A Review of ‘Midnight Family’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Joaquín Cosío, Diego Calva, Sergio Bautista and Renata Vaca in "Midnight Family," premiering September 25, 2024 on Apple TV+.

When we think of medical dramas, certain images come right into our minds. Such as a busting emergency room where a group of dynamic doctors’ work to fix the sick and fix their own lives outside of business ours. And of course, we think of quirky patients and quirky staff members that spice things up for everyone… because that is what medical dramas focus upon. The hard work, the life and death that everyone faces when they step into the ER, and its subsequent surprises, and well… it’s a setting that works well and has provided us with incredible entertainment and moving moments through and through.
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But, alas, it truly does not showcase the entire medical field, and the isolated nature of that setting can limit a writer. But slowly and surely, that is beginning to change in this era of peak television and more and more, we starting to see stories that branch out beyond the ER, to show us what other individuals in the medical field do to save lives, and what they deal with, and it just so happens, that Apple TV+ is about to be host to a refreshing new medical drama that does indeed explore other corners of the field. For Wednesday will see the debut of Midnight Family, a medical drama that focuses on paramedics in the field, with quite the unsettling twist.

For in this tale we meet the Tamayo family, a group of paramedics that work hard at night in the heart of Mexico City. And their work allows for us to learn a great deal about the Mexican Medical System. Such as the fact that there are not enough government sanctioned paramedics and ambulances out in the city, so it falls to people like the Tamayos to get out there and save lives and try to make a living in the process. For it is up to them to collect payment, and at times that is no easy task, especially if they are a second late to a scene and another mercenary ambulance beats them there. But it is a way to make a living, and a way to put Marigaby Tamayo through medical school. For she has a brilliant mind, and she wants to make a difference. Provided of course her family and their personal struggles can be set aside long enough for her to finish school.

Which truly does give rise to a refreshing new show, for several reasons. First is the obvious, the fact that we are rolling with a paramedic crew and seeing first-hand the struggles they face on the streets and the dark moments they also endure. Since not every call brings about good news or a perfect scenario, and that’s tough for them to swallow and reconcile. Plus, we get to learn about a broken healthcare system and see how the flaws in the system impact more than the patients, since it clearly creates extended chaos. But above all, we get to spend time with amazing people. For the Tamayo family is filled with dynamic individuals that have their own needs and wants, and they are well written and wonderfully fleshed out, and we come to quickly care about them in a manner that we don’t often experience with medical dramas.

But that just speaks to how special and moving this series is. For it really is unlike any other medical drama out there, and it also feels shockingly real at times. In part because there are moments when the show switches visuals styles to a documentary style, in part to pay respect to the documentary that this show is based upon of the same name. Which only adds to the stunning realism present here, and the amazing cast also reinforces the realistic feel of a show that is powerful, deeply engaging, deeply moving and the good news is, we are but days away from enjoying it. For Midnight Family arrives on Apple TV+ this Wednesday with a two-episode premiere, and we cannot wait for you to see it, nor can we wait to share our interviews with Showrunner Natalia Beristáin, and cast members, Renata Vaca (Marigaby Tamayo), Diego Calva (Marcus Tamayo), and Joaquín Cosío (Ramón Tamayo) as we count down the minutes to this refreshing new show.

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