The American Dream

A Look at The American Dream 

Recently I was looking for films about the American Dream and I could find almost nothing. So, I created this list based on the films of what I did find, the films that I use or have used to make and measure my version of The American Dream combining them with descriptions friends, family, and other people writings. 

First, I must state that The American Dream is different to different people, but my interpretation is it is usually about having a certain level of success and comfortable lifestyle with the end goal of freedom, having a family, ownership of a house, land, car with success in a career.

I started this list at the end of WWII because I feel like things got really good for America and the American people and the core idea of the modern American Dream came to be. 

What is here is a sampling of storylines of people living or trying to achieve The American Dream in different decades. 

The 1940’s and 1950’s 

This period of time was about the end of WWII, returning to normal life and home ownership. 

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Based on the book Glory For Me by MacKinlay Kantor [First Published in 1945] Three men of different social economic backgrounds are returning to their hometown of Boone City from WWII become friends as they face the challenges of returning to post war life and American society.

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
George Bailey has dreamed of traveling the world and doing important things however he has had to choose between doing what he wants and or being responsible and helping family, friends, and community. He gives up what he desires. When he is close to committing suicide, an angel shows him what the world would be like without him.  

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)
Based on the novel Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House by Eric Hodgins [First Published in 1946] The Blandings family wanting more room to buy a house and some land out in Connecticut. Upon learning that the house is unlivable the Blandings tear it down and build a custom house. Unforeseen setbacks add expense and delayed move in dates.

My Blue Heaven (1950)
A married song and dance team is unable to have children become determined to adopt a child. While going through the process adopting and raising the child thy try to change their act from stage and radio to Television.

Leave It To Beaver (1957-1963) 
The Cleaver Family is an all-American Family of four living in the suburbs. The parents Ward and June try to raise their boys Wally and Bever to be good productive members of society. When Bever or Wally get into trouble Ward and June help them resolve the problem and teach the boy's a moral lesson. 

The Last Angry Man (1959)
Based on the novel The Last Angry Man by Gerald Green [First Published in 1956]. Woodrow Trashed is a Television producer tasked with making a docuseries about ordinary people. He selects Dr. Samuel Abelman a decided GP that serves a poor area of Brooklyn, New York and dreams of owning his own single-family home.

1960's 

With the help of Television, the 1960's American Dream revolved around the nuclear family, home and car ownership and having a certain lifestyle with material goods. 

A Raisin In The Sun (1961/2008)
Based on the play A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry [First Published in 1959] A Black family struggling to make a living get an unexpected windfall in the shape of an insurance check. The members of the family disagree on how to use the money to better their lives until outside prejudices unite the family in a common dream.

The Jetsons (1962-1963)
Cartoon about an average nuclear family living in the future with lots of modern futuristic convinces and misadventures. 

How To Successes In Business Without Really Trying (1967/1975)
Inspired by the book How To Successes In Business Without Really Trying: The Dastards Guide To Fame and Fortune by Shepherd Mead [First Published in 1952].  J. Pierpont Finch is a window washer that finds a book called How To Successes In Business Without Really Trying and uses it to guide him from the mail room to an executive position in a matter of weeks. 

The Sweet Ride (1968)
Based on the novel The Sweet Ride by William Murray [First Published in 1968]. An older tennis Pro, a surfer, and a musician have a bohemian lifestyle in a house in Malibu, California.  When they become involved with a mysterious woman their lives become complained with by a biker gang, and a movie producer.

Mad Men (2007-2015)
Starting in 1960 the series is about the professional and personal lives of the people working at a smaller ad agency on Madison Avenue New York City. The show mainly focuses on Don Draper a genius with a troubled past and a need to have The American Dream. 

1970's  

In the 1970's I believe The American Dream shifted to living the life, you want even if it does not fit an ideal image, saving the small-town America and upward mobility. 

The Brady Bunch (1969-1974)
Two widowers each with three children and one live-in housekeeper marry creating a large family. The family lives in a suburban area and they have various adventures.

The Boatniks (1970)
Ensign Tom Garland of the US Coast Guard has been assigned to station in southern California that constantly rescues wealthy civilian pleasure sailors. There is also a side story about three jewel thieves trying to recover some stolen jewels that were lose near the naval station.    

The Landlord (1970)
Based on the novel The Landlord by Kristin Hunter [First Published in 1966] Elgar Enders is from a wealthy family. He plans to participate in the fad of buying a rundown building and remaking it into an upscale luxury home. The building he buys is in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York. First, he has to evict the people living there, however once he gets involved with the tenets his plans change. 

Cold Turkey (1971)
A cigarette company has come up with a publicity stunt $25 million to any town that can give up smoking and tobacco for 30 days. Reverend Clayton Brooks and the 4,000 residents of the dying town of Eagle Rock, Iowa take on that challenge to save their dying town. 

The Adventures of the Wilderness Family (1975)
The Robinson are family living in Los Angles but decide to leave their urban life for the rural outdoors hundreds of miles from another living person. The family faces many dangers from the wildlife, the elements, but by pulling together if they survive it all. 

The Jeffersons (1975-1985)
The newly wealthy Jeffersons move on up to a luxury apartment on the upper east side enjoy the good life and sometimes clash with their neighbors. 

That 70’s Show (1998-2006)
Set in Point Place, Wisconsin during the 1970’s Eric Forman and his friends grow up and have life experiences as the decade progresses. 

1980's

In the 1980's to me it seems like an updated ideal image based on the 1950's and 1960's version of The American Dream along with career success and building wealth quickly came to define The American Dream.  

