Tobias Lindholm

It made no sense to have Netflix release The Good Nurse in late October, followed by a far-more detailed account of the same serial killer in its own Capturing the Killer Nurse in early November. Based on Charles Graeber’s book The Good Nurse: A True Story of Madness, Medicine, and Murder, both follow the investigation that led to serial killer Charles Cullen’s arrest in 2003.

Efficient yet gentle, a hospital nurse hooks up an IV bag of medication for an older woman, something to soothe the allergic reaction she’s having. The woman’s spouse nuzzles his head close to hers as her eyes close, resting. So much trust—about the nurse, their skills, and what’s in that bag. That’s ultimately what makes the Netflix crime drama The Good Nurse so unsettling.

The Good Nurse dramatizes suspenseful, terrifying medical villainy. Films and television series highlight criminal activity in its many incarnations. Of course, nefarious deeds deliver conflict, tension, and suspense as perpetrators are pursued. But there’s an exceptionally unnerving impact with blatant disregard of life when it revolves around intentional medical malice. At least, that’s how I felt throughout the unsettling, masterfully presented The Good Nurse.