Getting On (American TV Series)
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''Getting On'' is an American
television comedy Television comedy is a category of broadcasting that has been present since the early days of entertainment media. While there are several genres of comedy, some of the first ones aired were variety shows. One of the first Television in the United ...
series based on the British series of the same name, created and written by
Mark V. Olsen Mark V. Olsen (born 1962) is an American television producer and screenwriter. He was the co-creator and executive producer of the HBO series ''Big Love'' and '' Getting On'' along with his writing partner and husband Will Scheffer. In 2007, Olse ...
and
Will Scheffer Will Scheffer is an American playwright, and was co-creator and executive producer of the television series ''Big Love'' and the American remake of '' Getting On'' with longtime life partner Mark V. Olsen. He is president and CEO of Anima Sola ...
. The series aired on
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
from November 24, 2013, to December 13, 2015, for three seasons each containing six episodes. The show has garnered positive reviews from critics. It stars
Laurie Metcalf Laura Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout a career spanning more than four d ...
,
Alex Borstein Alexandrea Borstein (born February 15, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She is best known for voicing Lois Griffin in the animated comedy series ''Family Guy'' (1999–present), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award ...
,
Niecy Nash Carol Denise Betts (previously Nash, née Ensley; born February 23, 1970) (), known professionally as Niecy Nash, is an American actress. Her career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in the films '' Boys on the Side'' (1995) and '' Cooki ...
, and
Mel Rodriguez Melvin Dimas Rodríguez (born June 12, 1973) is an American actor and comedian, best known for starring as Nurse Patsy de la Serda on the HBO comedy '' Getting On'', as Todd Rodriguez on the Fox comedy '' The Last Man on Earth'', and as Ernie Go ...
.


Premise

The series is set in the Billy Barnes Extended Care Unit of the down-and-out Mount Palms Memorial Hospital in
Long Beach Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...
,
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. The show follows the lives of the staff involved in the ward's daily operation, specifically Dr. Jenna James (
Laurie Metcalf Laura Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout a career spanning more than four d ...
), the ward's director of medicine; Dawn Forchette (
Alex Borstein Alexandrea Borstein (born February 15, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She is best known for voicing Lois Griffin in the animated comedy series ''Family Guy'' (1999–present), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award ...
), the head nurse; Didi Ortley (
Niecy Nash Carol Denise Betts (previously Nash, née Ensley; born February 23, 1970) (), known professionally as Niecy Nash, is an American actress. Her career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in the films '' Boys on the Side'' (1995) and '' Cooki ...
), a nurse; and Patsy De La Serda (
Mel Rodriguez Melvin Dimas Rodríguez (born June 12, 1973) is an American actor and comedian, best known for starring as Nurse Patsy de la Serda on the HBO comedy '' Getting On'', as Todd Rodriguez on the Fox comedy '' The Last Man on Earth'', and as Ernie Go ...
), the supervising nurse.