Family Ties (1982-1989)
Steve and Elyse Keaton are liberal ex-hippies in Regan Era America in a traditional suburban family situation with children that do not share their values. This is especially true of their oldest son Alex P. Keaton a passionate conservative republican. 

The Cosby Show (1984-1992)
The home life of the successful Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable, lawyer Clair Huxtable and their four children.  

Risky Business (1983)
Joel Goodson is a rich kid living in the Chicago North Shore area following his parents plans to do well in school and attend Princeton University. One weekend his parents need to go out of town and Joel starts a series of misadventures that result in his parent's belongings being damaged or stolen including his father's Porsche 928. To fix his problems he needs money fast so with the help of his friends and Lana a prostitute he has fallen in love with. He makes his house into a pop-up brothel. This is also the night the Princeton recruiter shows up for an interview. 

Quicksilver (1986)
Jack Casey is a stockbroker that makes a costly mistake and becomes a bike messenger for Quicksilver Speed Delivery. When his friend Hector needs money to open his own food cart business but cannot obtain a loan Jack is convinced to go back to trading where he is more successful than they imagined. Jack also takes on a dangerous drug dealer and finds love with a coworker. 

Baby Boom (1987)
A successful businesswoman inherits a baby from a distant relative. To give her new family a better life she buys a house sight unseen Vermont. It is of course a fixer upper. Once there she fixes up the house, starts a successful business, and finds love. 

The Secret of My Success (1987)
Brantly Foster is an ambitious new grad that is excited about business and is looking for a big break. He gets a job in the mail room of a big company in New York. Seeing how poorly the company is run and finding an opportunity to make himself an executive at the company, he creates an alter ego, Carlton Whitfield. He is very successful and improves the company’s operations. This gets him noticed by the CEO, how long until he is discovered?

Wall Street (1987)
Bud Fox is a stockbroker that wants to be a top trader and work with his hero Gordon Gekko. After a lot of work Bud gets a meeting with Gordon where he performs a small act of insider trading. Impressed with this Gordon mentors Bud and teaches him how to manipulate the stock market and insider trading. Getting everything, he wants until his family and community are at risk of being hurt and must choose between his mentor or his family. 

Working Girl (1988)
Tess Mcgill is a secretary going to business school at night and is trying to advance her career. When her boss is injured during a ski trip she poses as her boss and teams up with an investment banker to prove she has what it takes. It goes well until her boss returns. 

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Based on the memoir The Pursuit of Happyness by Chris Gardner [First Published in 2006]. Set in San Francisco in the early 1980’s Chris Gardner invested heavily in bone density scanners however they did not pan out as well as he hoped putting a strain on his marriage. When he loses his car, house and wife he takes a chance on an internship with a stockbroker firm. He works hard and in time he changes his life and becomes successful.   

1990's 

In the 90's The American Dream became less conservative but still influenced by past decades while adding leaving the suburbs and living in spacious apartments in large metro areas.   

Mr. Destiny (1990)
Larry Burrows blew a game winning hit in a baseball game in his teens resulting in living in a middle-class life. He is obsessed with what could have been. On his 35^th birthday he offered the life he would have had if he had not missed the ball to the live the life that could have been. While he has the things, he wanted out of life the person he became and the price he paid for that life is not what he thought it would be. 

Home Improvement (1991 – 1999)
A sitcom about a home improvement host, his family, friends and neighbors living in a nice suburb of Detroit, Michigan. The show's humor often revolves around tools, cars, home projects, family issues and a rivalry with Bob Vila of This Old House.

For Love or Money (1993)
Doug Ireland is a Concierge at a luxury hotel in Matthan that has a goal, a plan and a dream of building his own luxury hotel on Roosevelt Island in New York. Putting all of his money to this project when he finds investor Christian Hanover shows interest in the project Doug is willing to take on the unofficial job of managing Christian's mistress Andy Hart. In doing this Doug falls in love with her and may lose his project to save the girl from a businessman that uses everybody. 

Friends (1994-2004)
The personal and professional lives of six friends in their 20's while they live in New York City and try to achieve their dreams. 

King of the Hill (1997-2010)
Hank Hill assistant manager and propane salesman in Arlan, Texas lives his American Dream as best he can while dealing with a society that is changing and the wild antics of his friends and family. 

Sex and the City (1998-2004)
Inspired by the book Sex and The City by Candace Bushnell [First Published in 1996]. Four close female friends in their 30's living in New York City gather and talk about their professional, personal, sex lives as they navigate womanhood in the 90's.  

2000's 

Tech start-ups, social networks internet fame became The American Dream for a lot while economic factors made not losing what you built and having steady employment were factors in this decade. 

Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999)
Based on the book Fire In The Valley by Paul Freiburg and Michael Swaine [First Published in 1984]. This is the history of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates and how they made the computers, programs and technology that changed modern society. 

Fun With Dick and Jane (2005)
Remake of Fun with Dick and Jane (1977) Dick and Jane Harper are a well-off family living in an affluent suburb. After Dick gets a promotion to VP of his company Jane quits her job to be a housewife. Suddenly Dick's company goes out of business and the family becomes bankrupt. The couple become criminals to regain their lifestyle. When they see their former friends and coworkers struggling, they go after the CEO of Dick's company to restore the pensions and benefits that had been embezzled by the top executives.   

iCarley (2007-2012)
Carley Shaw along with her friends Sam Puckett, and Freddie Benson create their own web show earning them fame and fortune. 

