In a move that has left the pharmacy community both captivated and deeply skeptical, Netflix announced today it has greenlit Closed 1:30–2:00, an eight-episode drama about a retail pharmacist who takes a full, uninterrupted 30-minute lunch break.
The series follows Dana Whitfield, PharmD, a staff pharmacist at a busy suburban chain store. One Tuesday afternoon she flips the "Pharmacist on Lunch" sign, walks into the break room, and sits down. According to the streaming service's announcement, what follows is "a harrowing, unflinching portrait of a person eating a sandwich while seated."
"We wanted to tell a story nobody in this industry has ever seen," said showrunner Marisol Brandt. "In the pilot, the drive-thru bell rings, and Dana simply lets it ring. We had a test audience of pharmacists, and four of them had to leave the room."
Early reviews have been mixed. Critics praised the cinematography but questioned the premise.
"It's beautifully shot, but wildly unrealistic," said Trevor Haskell, chief television critic for Retail Rx Review. "Thirty minutes, no phone calls, no 'quick question,' and no technician leaning in to ask about a DUR override? This is the most dangerous fantasy on television."
The production hired three community pharmacists as technical consultants. Two resigned after reading the script, citing "a total loss of suspension of disbelief." The third could not attend filming because she was covering an open shift at another location.
Episode four is reportedly the season's most intense hour. In it, the store's district manager calls during Dana's break, and she lets the call go to voicemail. Netflix has rated the series TV-MA for "graphic depictions of adequate staffing" and one scene in which a prior authorization is approved on the first submission.
Brandt said she sees the show as aspirational. "Science fiction lets people imagine a better world," she said. "We just set ours in a pharmacy."
At press time, Netflix confirmed a spin-off was in early development about a pharmacy that is fully staffed on the Monday after a holiday weekend, although writers cautioned it may be "too far-fetched even for streaming."
