St. Denis Medical: Dr. Bruce’s Wild Dance Number Will Make You Want to Boogie!

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Warning: Spoilers for the second last episode of St. Denis Medical Season 1 titled “Bruce-ic and the Music” are ahead. You can watch it the following day with a Peacock subscription.

In the penultimate episode of Season 1 in the 2025 TV schedule, St. Denis Medical momentarily stepped away from the emergency department. However, the entire team was still involved. Dressed up for a charity event, tensions were high between Alex and her husband Tim over having more children, Matt seemed to be on the verge of making a move with Serena, and Dr. Bruce showed off his dance skills to “The Rockafeller Skank.” I had the opportunity to talk to co-showrunner/co-creator Eric Ledgin and lead actress Allison Tolman about this captivating dance sequence, during which Josh Lawson really shone in his role.

During the show, Dr. Ron and Joyce playfully bantered as co-hosts, but Bruce was focused on taking home this year’s dance contest trophy by performing solo with full enthusiasm. This meant swapping his gala attire for something more suitable, breaking a board in half with his bare hand, adding lighting effects, and ending with a grand finale of confetti. If only Serena had been willing to award 10s as a judge, Bruce might have scored perfectly. Unfortunately, the win went to Dr. Katie Tenon and her father, Dr. Henry Tenon, for their emotional father-daughter dance performed while he was in a wheelchair.

By the show’s end, even Bruce couldn’t resist the charm of the Tenons, indicating that this year wasn’t his for winning St. Denis’ equivalent of “Dancing with the Stars.” During my interview with Eric Ledgin, co-showrunner and co-creator of NBC’s “St. Denis Medical,” he revealed the backstory behind Dr. Bruce’s dance, which was showcased in its entirety in mockumentary style.

The inspiration behind this came from my desire to make dancing among middle-aged men more common and accepted. [laughs] It’s an idea that resonates deeply with me. I’ve always admired Bruce for his graceful movements and love of dance, as well as the showmanship aspect. In our writers’ room, we brainstormed some amusing ideas on how this would play out, focusing on the most authentic way to portray him joining a competition. It all seemed to flow naturally, though I should clarify that it was our talented team who brought this concept to life, and I was thrilled with the outcome.

It remains to be seen if Dr. Bruce’s dancing routine will motivate middle-aged men globally to dance more often, but this episode certainly boosted my satisfaction that NBC renewed the comedy ahead of schedule. Perhaps the 2026 gala will serve as a chance for redemption on the dance floor for Bruce! The show has swiftly garnered award nominations, suggesting that its Season 1 strategy is effective.

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Indeed, the dance performance would not have been as enjoyable without the enthusiastic reactions from Dr. Bruce’s peers in the audience. Everyone seemed genuinely impressed and thrilled by his dancing skills, including Serena who initially hesitated to give him a perfect score. It was heartwarming and quite amusing, leading me to seek Serena’s opinion when discussing the entire sequence with Allison Tolman.

The performance by Josh was simply fantastic! With all the exclusive dance rehearsals leading up to that episode, there’s always an exciting anticipation when you’re about to witness moments like ‘the kissing scene’, ‘the dancing scene’, or ‘the singing scene’. [laughs] It can be challenging not to get too excited, but Josh took it all in stride, and we did our best to support him.

As a die-hard fan, I must admit that Bruce found himself in some extraordinary scenarios during the initial installments of “St. Denis Medical.” However, it was only the second-to-last episode that demanded dance rehearsals and choreography – quite an unusual twist for a medical drama! What’s more, instead of his usual scrubs, he donned a dazzling shirt, which made me even more eager to watch. Interestingly, as per Tolman, the rest of the cast didn’t have to feign their enthusiasm for that performance, suggesting it was genuinely exciting for them too!

You’re essentially mirroring our genuine responses, isn’t that right? [Laughter] We’re all truly thrilled, and it would have been quite challenging to feign indifference, don’t you agree?

It seems quite likely that the final episode of Season 1 will have less dancing than expected, but my eagerness for it has grown since the gala and Dr. Bruce’s choreography. After all, with “Bruce-ic and the Music” as its title and being the comeback of St. Denis. Medical following a few weeks of reruns, there’s plenty to look forward to! For now, here’s NBC’s synopsis for the finale:

A violent weather disturbance wreaks havoc on the Emergency Room. Alex finds herself in a difficult situation, having to balance her duty towards her spouse and the demands of her colleagues. Joyce indulges in excessive shopping using money she unexpectedly came across.

The final episode of the first season of “St. Denis Medical” titled “This Place is Our Everything” will air on NBC at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, April 29th. Since the series has been renewed for a second season, viewers can rest assured about its future, even if the season finale leaves us hanging with a cliffhanger. During the break, you can catch up or rewatch previous episodes streaming on Peacock.

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2025-04-23 04:10