The Social Network (2010)
Based on The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal by Ben Mezrick [First Published in 2009]. In 2003 Mark Zuckerberg creates the site Facemash during a bought of anger after the site is taken down. Mark is sought after by people wanting to create social networks. However, Mark Zuckerberg creates his own network with his friend Eduardo Saverin thefacebook.com.  As it grows in popularity Mark Zuckerberg becomes a billionaire while changing and expanding the network into Facebook.com. 

2010 - 2023

2010 to today (2023 when I wrote this) I feel like having Freedom, being debt free (student loans being a big part of this), being able to provide for one’s family, achieving life events/growing up, understanding how and why America and society changed so suddenly is The American Dream. 

Last Man Standing (2011-2021)
Mike Baxter is co-owner of an outdoor sporting and fishing stores bases out of Colardo. He travels the world, owns classic cars and lives with his wife and three daughters and a grandson in a large house in the suburbs. The less-than-ideal parts of his life come from his daughter's romantic choices, parenting, that society is less conservative and his neighbors.  

The House (2017)
When the Johansen's daughter is about to go to college when they learn that the full scholarship, they were counting on has been canceled they team up with a neighbor to run an illegal casino to pay for their daughter to go to college. 

Santa Clarita Diet (2017-2019)
Sheila and Joel Hammond are a married couple that work as real estate agents while raising their daughter in Santa Clarita, California. When Sheila becomes a zombie, the family pulls together to find a cure and keep their life they built for themselves. 

At Home In Mitford (2019) 
Based on the novel At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon [First Published in 1994]. Writer and artist Cynthia Coppersmith goes to Mitford to find inspiration and to do something with a house she inherited. While nest door neighbor Reverend Tim Kavanaugh has a large puppy that has decided to live with him taking in a boy whose family is deployed. The two of them find friendship and romance in this perfect small town. 

Picture A Perfect Christmas (2019)
Based on A Family Under The Christmas Tree by Terri Reed [First Published in 2016]. Professional Photographer Sophie Griffith goes to see her grandmother over Christmas. Not having much to do she helps as the nanny to the next-door neighbor Davis who is the guardian of his nephew. They celebrate Christmas, fall in love, and create a family in a beautiful town. 

Emily The Criminal (2022)
Emily has a lot of student loan debt and difficulties with obtaining gainful employment. She gets involved in credit card scams making good money getting out of debt. She gets deeper in the Los Angles criminal underworld. 

Vengeance (2022)
Ben Manalowitz is a New York writer that wants to expand his career to include podcasting. His pitches are about explaining what America is today. When he gets a call about the death of an ex-hookup he goes to West Texas and sells a podcast idea on the mystery of her death and explaining the current red, blue divide. As he investigates, he loses his preconceived ideas about culture, life and Texas. 

Getting Into College/University films

 

Getting into College/University theme.

How I Got Into College (1989)
Marlon Brown is in love with Jessica Kailo, about to enter his last year of high school and does not know what to do about the future. So, his plan is to win the girl of his dreams by getting into the same elite college Jessica is going to attend. While this is the main story there are side stories about the college recruiters, administrators, others that want to attend college.

Risky Business (1983)
Joel Goodsen is a rich kid living in the Chicago North Shore area following his parents plans to do well in school and attend Princeton University. One weekend his parents need to go out of town and Joel starts a series of misadventures that result in his parent's belongings being damaged or stolen including his father's Porsche 928. To fix his problems he needs money fast so with the help of his friends and Lana a prostitute he has fallen in love with. He makes his house into a pop-up brothel. This is also the night the Princeton recruiter shows up for an interview.

Orange County (2002)
Shaun Brumder dreams of attending Stanford University, become a successful writer and to get away from his eccentric family. It appears that everything is set the guidance chancellor makes a mistake with the application. As a result, Shaun starts doing anything he can to change this. He joins forces with his girlfriend Ashley and his unproductive older brother Lance start a series of misadventures to get him accepted. 

Admission (2013)
Based on the novel Admission by Jean Hanff Korelitz [First Published in 2009] Portia Nathan is an uptight admissions officer that is up for promotion to dean of Admissions at an Ivy League school. While on a recruitment trip to an alternative high school when an applicant maybe the child she put up for adoption puts her into a difficult position.

Acceptance (2009)
Based the novel Acceptance by Susan Coll [First Published in 2007] Several high school seniors and their parents take different approaches to getting into elite universities in their final year of high school. 

Accepted (2006)
Charming slacker con man Bartleby Gaines has been rejected from the eight colleges he applied to. Feeling out of options he invents the South Harmon Institute of Technology. He joins forces with his friends that also failed to get into college to create a web site and convert an abandoned mental hospital into the college. However, a mistake with the website accepts everybody that applied Bartleby attempts to create a college that gives the customer what they want.

College Road Trip (2008)
Melanie Porter is selecting a college to attend by taking a college road trip with her friends. Her dad James Porter is not ready for her to leave takes her on her trip and tries to redirect her to a closer college. As they set off the usual road trip problems happen, and lessons happen.

One Crazy Summer (1986)
Hoops McCann has graduated from Generic High School and wants to go to the Rhode Island School of Design. To do this he needs to create a love story however writing the story is a challenge for him. Taking a chance on a change of setting will help he joins his friends on a summer trip to Nantucket, Massachusetts. On the island he falls in love, helps the girl save her house, has some crazy adventures, sails in a regatta/ faces his fear of water, and finishes his love story. 

Honor Society (2022)
Honor Rose has a plan to be accepted to Harvard University. This includes taking down her top competitors, until she falls in love with one of them. 

