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David Alan Grier Talks St. Denis Medical and the Secret to Comedy Success: "That's Why People Come Back"

David Alan Grier plays Ron on NBC's newest comedy, St. Denis Medical. Here's why he took on the role. 

NBC's St. Denis Medical Cast Describe Their Characters in Medical Terms
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NBC's St. Denis Medical Cast Describe Their Characters in Medical Terms
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Alex Doubles Down on a Lie to Joyce | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Serena Is the Girl of Matt's Dreams | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Serena Convinces Matt to Team Up to Try and Win SZA Tickets | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Ron and Joyce Have a Passive-Aggressive Argument | St. Denis | NBC
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Bruce Tells Matt About His High School Bully | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Matt Stands Up for Serena | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Bruce Spirals About His Own Mortality | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Bruce Gets Frustrated Over Relationship Consent Forms | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Serena Helps Alex Get Ready for Some Private Time with Her Husband | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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The Cast Plays a Hilarious Round of Dinosaurs or Medical Terms | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Alex Tries to Prove to Ron that You Can Do Anything When You're Optimistic | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Serena Tries to Help Bruce Get Over His Fear of Needles | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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LEAK: Joyce, Ron and Alex Tend to Patients from the Local Prison | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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EXTENDED CUT: Mekki Leeper Gives an Extended Tour Around the Hospital Set | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Joyce and Serena Try to Make Social Content for the Hospital | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Alex and Ron Discover Their Patient Is Lying About Having Cancer | St. Denis Medical | NBC
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Joyce Has an Awkward Interaction with Santa | St. Denis Medical | NBC

Tony Award-winning actor David Alan Grier has accomplished much in his career across stage, film, and TV. So, when he decides to sign on to a project like NBC’s St. Denis Medical, it’s because there’s something he finds really appealing about it. 

How to Watch

Watch new episodes of St. Denis Medical Tuesdays on NBC and next day on Peacock.

Despite only being a few episodes in, St. Denis Medical is proving to be a hit among viewers with its premiere raking in big ratings. As people continue to discover the show both on NBC and streaming on Peacock, it’s rapidly becoming a must-watch for comedy fans thanks in large part to its all-star cast as well as its blend of humor and heart. 

RELATED: 5 Peacock Shows to Binge To Prepare for St. Denis Medical

Speaking to NBC Insider in a recent interview, Grier discussed what it was that drew him to playing Ron, an ER surgeon, on the new comedy and why he thinks the show is a viable candidate to rank among the great sitcoms in television history.

“So for me, I really feel like the humor and the comedy is organic and earned in nature,” Grier said of the way co-creators Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin craft the show. “I think one person online described it as a 'serial comedy,' meaning we legitimize and we earn those emotional moments and at the same time the laughter, and that’s a tricky balance, but when it’s done correctly it’s closer to real life.” 

While the show doesn’t really deal in gallows humor, it mines comedy from the rare moments of respite that happen throughout the day in a hospital where the stakes are always high, which forces good spirits to be even higher. Grier noted that those moments in life are relatable, lending the show a little something special. 

“I’ve never been to a funeral in which we didn’t laugh,” he continued. “It’s happened every time. Even in great sadness, at some point, someone is going to say something and we end up laughing about some particular characteristic of the person or the recently departed. That’s real life, but it has to be crafted and acted in a certain way to be believable.” 

David Alan Grier smiles in a blue plaid suit

While blending humor and heart makes the show unique and interesting to Grier, he noted that there’s one other quality he hopes will allow it to run in the same conversations as some of the greatest comedies ever. 

“It’s like any successful show, regardless of where it takes place. Abbot Elementary is at a school, Cheers is at a bar, Friends is at some dude’s loft we all know he couldn’t afford,” he joked. “The audience is attracted to the relationship between those characters. If we’re successful, that’s really what brings people back. You become attached to these characters.” 

He complimented one of the other great NBC sitcoms for its ability to really play with this concept. 

Seinfeld was great at it. It didn’t matter the situation. It could be what kind of bagel you like, it could be 'You’re sitting in my seat,' just the most benign premises,” he concluded. “But if we do it correctly, that’s why people come back.”

The actor concluded by noting he’s excited for viewers to see what’s in store for the characters of St. Denis Medical — including the cast he’s grown to really respect and have fun with — as the remainder of the season progresses. 

New Episodes of St. Denis Medical air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and are available to stream the next day on Peacock

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