Cast


Main cast

*
Laurie Metcalf Laura Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout a career spanning more than four d ...
as Dr. Jenna James, director of medicine. She is uptight, self-centered and lacks social skills. She plays the piano, as revealed in the episode "Concert". She is usually oblivious to the offense she causes, believing people are impressed by her professionalism. In truth however, she is unintentionally psychologically abusive, especially towards head nurse Dawn. To the annoyance of her co-workers, Jenna often conducts various research studies using hospital resources. She is currently conducting a study on shrinking
perineum The perineum (: perineums or perinea) in placentalia, placental mammals is the space between the anus and the genitals. The human perineum is between the anus and scrotum in the male or between the anus and vulva in the female. The perineum is ...
in the elderly and one involving the use of mice. In collaboration with a hospice-care organization, Jenna introduces a hospice program into the ward, with the intent of using the extra profits to fund her research studies. Jenna gets greedy however when she begins classifying patients that are not dying of a terminal illness as part of the hospice program. This scheme is later exposed, putting Jenna, everyone else in the ward, and the hospital in jeopardy. *
Alex Borstein Alexandrea Borstein (born February 15, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She is best known for voicing Lois Griffin in the animated comedy series ''Family Guy'' (1999–present), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award ...
as Dawn Forchette, the head nurse. Her husband has recently left her, taking her car and dog. She often lets her various personal and romantic problems affect her work performance. She always works by the rules and has a difficult relationship with Jenna, who unintentionally bullies her. She has a complicated relationship with Patsy due to the fact that she slept with him, even though he may be gay. Dawn and Patsy's relationship improves and he becomes her boyfriend. She later discovers that she is pregnant, believing Patsy to be the father. After an ultrasound, however, Dawn discovers that she was never pregnant, and instead had a
blighted ovum A blighted ovum is a pregnancy in which the embryo is reabsorbed or never develops at all. In a normal pregnancy, an embryo would be visible on an ultrasound by six weeks after the woman's last menstrual period. Anembryonic gestation is one of the ...
. This discovery leads to difficulties in her relationship with Patsy, and they eventually break up. She later hastily marries hospital security guard Dennis Beardman, seemingly just to spite Patsy. *
Niecy Nash Carol Denise Betts (previously Nash, née Ensley; born February 23, 1970) (), known professionally as Niecy Nash, is an American actress. Her career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in the films '' Boys on the Side'' (1995) and '' Cooki ...
as Denise "Didi" Ortley, a return-to-work nurse. She is empathetic to the concerns of patients and their families, which often brings her into conflict with some of her colleagues who are more concerned with sticking to the rules. She appears to be happily married with six children, a daughter in college and a son in high school. Didi implies that her son has had issues. She is also currently taking care of her sister's children because of issues involving her sister. Didi also has a strained relationship with her half-sister Sherrie, who also is a nurse. After a hospice-care program is introduced into the ward, she is appointed as the hospice-nurse liaison. *
Mel Rodriguez Melvin Dimas Rodríguez (born June 12, 1973) is an American actor and comedian, best known for starring as Nurse Patsy de la Serda on the HBO comedy '' Getting On'', as Todd Rodriguez on the Fox comedy '' The Last Man on Earth'', and as Ernie Go ...
as Patsy De La Serda, the supervising nurse. He is very emotional and socially awkward in the workplace. He has stated that he was on a vegan diet because he needs to lose weight. Due to his ideas regarding how to run the ward, he often comes into conflict with Dr. James, who holds more traditional views about the running of the ward. He is having a complicated relationship with Dawn, as he has identified as homosexual even though he slept with her. His relationship with Dawn improves and she becomes his girlfriend. After Dawn's suspected pregnancy is diagnosed as a blighted ovum, he begins to experience difficulties in his relationship with Dawn, and they eventually break up.