The Perfect Score (2004)
Six high school with varied backgrounds and reasons along with getting into their chosen colleges/successful futures. Come together to break-in and steal the answers for the SATs from the company that makes these tests. 

Getting In (1994)
Gabriel Higgs is waitlisted for getting into John Hopkins there are 6 people ahead of him. He decided to bribe the other on the list so select different colleges. However, somebody is killing the wait list Gabriel is number six on that list is he also in danger? 

The College Admissions Scandal (2019)
Inspired by true events a few very wealthy parents conspire and perform various acts to get their children admitted to prestigious ivy league colleges in the US. 

Johnny Be Good (1988)
Johnny Walker is a star football player at his high school and is the top pick for several recruiters all offering him luxuries, special deals, money, and other perks. As he is being wined and dined his girlfriend, best friend, and coach advise him on where to attend for different personal reasons. 

PCU (1994) 
High School Senior Tom Laurence is on a weekend recruit tour of Port Charles University Also known as Politically Correct University. Where hi is sent to the Un-PC James Droz Andrews a professional student at the wildest party house on campus. Over the weekend Droz and explains college life, early PC culture, while disrupting, offending, and mocking various groups, frustrating the dean and throwing the biggest party the campus has ever seen. 

Films, TV with rural and underserved healthcare as the plot/setting - World

7/7/2021-Originally this was a focused look at rural healthcare fiction covering 30 years. The idea was to help rural hospitals and other healthcare organizations, people, etc... get funding, skilled employees, and to create interest with the public and future healthcare workers by showing and combating stereotypes/myths. I believed that if rural healthcare was seen and discussed in ways that are accessible to everybody, I believed that things could be improved. However, getting my ideas out there has proved challenging so I have expanded the titles to include things over a larger range of time and included underserved (not just rural) stories.  

(Original Title) Rural medicine as part of the plot/setting from 1990-2020. 

People working in rural medicine need to tell their stories there are only 20 of the 87 titles are based on a book. 

20 of 50 States and 14 US Territories are represented.

The US States represented are: Alabama (2), Alaska (2), Arizona (3), California (3), Colorado (3), Connecticut (1), Louisiana (1), Maine (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (1), Montana (2), New Mexico (1), New York (4), North Carolina (2), Oregon (2), South Carolina (1), Texas (1), Vermont (2), Virginia (1)

The ones that take place in the US (With only a few states being portrayed) portray a Doctor(s) and a receptionist occasionally a nurse are able to take care of all of the needs in usually clean and nice-looking communities.

There are only a few that use a hospital as the setting (the rest are clinics, private practice, etc...)

The point is that if we want more attention, money, funding for rural healthcare then we need the non-rural to know what rural healthcare is like and not the fantasy ideal.

Set Within the US

Arachnophobia (1990)
Dr. Ross Jennings tired of city life moves to the country town of Canaima, California with his family to start a practice. While this is happening an invasive hybrid spider is spreading throughout the area. The Doctor Jennings, a spider expert Dr. James Atherton, the local exterminator Delbert McClintock, and the Sheriff Parsons must work together to save the town. 

Better Living Through Chemistry (2014)
Set in fictional Woodbury, Maryland depressed small town pharmacist Doug Varney, who owns and operates the only pharmacy in town in town. Gets involved in an affair with a customer, he begins abusing prescription pharmaceuticals and making other poor decisions. Leading to a crisis where he could lose it all. 

Change of Habit (1969)
Three Nun Sister Michellie, Sister Irene, and Sister Barbara who are also trained Nurses of different backgrounds are sent by the Catholic Action Committee to work at a free clinic run by Dr. John Carpender that is located in underserved inner-city area of New York City, New York. 

The Christmas Doctor (2020)
Traveling Doctor Zoey Garner takes an assignment in Willowbrooke, New York over the Holiday season. She falls in love with the town, reconnects with a former patient from her military service and celebrates Christmas. 

Christmas Under Wraps (2014)
After Doctor Lauren Brunell is not selected for a position, she wanted she moves to a small town in Alaska. There she is possibly working for Santa Clause, falls for the local (and only town handyman), and struggles with some of the conditions of being in a small town. 

Country Remedy AKA Simple Things (2007) 
To become head of pediatrics at a Chicago Hospital Dr. Evan Gibbs has to set up a clinic in the North Carolina. In the Mountains of North Carolina, he reconnects with his son and learns about life. Inspired by the book The Window of Childhood by Olson Huff, MD [First Published 1990]. 

Cutter to Huston (1983)
Cutter Community Hospital is located 60 miles away from Huston Texas is run by a dedicated medical staff. When medical issues arise that are beyond what the facility can handle, they contact The Texas Medical Center in Huston, Texas.

DOC (2001-2004) 
Doctor Clint Cassidy from rural Montana is unneeded so he follows a girl to New York City. Once in New York he goes to work for an HMO and becomes popular with his country wisdom/ways and his above and beyond approach to practicing medicine.  

Doc Elliot (1973)

Doctor Benjamin Elliot a Staff Doctor for Bellevue Hospital in New York resigns and sets up practice in rural Colorado where he makes house calls by plane or a four-wheel drive truck. 

Doc Hollywood (1991)
Based on the book What? Dead Again? By Neil B Shulman, MD [First Published 1979]. Doctor Ben Stone is driving across the country from The District of Colombia to Las Angles, California for a job. While on this trip he takes a wrong turn into rural Grady, South Carolina. Where he crashes his car into a fence and must perform community service as the town Doctor.

