Modern TV series often use their respective platforms to talk about serious issues. From Broad City tackling issues of casual misogyny, to Star Trek featuring the first ever interracial kiss on the small screen. TV shows can hold up a mirror to society and reflect our progress by taking on serious, relevant topics. Now it seems that Lifetime is getting in on the action with a brand new show about assisted suicide called Mary Kills People -- a title that is admittedly a bit on the nose, but we absolutely love it.
We've just learned that Lifetime has officially commissioned a new series that will tackle the dark world of assisted suicide. Aptly titled, Mary Kills People, the show will center on an ER nurse named Mary (Caroline Dehavernas) who moonlights as an assisted suicide doctor. However, as the underground killing industry begins to grow and grow, Mary finds herself forced to play dirty simply to keep her business alive. Despite the fact that the series will focus on some fairly morbid issues, the overall tone of the series won't be completely overbearing. There's something darkly humorous about the concept of death, and the folks at Lifetime apparently are seeking to capitalize on that by blending comedy and genuine drama with the upcoming series.
The concept of assisted suicide has become an incredibly hot topic in recent years. Many stand by it as a valid medical option for terminally ill patients who don't want to prolong their suffering, while many others assert that the practice is medically unethical. Although the procedure has existed across numerous cultures for quite some time, it has had quite a bit of trouble picking up mainstream use; however, opinions towards the practice generally seem to be softening, as a real life assisted suicide was even broadcast on British television for the very first time in 2008. While Mary Kills People will center on a protagonist who willingly participates in the process for a living, it seems that the overall tone of the series will allow it to look at the issue from both sides.
Mary Kills People won't be the first time that the media has dramatized the idea of assisted suicide. Several movies have come out over the last few years tackling the issues in a very similar manner. However, this will be one of (if not the) first times that a serialized drama has centered on a medical professional helping patients end their lives. There really will be nothing else like it on television when it debuts next year.
CinemaBlend will bring you any and all relevant details related to the upcoming debut of Mary Kills People as more information about the series becomes available to us. Mary Kills People will debut in 2017. For now, make sure to check out our comprehensive fall TV premiere guide and fill out your television viewing schedules accordingly!
