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St. Denis Medical's Most Heartfelt Premiere Moment Was Led by a Very Familiar Face
The first episode of St. Denis Medical included a very heartfelt moment thanks to actress Mindy Sterling.
At long last, NBC’s newest comedy, St. Denis Medical, has debuted for all the world to see. While the premiere episode undoubtedly packed some big laughs, many viewers were struck by its heart thanks in large part to one guest actress who you may recognize.
SPOILER ALERT: The remainder of this article will discuss the premiere episode of St. Denis Medical
Throughout the first episode, a woman in the St. Denis emergency room is complaining about a myriad of issues and seemingly trying to jump to the front of the long line of patients the understaffed hospital was dealing with. However, when nurse Alex (Allison Tolman) was just about to leave the hospital for her daughter’s play, the woman collapsed in the parking lot, forcing the entire staff to close ranks to save her.
The moment was serious and showed the high stakes that hospital staff deal with day-to-day between the many moments of levity on every shift. It also showed why these overworked people do this work. Honestly, who didn’t get emotional seeing the woman’s husband break down in tears thanking Alex for saving her? When you want to set the heartfelt tone of a new show, you reach for an experienced actress who many people may have recognized from other projects.
Who played the patient in the St. Denis Medical premiere?
While some may have mistaken her for actress Rhea Pearlman thanks to an uncanny resemblance, the actress who played the woman who collapsed in the parking lot was Mindy Sterling, who shares an on-screen bond with another St. Denis Medical cast member.
The two-time Emmy-nominated actress has been in many film and TV roles throughout her long career. Movie fans may recognize her from her part in the Austin Powers franchise, where she played the incredibly loud Frau Farbissina. However, those who tuned into St. Denis Medical to see The Goldbergs alum Wendi McLendon-Covey in her new role as hospital administrator Joyce probably recognized Sterling as well.
She played Linda Schwartz for 43 episodes of the long-running series. Linda was a good friend of McLendon-Covey’s helicopter mom character, Beverly. Although the duo didn’t cross paths on screen in St. Denis Medical, her presence was a nice little Easter egg for fans of that show and she certainly helped usher in the heart that will mark the rest of the series' run.
If you didn’t recognize Sterling’s face, you may have recognized her voice. She’s been a voice actress in animated projects like The Great North, American Dad!, Family Guy, and, of course, the Despicable Me and Minions franchises.
When is the next episode of St. Denis Medical?
New episodes of St. Denis Medical premiere Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Each one will be available to stream the next morning on Peacock.