The Doctor and the Girl (1949)                                                                                                        Doctor Michael Corday a Harvard medical school graduate with a prominent future ahead of him (if he does as his Father says) however he falls in love and marries a poor girl resulting in his father cutting him off from the family money connections, etc… so he becomes a general practitioner in Manhattans Lower East Side. Based on Bodies and Souls by Maxence Van der Meersch (Translator Eithne Wilkins) [First Published in 1943].

Dr. Cook’s Garden (1971)
Based on the Stage Play Dr Cook's Garden by Ira Levin [First Published in 1967] Recently graduated Doctor Jimmy Tennyson returns to his hometown in Vermont to practice family medicine. After joining Dr. Cooks Practice Dr. Tennyson observes that some of Dr. Cook’s patients die within 24 hours after treatment. He discovers the Doctor is performing mercy killings as well as removing deplorables from society.

Dr. Giggles (1992)
A lunatic that believes he is a MD escapes from the insane asylum he has been committed to. He goes back to Moorehigh, Oregon his town. Dr. Giggles then proceeds to treat/kill/get revenge on the people of his hometown. For the death of his father a local GP.

Dr. Kildare Goes Home (1940)
After completing his internship Dr. Kildare temporarily returns home to (fictional) Dartford, Connecticut to help his father and the nearby town of Parkersville. While facing the challenges of being a young and new Kildare sets up a clinic before returning to a position in New York City.

Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (1993-1998)
Post-Civil War a woman Doctor from Boston is hired to be the town Doctor in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Once there she proves herself as a Doctor, adopts 3 children, has a romance with a mountain man, while making a home for herself. 

Doctor Odyssey (2024-?)
 Dr. Max Bankman has become the onboard Physician aboard a Luxury cruise ship; The Odyssey. Onboard He leads his team and treats various medical issues and emergences often miles away from shore/civilization.

Everwood (2002-2006)
Widowed Doctor Andrew Brown moves his family New York City to Everwood, Colorado. Where he sets up a free clinic and finds that practicing medicine in a small town and raising a family are more challenging than he expected.

Finding Normal (2013) 
Dr. Lisa Leland is driving from Los Angeles to New York gets arrested in Normal, North Carolina for many traffics violations. Her punishment is to serve the local community as a Doctor. 

Four Eyes, Six Guns (1992) 
Optometrist Earnest Allbright buys a practice in Tombstone, AZ. When he arrives in Tombstone the business, the town, and the West are not what he expected. Things are challenging until he earns the love of a good woman and helps Marshal Wyatt Earp stop a gang of outlaws with his shooting skills.

Frontier Doctor (1956-1959) 
Set in Arizona Territory in the early 1900's; Dr. Baxter treats a variety of patient's and danger in following his calling.  

Green Light (1937)
Based on the novel Green Light by Lloyd C. Douglas [First Published in 1934] Dr. Paige young surgeon takes the blame for a blotched surgery for his mentor and resigns from his position. He goes to work at a wilderness research facility in Montana. At the facility he works to find a cure for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Hart of Dixie (2011-2015)
Dr. Zoe Hart has her life planned out until she loses her residency and discovers her father is not her biological father. So, she seeks out her biological father only to learn he died and left her his practice in Bluebell, Alabama.

I Walked With a Zombie (1943)
Nurse Betsy Connell is hired to care for the Jessica the wife of a plantation owner on a Caribbean Island. As she tries to help Jessica as various family secrets are revealed. 

The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel (1979) 
Set in the 1930's Dr. Meg Laurel leaves her life in Boston to return to her hometown in rural Appalachia, Virginia. Where she clashes with the local healer/midwife along with the community in general before she learns, adapts and builds her hospital and practice. 

Jesse (1988) 
In Meredith, CA. a small rural town the only time they have a Doctor is on Wednesdays when one flies in. The rest of the time is Jesse Malone an LPN takes care of the medical needs of the area. One day she is reported and arrested and has to go to court for practicing beyond her scope of practice.  

Kingdom Hospital (2004) 
Kingdom Hospital in Lewiston Maine is haunted due to being built upon a Civil War Era Mill. That was destroyed by fire in addition to a former hospital that also burned down. The staff deals with the haunting (and other really strange and supernatural events) as best they can while another disaster looms. 

Kingdom of the Spiders (1977)
Set in Camp Verde, Arizona, Tarantulas that have mutated because of the overuse of pesticides have started attacking livestock. The towns veterinarian Dr. Robert Hansen is called to investigate. A spider's nest is discovered and destroyed. This helps set the spiders on a migration towards the town cutting it off from the rest of the world. 

Kings Row (1942) (1955)
Based on the novel Kings Row by Henry Bellamann [First Published in 1940]. Set in an ideal town in 1890 Missouri two childhood friends Parris Mitchell (who wants to become a doctor) and Drake McHugh (who wants to become a businessman) grow up and face darkness within the town. Which include medical malpractice, theft, murder, suicide and scandal. In facing these things, they must make decisions on their moral beliefs and what kind of men they will be. 

Midwives (2001)
Based on the novel Midwives by Chris Bohjalian [First Published in 1997]. Set in rural Vermont Midwife Sybil Danforth is dealing with a difficult birth during a blizzard. When the patient dies, Sybil preforms a C Section saving the baby. Later Sybil is accused of murdering the mother and must defend herself in court. 

Miss Evers Boys (1997)
Based on the play Miss Evers Boys by David Feldshuh [First Published in 1995]. In 1932 The Tuskegee Study of Untreated Blacks with Syphilis; In which 412 black men were infected with syphilis to see how they were affected by the infection. The events are told from the perspective of Nurse Evers.