Recurring cast

* Kurtis Bedford as Dennis Beardman, a hospital security guard that Dawn hastily marries after he shows a romantic interest in her. *
Marsha Stephanie Blake Marsha Stephanie Blake (born 3 May 1974) is a Jamaican American actress. She is best known for her role as Linda McCray in the Netflix miniseries ''When They See Us'', for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Suppor ...
as Yvette Ortley, Didi's sister-in-law, with whom Didi has a contentious relationship. *
Grant Bowler Grant Bowler (born 18 July 1968) is a New Zealand-Australian actor and television presenter who has worked in American, Australian, New Zealand, and Canadian film, television, and theatre. He is known for playing the role of Constable Wayne ...
as Dr. Ron Rudd, a charismatic physician from
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
. *
K Callan Katherine Elizabeth Callan (née Borman; born January 9, 1936) is an American actress and writer, known for playing Clark Kent's mother Martha in the ABC television series '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman''. She has most recently ...
as Susan Dayward, a patient recovering from knee-replacement surgery. * Kimberly Celemen as Kitty Doris, a medical resident whose name Jenna constantly forgets. *
Brandon Fobbs Brandon Fobbs (born April 19, 1981) is an American actor. He had a recurring role on HBO television series ''The Wire'' as Fruit. He also appeared in ''Pride Pride is a human Emotion, secondary emotion characterized by a sense of satisfacti ...
as Antoine Robertson, an orderly who flirts with Dawn. *
Ann Guilbert Ann Morgan Guilbert (October 16, 1928 – June 14, 2016), sometimes credited as Ann Guilbert, was an American television and film actress and comedian who portrayed a number of roles from the 1950s on, most notably as Millie Helper in 61 episode ...
as Birdy Lamb, a patient who has been in the ward for some time due to a continuous flow of illnesses. *
Mark Harelik Marcus Frank Harelik (born June 5, 1951) is an American television, film, and stage actor, and playwright. Early life Harelik was born in Hamilton, Texas. In 1909, Harelik's Russian Jewish grandfather, Haskell Harelik—upon whom Harelik's ...
as Dr. Paul Stickley, a medical colleague of Jenna's who is later appointed the hospital's director of medicine. It is suggested that he has had an affair with Jenna in the past. * Joel Johnstone as Andrew Cesario, a medical resident and later Jenna's research assistant. *
Lindsey Kraft Lindsey Brooke Kraft (born January 23, 1983) is an American actress, model and writer. She is best known for playing Marguerite Macaw on '' Getting On'', Leslie Curry on '' Living Biblically'', and Allison on '' Grace and Frankie''. Kraft has a ...
as Marguerite Macaw, a student nurse. *
Scott Lawrence Scott Lawrence (born September 27, 1963) is an American actor best known for his role as Cmdr. Sturgis Turner on the CBS series '' JAG''. Lawrence played the role from 2001 until 2005, when the series ended. He is also known for being a majo ...
as Darnell Ortley, Didi's husband. * Kasey Mahaffy as Rick Joy, a hospital administrator. *
Jayma Mays Jamia Suzette "Jayma" Mays (born July 16, 1979) is an American actress. She is known for playing Emma Pillsbury in the Fox musical series '' Glee'' (2009–2015) and for her starring roles in the films ''Red Eye'' (2005), '' Paul Blart: Mall ...
as Suzi Sasso, a corporate representative for a hospice-care organization. *
Betty Murphy Betty Murphy is an American television and film actress. Murphy has appeared in five films which include '' Attack on Terror: The FBI vs. the Ku Klux Klan'', ''1918'', ''Urban Cowboy'', '' Alone'' and ''Life''. Murphy's television work includes ...
as Fiona Sullivan, a patient dying of
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...
. *
Mary Kay Place Mary Kay Place (born September 23, 1947) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Loretta Haggers on the television series '' Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman'', a role that won her the 1977 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Suppor ...
as Dr. Ann Killigrew, an
Ob/Gyn Obstetrics and gynaecology (also spelled as obstetrics and gynecology; abbreviated as Obst and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...
who has a crush on Jenna. *
Corey Reynolds Corey Reynolds (born July 3, 1974) is an American actor known for originating the role of Seaweed in the Broadway theatre, Broadway adaptation of ''Hairspray (musical), Hairspray'', as well as the roles of David Gabriel in the Turner Network Tele ...
as Waylon Ortley, Didi's brother-in-law and Yvette's husband. * Patricia Scanlon as Paula Pepperell, a union representative. *
Molly Shannon Molly Shannon (born September 16, 1964) is an American actress and comedian. She was a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1995 to 2001. In 2017, she won the Film Independent Spirit Award for playing Joanne ...
as Phyllis Marmatan, Fiona Sullivan's concerned daughter. *
Alia Shawkat Alia Martine Shawkat ( ; born April 18, 1989) is an American actress. She is known for her performances as Maeby Fünke in the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox/Netflix television sitcom ''Arrested Development'' (2003–2006; 2013–2019), Dory Sief ...
as Colleen Hoover, a hospice-care volunteer. *
Jonathan Silverman Jonathan Elihu Silverman (born August 5, 1966) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the comedy films ''Brighton Beach Memoirs'', ''Weekend at Bernie's'', and its sequel ''Weekend at Bernie's II''. Early life and education Silverm ...
as Dr. Happy Gladner, a physician treating Dawn's
kidney disease Kidney disease, or renal disease, technically referred to as nephropathy, is damage to or disease of a kidney. Nephritis is an Inflammation, inflammatory kidney disease and has several types according to the location of the inflammation. Infla ...
. *
June Squibb June Louise Squibb (born November 6, 1929) is an American actress. She began her career by making her Broadway (theatre), Broadway debut in the musical ''Gypsy (musical), Gypsy'' (1959). Her film debut was in Woody Allen's romantic comedy ''Alice ...
as Varla Pounder, a racist homophobic patient suffering from
bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder (BD), previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of Depression (mood), depression and periods of abnormally elevated Mood (psychology), mood that each last from days to weeks, and in ...
,
borderline personality disorder Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive, long-term pattern of significant interpersonal relationship instability, an acute fear of Abandonment (emotional), abandonment, and intense emotiona ...
, and
schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
. Later, Varla suffers from
gangrene Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the ga ...
, and has one foot amputated. *
Harry Dean Stanton Harry Dean Stanton (July 14, 1926 – September 15, 2017) was an American actor. In a career that spanned more than six decades, Stanton played supporting roles in films including ''Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), '' Kelly's Heroes'' (1970), '' Dilling ...
as Leonard Butler, Birdy's boyfriend. * Luke Zimmerman as Sammy Beardman, Dennis's brother who has Down syndrome.


