Three new doctors go to the remote tiny South American village, Le Ciudad de las Estrellas. They are trying to redeem
themselves for their past mistakes at a small clinic that runs on low tech medicine The clinic is full of flawed
doctors who try their best at practicing jungle medicine. At the center of the group of doctors
is Dr. Keaton, who is the soul of the clinic. Also there is Zee, who is the mother of the clinic, while Cole is recovering
addict who is in love with Zee. They welcome and train the new doctors- Brenner, Fuller (aka Plastics), and Minard-
in the ways of jungle doctoring while Dr. Clark tries to escape the jungle in an on-and-off relationship (on the side)
with Keaton.
OFF THE MAP sometimes threatens to be too soap opera-like, but it's humanity and stories of the patients they treat
come to the front of the series. I do think the clinic has the doctors being involved too much in their relationships
with each other and yet I found myself drawn to this this short-lived series. I didn't care for the men that
Minard got involved with while I did find Fuller's friendship with Charlie (the boy who the clinic took in and hired) is a
good part of the show. It seems most of the characters get involved in bad relationships of flee from a good relationship.
OUT OF THE MAP goes out of the way to create drama for the relationships of the main characters. The guest stars
fare better in how their characters are treated. Don't get me started on the guy who farms Cocca leaf that gets turned
into cocaine. He gets involved with Dr. Brenner who has bad taste in men.
I cared for the characters, but I cringed at the relationship choices they make. The stories of jungle medicine
kept me tuned in. If the show had survived for a second season, I hoped they would have toned down the relationship
melodrama. OFF THE MAP is another flawed short lived series to be enjoyed on DVD. Rent it or buy it if
you like medical dramas.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
ON THE SET AT OFF THE MAP- a featurette that looks at the production that shot in Hawaii with
the focus being on the production design and how it was to shoot in Hawaii.
JUNGLE MEDICINE- cast, creators, and writers discuss
the real cases of jungle medicine that inspired the stories in the show.
Also included is a very short blooper reel and 12 deleted
scenes with many being from the fourth episode of the show (that shows a cut subplot).
FINAL ANALYSIS: OFF THE
MAP is a human and sometimes too melodramatic series about doctors and the medicine they practice. Too bad the show
didn't last longer. I hope people aren't fooled by the DVD box art which makes it look like another season of LOST.
this DVD review is
(c)9-3-2011 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com