Mumford (1999)
In the town of Mumford, Oregon a Psychologist names Micky Mumford treats people with unusual therapies until Unsolved Mysteries reveals that he is not who he says he is.

Northern Exposure (1990-1995) 
Recent Graduate New York Doctor Joel Fleischman has to work in Cicely, Alaska a rural town with some interesting residents to pay back the state for funding his way through medical school.

One Man's Journey (1933) A Man to Remember (1938)
Based on the short story Failure by Katharine Haviland-Taylor [First Published 1932]. A widowed Doctor and his young son move to a rural town called Westport somewhere within the US. Set after WWI the Doctor adopts an orphaned baby girl serves his community when his patients cannot pay, he takes IOU’s and livestock as payment. He also fights to improve medical care in the town but faces challenges from the town leaders and his creditors. 

Royal Pains (2009-2016)
Dr. Hank Lawson loses his job in New York after a wealthy patient dies in his care. Dr. Hank with his Account brother and a local Physician’s Assistant create a Concierge Doctor Practice in the Hampton's.

Shut In (2016) 
A horror thriller about a recently widowed child psychologist in rural Maine; Believes that her and her injured child is in danger from a supernatural presence. 

Skelton Key (2005) 
Caroline Ellis a Hospice Nurse in Louisia quits her job and goes to work for a New Orleans Plantation helping a take care of her husband that suffered from a stroke. At the plantation she investigates a ghost story and other mysterious happenings around the house.

Stigma (1972) 
A Doctor goes to work in a remote island community and discovers a syphilis outbreak is being hidden by the town.

Strange Lady In Town (1955)
Set in the 1880’s Dr. Julia Winslow Garth leaves Boston, Massachusetts to Santa Fe, New Mexico to set up a medical practice. In Santa Fe she has disagreements with the other Doctor in town about treating patients.

They Rode West (1954) 
1st Lt. Allen Steward MD is a newly commissioned officer is sent to his first posting at a western fort near an Indian reservation for Kiowa. In his new post he clashes with the fort commander Colonel Waters and the tribes Medicine Man in regard to the treatment and prevention of malaria. 

Virgin River (2019-?) 
The series is based on the Virgin River Book Series by Robyn Carr [First Published in 2007] A Nurse Practitioner and Midwife Melinda Monroe takes a job in the rural town of Virgin River, California. She goes there for a fresh start after going through personal tragedies.

ER - Season 5 – Episode 16: Middle of Nowhere (1999) 
In this episode Dr. Peter Benton takes a temp travel assignment to earn money. Benton goes to a rural town in Mississippi to work at a clinic that is run by Nurse Practitioner Maureen Chapman. Dr. Benton is shocked at the lack of recourses and faces some dramatic challenges in this episode.  

Set Outside of the US

This includes what I have access to and know of, so it is as complete as possible. 

All Creatures Great and Small (1978-1990), (2020-2024) 
Based on All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot [First Published in 1972] (along with his other books in the series) After Dr. James Herriot finishes Veterinary school and takes his first job treating all kinds of animals in rural Yorkshire, England starting in 1930's. 

The Artful Dodger (2023)
Taking place years after the events of Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens [First Published in 1838]. James Dawkins formerly known as Artful Dodger is now a Surgeon and a former Royal Navy Lieutenant in a Australian colony during the 1850's. His new crime free life is disrupted when he goes into a major gambling debt and his criminal mentor Fagin reenters his life. While trying to handle debt, criminal activities, and his medical practice he gets involved with the Governers older daughter (who he is half in love with at the beginning) that wants to learn how to be a surgeon from him. All of this Causes him a lot of personal and professional challenges that may just end him for good. 

Born and Bred (2002-2005)
Set in Lancashire Village of Ormston during the 1950's. Widowed Dr. Authur Gilder wants his son Dr. Tom Gilder to take over his country practice. After some scheming he convinces his son to move his wife and family to town. Father and son clash with different styles of practicing medicine while Tom's family adjusts from city living to small town life. 

Bramwell (1995-1998) 
In the Victorian Era, Dr. Eleanor Bramwell is unable to gain respect or have the career she desires she creates (with the help of a wealthy backer) her own medical clinic in a poor underserved area of London.

Bush Doctor (1982)
After suffering from a personal tragedy Dr. Robert Maxwell retires from medicine and goes to Africa to get away from it all. After a school bus crashes Dr. Maxwell is pressed into service by the local understaffed mission hospital. 

Call the Midwife (2012-?)
Based on the Midwife Trilogy by Jennifer Worth [First published 2002] the TV series of the nurses, midwifes, and nuns that live and work in London's East End during the 1950’s and 60's.

China Sky (1945)
Based on the novel China Sky by, Pearl S Buck [First Published in 1941] Dr. Grey Thompson and Dr. Sara Durand run a mission hospital in rural China. When Dr. Thompson brings his new wife to the mission tensions arise between the two women. After the invading Japanese Army comes near the mission hospital they decide to treat and support Chinese Guerilla Fighters.

The Chosen One A.K.A. O Escolhido (2019) 
Three Doctors go to a remote village in Pantanal, Brazil to vaccinate against the Zika virus. Once there the Doctors clash with a local faith healer and his loyal followers.
 
The Citadel (1938) (2001)
Based on the book The Citadel by A.J. Cronon [First Published in 1937] A young Doctor starts his career in a poor area but is frustrated by his attempts to improve his patients' lives and cure/prevent the chronic conditions caused by the working conditions of the largest employers. After a personal tragedy he heads to London and is tempted by easy money of treating patients of high society.  
 