Guest stars

*
Telma Hopkins Telma Louise Hopkins (born October 28, 1948) is an American actress and pop singer. Hopkins rose to prominence as a member of the pop group Tony Orlando and Dawn, who had several number-one songs. She also performed on the CBS variety show ''T ...
as Beverly Raymes, the ward's no-nonsense supervising nurse who was reassigned to another floor. * Daniel Stern as Richard James, Jenna's husband. *
Gita Hall Gita Hall (6 September 1933 – 13 August 2016) was a Swedish-American model and actress who was the second wife of actor Barry Sullivan and a member of the jet set in the 1950s and 1960s. Early years Hall was born Birgitta Wetterhall in Link ...
as Ingrid Larsen, a Swedish patient whom Jenna takes an interest in. * Irma P. Hall as Cordelia Meade, an unruly patient who causes trouble in the ward. *
Lynn Cohen Lynn Harriette Cohen (née Kay; August 10, 1933 – February 14, 2020) was an American actress known for her roles in film, television and theater. She was particularly known for her role as Magda in the HBO series ''Sex and the City'', which sh ...
as Janice Carmaglia, a participant in Dr. James' study on shrinking
perineum The perineum (: perineums or perinea) in placentalia, placental mammals is the space between the anus and the genitals. The human perineum is between the anus and scrotum in the male or between the anus and vulva in the female. The perineum is ...
. *
Betty Buckley Betty Buckley (born July 3, 1947)LuKanic, Steven A (1995). Film Actors Guide'. Los Angeles, CA: Lone Eagle Publishing. p. 55. . is an American actress and singer. Buckley is the winner of a Tony Award, and was nominated for an additional Ton ...
as Dottie Levy, a patient suffering from life-threatening
alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...
. *
Jean Smart Jean Elizabeth Smart (born September 13, 1951) is an American actress. Jean Smart filmography, Her work includes both comedy and drama, and List of awards and nominations received by Jean Smart, her accolades include six Primetime Emmy Awards a ...
as Arlene Willy-Weller, the daughter-in-law of a patient with
dementia Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...
. *
Carrie Preston Carrie Preston (born June 21, 1967) is an American actress, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles as Arlene Fowler in the HBO fantasy drama series '' True Blood'' (2008–2014) and as Elsbeth Tascioni in the CBS legal drama ...
as Denya Thorp, a patient with terminal
ovarian cancer Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor of an ovary. It may originate from the ovary itself or more commonly from communicating nearby structures such as fallopian tubes or the inner lining of the abdomen. The ovary is made up of three different ...
. * Tsai Chin as Ruth Lee, a patient suffering from
aphasia Aphasia, also known as dysphasia, is an impairment in a person's ability to comprehend or formulate language because of dysfunction in specific brain regions. The major causes are stroke and head trauma; prevalence is hard to determine, but aph ...
and
paralysis Paralysis (: paralyses; also known as plegia) is a loss of Motor skill, motor function in one or more Skeletal muscle, muscles. Paralysis can also be accompanied by a loss of feeling (sensory loss) in the affected area if there is sensory d ...
. *
Michelle Krusiec Michelle Jacqueline Krusiec (born Ya-Huei Yang; ; October 2, 1974) is an American actress, writer and producer. Early life and education Krusiec was born in Taiwan. She was adopted at age five and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia by her father ...
as Andrea Conrad, Ruth's daughter. *
Rhea Perlman Rhea Jo Perlman (born March 31, 1948) is an American actress and author. She is well-known for playing head waitress Carla Tortelli in the sitcom ''Cheers'' (1982–1993). Over the course of eleven seasons, Perlman was nominated for ten Emmy Awar ...
as Crystal Buff, an inmate from
Sing Sing Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum-security prison for men operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in the village of Ossining (village), New York, Ossining, New York, United States. It is abou ...
prison who is checked into the ward. *
Frances Conroy Frances Hardman Conroy (born March 15, 1953) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Ruth Fisher on the television series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005), for which she won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards, a ...
as Dr. Alice Marvel, a physician and Jenna's rival. *
Ivonne Coll Ivonne Coll Mendoza (born June 18, 1947) is a Puerto Rican actress and beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned Miss Puerto Rico 1967 and competed in the Miss Universe 1967 pageant but did not place. She later became an actress, appearing in ...
as Gloria De La Serda, Patsy's mother. *
Vicki Pepperdine Vicki Pepperdine (born 24 July 1961) is an English comedy actress and writer. She was nominated for two BAFTA TV Awards for co-writing the BBC sitcom '' Getting On'' (2009–12), and was also nominated for a British Comedy Award for her portra ...
as Dr. Pippa Moore, a British physician who bears striking similarities to Jenna. Pepperdine reprises her role from the original British television series. *
Joanna Scanlan Joanna Marion Scanlan (born 27 October 1961) is a British actress and writer. On television, she is known for her roles in ''The Thick of It'' (2005–2012), ''Big School'' (2013–2014), ''Puppy Love'' (2014), '' No Offence'' (2015–2018), ...
as Denise "Den" Flixter, a British nursing sister who bears striking similarities to Dawn. Scanlan reprises her role from the original British television series. *
Kristen Johnston Kristen Angela Johnston (born September 20, 1967) is an American actress. Best known for her work on television sitcoms, she twice won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Sally Solomon in ...
as Marla Pounder, Varla's long-lost daughter. *
Janis Ian Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink; April 7, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter who was most commercially successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Her signature songs are the 1966/67 hit "Society's Child, Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)" an ...
as Mrs. Belfontaine, a patient in the ward that spends all her time singing. *
Rita Moreno Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is an American actress, dancer, and singer. With a career spanning eight decades she is known for her roles on stage and screen, and is one of the last remaining stars from t ...
as Sister Lily Claire, a hospital administrator from a Catholic hospital that offers Jenna a job.


