Damon Wayans is checking into “St. Denis Medical,” reuniting with his former “In Living Color” castmate David Alan Grier for the NBC comedy’s third-season premiere. Wayans will play Dr. Highland, described by the network as a charming but pompous physician who steps in while Grier’s character, Ron, recovers from heart surgery.
The casting brings together two performers whose careers diverged sharply after the sketch show that made them both famous. Grier and Wayans appeared together across the 1990s run of “In Living Color,” a Fox series known for aggressive, boundary-pushing satire. Grier stayed on all five seasons, while Wayans starred in the first three before moving into a recurring role in the fourth.
Since then, Grier has built a career toward dramatic recognition, winning a Tony for “A Soldier’s Play” and appearing in “The Big Sick” and “The Color Purple,” while Wayans remained closer to comedy, leading “My Wife and Kids” for five seasons and more recently starring alongside his son on “Poppa’s House.”
In “St. Denis Medical,” Grier plays Ron, a gruff emergency room physician at the fictional understaffed Oregon hospital that gives the mockumentary-style series its setting. According to NBC, Dr. Highland’s arrival throws off the hospital’s dynamics almost immediately, with nearly every patient and staff member charmed by him, all except Allison Tolman’s character, Alex. The premise follows the show’s second-season finale, which saw Ron undergo serious heart surgery and make an unplanned confession while still under anesthesia.
Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin created the series, with Ledgin serving as showrunner alongside executive producers Simon Heuer, Bridget Kyle and Vicky Luu. The ensemble cast also includes Wendi McLendon-Covey, Josh Lawson, Kahyun Kim, Mekki Leeper and Kaliko Kauahi. Season three of “St. Denis Medical” premieres November 2 on NBC, with new episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.