The Clinic on the Sea (2013)
Dr. Sezaki Kota a young doctor that is a little too eager with women starts working on a traveling Boat Clinic that serves the small islands off of Japan. 

The Country Doctor AKA Medecin de Campagne (2016)
A beloved Doctor is diagnosed with cancer, so he starts training a younger Doctor that is interested in learning rural medicine. 

A Country Practice (1981-1993) 
Australian series focuses on the day-to-day life of the Doctors and Nurses in a rural hospital, the area, and people it serves in Wandin Valley.

Daktari (1966-1969)
Veterinarian Dr. Marsh Tracy and his daughter Paula and their team run an animal research center in Africa while battling criminals and other dangers.  

Dr. Mack A.K.A. Lau Man Yi Sang (1995)
Dr. Lau Man runs a free clinic in a poor underserved area of Hong Kong mainly serving prostitutes, locals and others with few choices of medical care. Until an old rival causes for the doctor.   

Doc Martian (2004-2021) Doc Martin (FR) (2011-2015)
A top surgeon that develops a blood phobia becomes the GP in the Coastal town of Portwenn, Cornwall, England where he had spent his summers as a child.

Doctor Finley (1993-1996) 
After serving in the Royal Army Medical Core during WWII, Dr. John Finley returns to Tannochbrae, Scotland to work as a GP in a time when the practice of medicine was changing. Inspired by Dr. Finlay's Casebook by A.J. Cronin [First Published in 1928]. 

Dr. Coto's Clinic A.K.A. Dr.コトー診療所 (2003)
After making a dramatic mistake in Tokyo; Dr. Koto goes to work at a clinic serving a small island off of Okinawa. 

Doctor Romantic (2016) Doctor Romantic 2 (2020)
Surgeon Kim Sa Bu that has left prestigious hospital in the city runs Doldum Hospital in Jeongseon County of South Korea Dr. Kim Sa Bu does what he can to bring in funding and talent, keeps the place running, and mentors the Doctors that come to work for him. 

The Flying Doctors (1986-1992)
The Royal Flying Doctor Service sends medical personal to remote parts of the Australian Outback where medical help would not be otherwise available. 
 
Fragile (2005) 
An American nurse takes a night position at Mercy Falls Children’s Hospital on the Isle of Wright. While working there she learns of a supernatural presence and must protect herself and the children.

The Good Karma Hospital (2017-2019)  
English Doctor Ruby Walker wanting a fresh start decides to take a job in India at a nice new modern hospital only to discover she actually she signed up to work at the run down, understaffed Good Karma Hospital. While working there she grows as a person and a Doctor.

The Grand Seduction (2014)
The people of a small fishing village in Canada that is slowing dying gets a chance to save their home when they are selected as a possible location of a new factory. To increase their chances, they must get a have a local MD. They are able to find Doctor in need of a change to temporarily work there. The towns people band together to make him become a permanent resident. 

Hard Rock Medical (2013-2018)
Eight students that are Medical Students attending the Boreal Medical School in Canada. These students are participating in the school's rural medicine program.

The Heart Guy A.K.A. Doctor Doctor (2016-2021) 
A hard partying heart surgeon Dr. Hugh Knight gets into trouble one too many times and has to serve community service as a Doctor his rural home of Whyhope,  Australia as a GP/Surgeon in the towns under resourced hospital. 

Hills of Home (1948)
Based on the novel A Doctor of the Old School by Ian Maclaren [First Published in 1895]. Set in Drumtochty, Scotland Dr. William Maclure is an old-fashioned country physician that is paid with a dog called Lassie that is not of use as a working dog but becomes a beloved complain animal. As he goes about his life, he wants a local child to take over his practice as he is having trouble keeping up in his later years of life. He finds one in Tammas Milton and sends him to medical school when he passes away after an accident Dr. Milton takes over the practice. 

Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (2021)
Yoon Hye-Jin DDS is living the good life in the city when she loses her job she goes to a small town where she was happy as a child the seaside village of Gongjin, South Korea. The town does not have a dentist, so Yoon Hye-Jin decides to stay. However, she has trouble adapting to the small-town life as she adjusts to a different lifestyle with the help from unofficial chief of the village a romance begins. 

Hospital Ship A.K.A.  병원선 / Byeong-Wonseon  (2017)
Young Doctors with different specialties provide medical care for island communities of South Korea aboard a hospital ship.

In The Fire (2023)
Set in 1890 Dr. Grace Burnham travels to a rural plantation in Prue to treat Martin Marquez a child that has autism.  As she goes about her work, Dr. Burnham and the boy are being blamed for several natural disasters hitting the area by the local villagers. 

The Indian Doctor (2010-2013)
In 1963 Dr. Perm Sharma and his wife relocate from India to a Welsh mining town to be the towns GP. 

Johnny Belinda (1948, 1958, 1967, 1982)
Based on the stage play Johnny Belinda by Elmer Harris [First Published in 1940]. Dr Robert Richardson is a young Doctor that is setting up a practice in a rural fishing village on an Island off the East Coast of Canada. As he is building his practice, he starts treatment on Belinda MacDonald young lady that is deaf and mute to communicate. They make progress however Belinda is raped and becomes pregnant. Dr. Richardson is blamed hurting the innocents involved. Until the truth is revealed. 

Medicine Man (1992)
Dr. Robert Campbell is close to discovering a cure for cancer based on a local tribal cure deep in the Amazon Rain Forest. Unable to duplicate it perfectly he seeks help in creating the cure and stopping development that will destroy the habit the cure located in.