Episodes


Production and development

On August 14, 2012,
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
placed a pilot order on an American adaptation of the popular BBC Four series of the same name.
Mark V. Olsen Mark V. Olsen (born 1962) is an American television producer and screenwriter. He was the co-creator and executive producer of the HBO series ''Big Love'' and '' Getting On'' along with his writing partner and husband Will Scheffer. In 2007, Olse ...
and
Will Scheffer Will Scheffer is an American playwright, and was co-creator and executive producer of the television series ''Big Love'' and the American remake of '' Getting On'' with longtime life partner Mark V. Olsen. He is president and CEO of Anima Sola ...
were attached to write the pilot script and serve as executive producers alongside
Jane Tranter Pauline Jane Tranter (born 17 March 1963) is an English television executive who was the executive vice-president of programming and production at BBC Worldwide's Los Angeles base from 2009 until 2015. From 2006 to 2008, she was the BBC's contr ...
,
Julie Gardner Julie Ann Gardner (born 4 June 1969) is a Welsh television producer. Her most prominent work has been serving as executive producer on the 2005 revival of ''Doctor Who'' and its spin-off shows '' Torchwood'' and '' The Sarah Jane Adventures'' ...
and
Geoff Atkinson Geoff Atkinson is a British comedy writer and producer. He has written and produced shows featuring Rory Bremner. He is managing director of ''Vera Productions'', an Independent production company he established with Bremner. Beginning his ca ...
via Anima Sola Productions and BBC Worldwide Productions. Casting announcements began in the following November with
Laurie Metcalf Laura Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout a career spanning more than four d ...
,
Alex Borstein Alexandrea Borstein (born February 15, 1973) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She is best known for voicing Lois Griffin in the animated comedy series ''Family Guy'' (1999–present), for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award ...
and
Niecy Nash Carol Denise Betts (previously Nash, née Ensley; born February 23, 1970) (), known professionally as Niecy Nash, is an American actress. Her career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in the films '' Boys on the Side'' (1995) and '' Cooki ...
cast in the three lead roles. Metcalf signed onto the role of Dr. Jenna James, the uptight, self-centered director of medicine; Borstein joined in the role of Dawn Forchette, the head nurse who struggles with self-esteem and ultimately ends up in inappropriate sexual situations; and Nash cast in the remaining lead role of Denise "DiDi" Ortley, a big-hearted, return-to-work nurse. On March 21, 2013, HBO placed a six-episode series order on the series. The series six-episode first season premiered on
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
on November 24, 2013, and concluded on December 29, 2013. On February 19, 2014, ''Getting On'' was renewed for a six-episode second season, of which premiered on November 9, 2014, and concluded on December 14, 2014. On February 9, 2015,
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
renewed the series for a third and final season to consist of six episodes. The third and final season premiered on November 8, 2015, and concluded on December 13, 2015.


