Amazon’s new animated sitcom is one of the genre’s best depictions of mental health

Warning: this article contains spoilers for season 1 of The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy.

Sitcoms do not always present the strongest representations of mental health, but Amazon’s new animated series is one of the best approaches of its kind to date. The portrayal of mental health on television has evolved over the years, and some television shows have been more successful than others in tackling topics such as mental illness and substance abuse. Since sitcoms tend to prioritize comedy and embrace episodic storytelling, the genre doesn’t always lend itself to exploring these topics.

Fortunately, that seems to be changing, and Amazon’s new sci-fi series proves it. While many older sitcoms – and even some newer ones – fail to grasp the complexity of mental health, many series show progress in this area. Amazon’s animated show is a huge step forward for the genre, and it’s worth watching for that element alone.

The second best hospital in the galaxy is an eye-opening depiction of mental health

The second best hospital in the galaxy addresses mental health through its exploration of anxiety, and its main storyline revolves around Dr. Klak’s experience with this disease. Dr. Klak was diagnosed with anxiety as a child, and her mother built a career writing and speaking about her diagnosis. Everyone views Klak’s condition as something to overcome – and even she falls prey to this type of thinking throughout season 1. After she and Dr. Sleech discover a worm capable of relieving the he anxiety of a person entering their brain, they both become determined to do so. find a “heal” for Klak’s disorder.

Unfortunately, the worm – which the couple names Larvin – is parasitic and completely consumes the brain and the person it attaches to. That doesn’t stop Klak from putting this into her head after an argument with Sleech made her feel worse. Luckily, Sleech and Dr. Azel come to her rescue and stop the worm from killing her. However, Klak learns a lesson from this experience and comes to accept his anxiety for what it is. Its acceptance sends a powerful message about mental healthsuggesting that disorders like anxiety don’t have to be “fixed.“

Despite their initial problems with the worm, Sleech and Klak find a way to rid the species of its parasitic tendencies. In doing so, they discover a new treatment for anxiety, but it doesn’t work for Klak. And as she points out, it won’t necessarily work for everyone. The second best hospital in the galaxySending in progress understands that each individual’s experience with conditions such as anxiety is unique. As such, it simultaneously supports treatment and recognizes that some people will need other mechanisms to cope. It approaches mental health from a perspective of acceptance and open-mindedness, which is better than many other sitcoms.

The sitcom genre has a poor history when it comes to handling mental health storylines

The second best hospital in the galaxy offers great representation when it comes to mental health, but the sitcom genre doesn’t always succeed in tackling these topics. Show as Full house, will and grace, And The Big Bang Theory all attempt to raise discussions about mental health during their runs. THE Full house the episode “Shape Up” sees DJ Tanner displaying behavior associated with anorexia. However, the show doesn’t spend much time on her eating disorder and never discusses it beyond this episode. This relaxed approach paints an irresponsible and unrealistic picture of such a situation.

Full house‘s take on mental health could be attributed to its premiere in 1987, but even more recent shows like The Big Bang Theory do not do justice to such matters. The Big Bang Theory turns Sheldon’s OCD and autistic traits into jokes on several occasions, and the same goes for Raj’s social anxiety. Such depictions of these traits and disorders encompass the stigma surrounding them. This may not be the intention of the series, but it’s the inevitable result of a mining comedy about mental health.

While series like Full house And The Big Bang Theory attempt to tackle mental health topics and miss the mark, other sitcoms seem to openly mock psychological disorders. Will and Grace finds Grace trying to evade jury duty by saying she suffers from borderline personality disorder — and her description of this condition embraces the idea that anyone with this disorder is “psychotic.” In the same way, family guy carelessly makes jokes about self-harm, a problematic trend for the series. Fortunately, new animated sitcoms seem to be moving in a better direction when it comes to conversations about mental health.

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10 films praised for their portrayal of mental health issues

These films help destigmatize mental health issues and conditions, leaving audiences with more empathy for those who need help.

The second best hospital in the galaxy takes a commendable approach to mental health and, in doing so, it continues a positive trend of animated sitcoms. In recent years, it seems that animated sitcoms have been more successful in tackling serious topics than their live-action counterparts. BoJack Rider is another example of show which deals with such topics well, with the Netflix series carefully exploring depression, anxiety, and addiction. BoJack Rider is often held up as the standard for mental health storylines, and The second best hospital in the galaxy follows his example.

Big mouth also does an impressive job exploring the mental health issues that arise in middle school, painting a realistic picture of its characters and their experiences with depression and anxiety. Hopefully animated sitcoms —​​​​​​​ and sitcoms in general — will continue this positive trend. Show as The second best hospital in the galaxy go a long way toward normalizing mental health issues and conditions rather than stigmatizing them.

The second best hospital in the galaxy

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy is an animated comedy series from showrunner Cirocco Dunlap. The series centers on Dr. Sleech and Dr. Klak, two alien surgeons who encounter anxiety-inducing parasites, illegal time loops, and various space illnesses. All eight episodes of season 1 were released on Prime Video in February 2024.

Release date

February 23, 2024

Seasons

1

Directors

Cirocco Dunlap, Anne Lane, Shauna McGarry, Joanna Bradley, Kirsten King, Asha Michelle Wilson

Showrunner

Cirocco Dunlap

Creator(s)

Cirocco Dunlap