Nijiiro Carte AKA NIZI Village Clinic (2021) 
Physician Masora Kureno is working at a large hospital in Toyko, Japan when she learns that she has a chronic illness. Needing and wanting to continue working she hides her condition and takes a position at Nijinomura Clinic located in a small mountain village and adapts to being a Country Doctor. 

Nurses On The Line: The Crash of Flight 7 A.K.A. Lost In The Wild (1993) 
Based on the true story about a group of Doctors and Student Nurses that were traveling to a medical station in rural Mexico; that crash lands in the rain forests after an engine malfunction.

Off The Map (2011) 
Three US Doctors completing their residencies go to work at a free medical clinic (200 miles away from any other medical facility) in rural South America to gain experience and learn from the established Doctors that run the clinic. 

Once Upon A Small Town (2022)
In the rural village of Huidong, South Korea the town Veterinarian Han Deok-Jin has decided to take a long vacation with his wife and conspires with members of his family to have his youngest grandson Han Ji-Yel a Veterinarian in Seoul to take over his country practice. At first Ji-Yel struggles with small town life and working with livestock but comes to love the place and the work. 

The Ottoman Lieutenant (2017) 
A Young nurse from Philadelphia joins an American doctor, to a medical mission in the Ottoman Empire just before the start of WWI. Once there she develops a relationship and falls in love with a charming Lieutenant in the Ottoman Army.

Outlander (2014-?) 
Based on the Outlander Novels by, Diana Gabaldon [First Published in 1991] A Post WWII Nurse travels back in time to 18^th Century Scotland while on Vacation with her husband. In the past she works as a healer and gets involved with the people and events of that time. So, she has to decide to stay in the past or go back to the future. 

The Painted Veil (1934) (2006)
Based on the novel The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham [First Published in 1925]. Set in the 1920's Kitty a woman of British high society gets married to a Doctor based out of China. Having married him for the wrong reasons she quickly has an affair. When her husband finds out he gives her a choice of divorce or to go with him to rural China.

Peak Practice (1993-2002)
After leaving Africa Dr. Jack Kerruish goes to work at Peak Practice in Cardale, in the Derbyshire Peak District of the UK. The series follows the adventures of the Doctors and staff that work in the practice.

RAN: Remote Area Nurse (2006)
Helen Termaine RN is sent to a remote island community in Australia’s North Torres Straits. 

Red Beard (1965)
Set in Japan during the early 1900 a recently graduated Dr. Noboru Yasumoto has been sent to complete his internship at the poor and rural Koishikawa Medical Center rather than the wealthy upper-class hospital he was expecting. Learning under an experienced Doctor nicknamed Red Beard Dr. Yasumoto grows as a Doctor and gains a new perspective of the world by the end of his internship.

Reef Doctors (2013)
Set on Hope Island, Queensland, Australia. Sam Stuart MD and her team run a remote clinic that serves several local islands, tourists, conducts research on the venom from the local wildlife.  

RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service (2021-?) 
After Dr. Eliza Harrod is affected by marriage problems and a scandal in England. She takes a position as a Senior Medical Officer for the RFDS in rural Australia. 

The Royal (2003-2011) 
Set in the 1960's the staff of St Aidan's Royal Free Hospital deal with changing times, money problems and community health in the seaside town in Great Britain.

Sister Kenny (1946)
Based on And They Shall Walk: The Life Story of Elizabeth Kenny by Elizabeth Kenny and Martha Ostenso [First Published in 1943]. Nurse Elizabeth Kenny developed treatments for infants suffering from polio and fought for her treatments to be accepted by the medical establishment. 

Sky Med (2022)
Set in Nothern Canada the series revolves around the work, romances, and lives of Doctors, Nurses and Pilots for/with a medic transport and rescue company. 
 
Summer 2007 (2007) 
After getting in over his head in politics a Medical Student decides to get out of town for a while. He convinces several of his friends/classmates to do their required community service internship at what they believe will be a modern clinic in an upper-class vacation area of India. Instead, they are sent to a poor rural area.

Books: 

A Doctor of the Old School by Ian Maclaren [First Published in 1895]

The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham [First Published in 1925]
 
Dr. Finlay's Casebook by A.J. Cronin [First Published in 1928]

Failure by Katharine Haviland-Taylor [First Published 1932] 

Green Light by Lloyd C. Douglas [First Published in 1934]

The Citadel by A.J. Cronon [First Published in 1937]

Johnny Belinda by Elmer Harris [First Published in 1940]

Kings Row by Henry Bellamann [First Published in 1940]

China Sky by, Pearl S Buck [First Published in 1941]

And They Shall Walk: The Life Story of Elizabeth Kenny by Elizabeth Kenny and Martha Ostenso [First Published in 1943]

Bodies and Souls by Maxence Van der Meersch (Translator Eithne Wilkins) [First Published in 1943]

All Creatures Great and Small by James Harriot [First Published in 1972]

What? Dead Again? By Neil B Shulman, MD [First Published 1979]

Window of Childhood by Olson Huff, MD [First Published 1990]

Outlander Novels by, Diana Gabaldon [First Published in 1991]

Miss Evers Boys by David Feldshuh [First Published in 1995]

Midwives by Chris Bohjalian [First Published in 1997]
 
The Midwife Trilogy by Jennifer Worth [First published 2002]

Virgin River by Robyn Carr [First Published in 2007] 

Doc Martin: Practice Makes Perfect by Sam North [First Published in 2013] Doc Martin: Mistletoe and Whine by Sam North [First Published in 2013]