Reception


Critical response

The first season received positive reviews. On
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review aggregator, review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee ...
, the season has an approval rating of 76% with an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 based on 29 reviews. The critics' consensus is, "Though sometimes juvenile in nature, ''Getting On'' finds the funny, even in a somber setting, with humorous yet sensitive narratives and characterizations." The pilot episode scored a 73 out of 100 on
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
based on 21 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". In a highly positive review, ''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...
'' contributor David Wiegand said, "There is a brilliant mix of poignancy and hilarity in ''Getting On'', which is why it all works so well." Emily VanDerWerff of ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was created in ...
'' wrote "''Getting On'' captures the drudgery of work and life in this ward, but it also catches glimpses of the beauty, and it’s in those moments that it feels like a series that deserves better than it’s going to get." On the more negative side, Mike Lechevallier of ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New Yor ...
'' wrote that "the show's setting is such an overwhelmingly depressing environment that much of the offbeat humor ends up flatlining." On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season scored a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 8.6 out of 10 based on 11 reviews. The critics' consensus is "''Getting On'' continues to work by poking fun at a typically serious theme and the psychological drama surrounding it, with a dose of laugh-out-loud slapstick injected into a big, sweet heart." On Metacritic, the second season has a score of 85 out of 100 based on 6 review, indicating "universal acclaim". The third season received very positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the third season scored a 100% approval rating with an average rating of 9 out of 10 based on 11 reviews. The critics' consensus is "''Getting On''s penchant for shaping everyday struggles – no matter how banal – into brutal and heartwarming humor concludes the series with hilarious results." On Metacritic, it has a score of 85 out of 100 based on 6 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Melissa Maerz of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...
'' gave it an "A−" grade and wrote, "In its third and final season, the series is still brilliantly droll, elevating the most mundane moments into something that's either hilariously awkward or genuinely moving–or, at its best, both."


Accolades

At the
67th Primetime Emmy Awards The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in US prime time television programming from June 1, 2014, until May 31, 2015, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was held on Sunday, September 20, 2015, at the Mi ...
,
Niecy Nash Carol Denise Betts (previously Nash, née Ensley; born February 23, 1970) (), known professionally as Niecy Nash, is an American actress. Her career began in the late 1990s, with appearances in the films '' Boys on the Side'' (1995) and '' Cooki ...
received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. At the
6th Critics' Choice Television Awards The 21st Critics' Choice Awards were presented on January 17, 2016 at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport, honoring the finest achievements of filmmaking and television programming in 2015. The ceremony was simulcast on A&E, Lifetime ...
, Niecy Nash was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and
Mel Rodriguez Melvin Dimas Rodríguez (born June 12, 1973) is an American actor and comedian, best known for starring as Nurse Patsy de la Serda on the HBO comedy '' Getting On'', as Todd Rodriguez on the Fox comedy '' The Last Man on Earth'', and as Ernie Go ...
was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. At the
68th Primetime Emmy Awards The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards honored the best in US prime time television programming from June 1, 2015, until May 31, 2016, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was held on Sunday, September 18, 2016, at the Mi ...
,
Laurie Metcalf Laura Elizabeth "Laurie" Metcalf (born June 16, 1955) is an American actress and comedian. Known for her complex and versatile roles across the stage and screen, she has received various accolades throughout a career spanning more than four d ...
was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Niecy Nash received a second consecutive nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.


Home media

The first season was released on DVD and Blu-ray in region 1 on November 11, 2014, and region 4 on November 12, 2014. The one-disc set includes all six season one episodes, a gag reel and deleted scenes. The second season was released on DVD and Blu-ray in region 1 on November 3, 2015. The third season was released on DVD in region 1 on March 29, 2016.


References


External links

* * {{HBONetwork Shows, state=collapsed 2010s American black comedy television series 2010s American medical television series 2010s American single-camera sitcoms 2010s American workplace comedy television series 2013 American television series debuts 2015 American television series endings American television series based on British television series HBO sitcoms Television shows set in Los Angeles Television series by BBC Studios Television series by Home Box Office