SnoopyStyle It's a long-term care in a Californian hospital. Dr. Jenna James (Laurie Metcalf) is the stiff head doctor lacking in any social graces. She is more interested in running her medical studies than treating her patients. She is hard on caring head nurse Dawn Forchette (Alex Borstein). Along with Denise Ortley (Niecy Nash) and Patsy De La Serda (Mel Rodriguez), they struggle to provide care while having their own personal fallibilities.The tone of the show is too dour. The humor is dry. It's a black comedy but I simply didn't laugh. Actually I may have laughed once through the first season of six episodes. God bless those who love this show. It is too much of a downer to be funny for me. On the other hand, it's too wacky to work as a drama. It's great that this show has its fans but I'm not one of them.

kasey_coff I find myself identifying with the 'oldsters' in the show as much as anything. There are some genuine insights, both from the staff of the hospital dealing with the seniors and from the seniors themselves, looking out from the inside.The show is well cast and the characters are becoming more developed as time passes; the seasons are short for this program and that limits the screen time the writers can devote to the characters, but even so they are becoming more real with each episode.The writing is spare and deft. The jokes are subtle, rather than belabored; sometimes you have to think fast.Dry and witty with the occasional belly laugh and some tender, wistful moments - I suppose it is a dark comedy, but semisweet rather than bitter. Give it a fair trial.

ian80 I rarely contribute reviews. I felt compelled to add to the (mere!) 11 reviews posted. This show is such a gem. It is genuinely funny, the cast is spot-on stellar, and it has a a heartfelt center (without being sentimental). Niecy Nash is a stand-out. She steels many of her scenes. I only know Alex Borstein from MadTV and family guy; she surprises here with really great acting chops. Her dead-pan delivery takes the humor up a level. Laurie Metcald is a hoot as the neurotic doctor. Her characterization is eerily cemented in reality (unfortunately). I can't recommend this enough. I hope it gets a strong following and continues for a few more seasons.

Annoid If you are looking for Glitz and Glam, forget it.If you appreciate the absurdity of every day living, you have found your home.I adore Nurse Jackie, as the former poster noted that she liked, however if you can polish off that sheen you might find something that at least looks like real life here.Easy to make exciting traumatic moments; it's a bit harder to convey the strength of emotion that stretches out when someone takes more than an episode to die.I am believer of reality vs. fiction, and as quirky "Getting On" is, it is heads and shoulders above Nurse Jackie in realism. What a fantastic balance "Getting On" has struck.It has a quiet "emergency"!