 2011 | Lekar po porudzbini |
 Finland |
MTV3 | 1 | January 7, 2011 | Kallista kipua (Expensive Pain) |
 Germany |
RTL | 1 | May 17, 2011 | |
 Switzerland |
SF 2 | 1 | June 6, 2011 | |
 Belgium |
2BE | 1 | June 5, 2011 | |
 Russia |
Domashny | 1 | December 19, 2011 | Дорогой доктор (Dear Dr.) |
 Latvia |
TV3 | 1 | 2011 | Bagtnieku dakteris (Rich Doctor) |
[edit] Legal issues
On July 6, 2010, Hayden Christensen, the actor best known for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in the Star Wars saga, and his older brother, Tove, filed a lawsuit against the USA Network in a Manhattan Federal Court. In the suit, the brothers claimed to have pitched to the USA Network an idea for a new television series, called "Housecall", which involved a concierge doctor who made house calls to the rich and famous. The two brothers also claimed that a USA Network executive told them that, "prior to learning about 'Housecall,' he was unaware of concierge doctors and that he thought it was a fascinating idea." A USA Network spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit.[27]
On May 10, 2011, a Manhattan judge ruled that there was not enough evidence to justify a breach-of-contract claim because the claim concerns "materials that are not copyrightable, such as ideas." The brothers' lawyer stated that the pair plan to appeal the decision.[28]
[edit] References
- ^ Gelman, Vlada (15 September 2011). "Breaking: USA Renews Covert Affairs, Royal Pains and Necessary Roughness". TVLine. http://www.tvline.com/2011/09/breaking-usa-renews-covert-affairs-royal-pains-and-necessary-roughness/. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
- ^ [1]
- ^ O'Reilly, Brendan. USA Network films pilot on the Hamptons, 27east.com. Published September 8, 2008.
- ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i7fcfe6ddd3b5d6c2337ee5e6322bb6c5 USA picks up 'Royal Pains'], The Hollywood Reporter. Published January 5, 2009.
- ^ a b TV by the Number: Burn Notice, Royal Pains Renewed By USA
- ^ Mediaweek.com
- ^ Hollywood Reporter
- ^ Mediaweek
- ^ Seidman, Robert (April 1, 2010). "USA's "Royal Pains" and "Burn Notice" Return to Heat Up Thursday Nights on June 3". TV by the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/04/01/usas-royal-pains-and-burn-notice-return-to-heat-up-thursday-nights-on-june-3/46977. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ Seidman, Robert (July 27, 2011). "USA Network Reunites with Toyota for Hit Original 'Royal Pains' with Series Star Jill Flint". TV by the Numbers. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/07/27/usa-network-reunites-with-toyota-for-hit-original-royal-pains-with-series-star-jill-flint/99000/. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
- ^ "USA Confirms Summer Finales for Original Series". The Futon Critic. July 15, 2011. http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2011/07/15/usa-confirms-summer-finales-for-original-series-533212/9351/. Retrieved July 16, 2011.
- ^ "Royal Pains on USA". The Futon Critic. http://thefutoncritic.com/showatch/royal-pains/. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
- ^ a b http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Royal-Pains-Season-2/15037
- ^ a b Lambert, David (October 7, 2011). "Royal Pains - Universal Announces 'Season 3' on DVD Early in the New Year". TV Shows on DVD. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Royal-Pains-Season-3/16052. Retrieved November 29, 2011.
- ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037XPPAM/
- ^ http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/813910
- ^ http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Royal-Pains-Season-1-Box-Art-Extras/13388
- ^ a b Amazon.com. "Royal Pains: First, Do No Harm". http://www.amazon.com/dp/0451234146. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
- ^ Amazon.com. "Royal Pains: Sick Rich". http://www.amazon.com/dp/0451235533. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
- ^ http://www.tvguide.starhub.com
- ^ Click the entertainment section and look for STAR World
- ^ http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2010/01/seven-ratings-week-schedule-so-far.html
- ^ Universal Channel Romania official website. http://www.universalchannel.ro/
- ^ UK TV Guide. http://uk-tv-guide.com/programme-details/Hallmark/9+May+2010/19:00/Royal+Pains/Comedy/
- ^ 救命医ハンク セレブ診療ファイル (Japanese Title)
- ^ http://twitter.com/StarWorldIndia/status/28029313455
- ^ NewsCore (7 July 2010). "'Star Wars' Actor Sues USA Network for 'Stealing' Show Idea". FoxNews.com. http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/07/07/star-wars-star-sues-usa-network-stealing-idea/. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ Alexander Homme (11 May 2011). "Hayden Christensen's 'Royal Pains' lawsuit losses its bout with federal judge". Manhattan Style. http://www.manhattanstyle.com/arts-entertainment/celebrities/hayden-christensens-royal-pains-lawsuit-losses-its-bout-with-federal-judge/. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
[edit] External links
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