Mark Feuerstein in "Royal Pains"
courtesy of USA Network

“Royal Pains” (The USA Network)

The USA Network is the home for such hit shows as “Monk,” “In Plain Sight,” “Burn Notice” and “Psych.” Now a new show is being added to their roster and it is titled “Royal Pains.” Mark Feuerstein is the star and both he and the show have “hit” written all over them.

Feuerstein plays Hank, a doctor who has lost his position at a medical facility through no fault of his own. Suddenly he is unemployable and is at a loss as to what to do next. His brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo) suggests a weekend in the Hamptons. He has some vague connections that might get them into a big party.

Hank goes to the Hamptons and through a series of bizarre occurrences gets offered a position as a “Concierge Doctor” or one who is on call to rich patrons. This idea is suggested to him by a man named Boris (Campbell Scott), one of the movers and shakers at the Hamptons.

I have long been a Mark Feuerstein fan. He has made movies better even if he had only a small role in them. The same is true of TV series. He is an immensely likeable actor and his role as Hank lets him play that likeability factor to the hilt. This show should, and hopefully will, make him a star.

Costanzo is going to have to grow on me a little. His personality is off-putting even though I suspect he is playing his part just as it is written. Maybe the writers will make him a little less abrasive in the future.

I anticipate seeing more of Scott as Boris, as well as Christine Ebersole who plays one of Hank’s wealthy patients. Andrew McCarthy is scheduled to show up in a later episode in a guest shot, and possibly will stick around as a semi-regular member of the cast.

Make not mistake about it “Royal Pains” is Feuerstein’s show from start to finish. If you don’t like him you won’t like the show. If you do like him (and how could you not?) you are going to put this series on your TiVo Season Pass list immediately.

“Royal Pains” premieres on the US Network, Thursday, June 4 at 10PM. Watch the first one and then watch all the episodes of this new hit series.
 

 

 

 

 

©2009 Jackie K. Cooper

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