“Maybe we all die alone, but that doesn’t mean we need to live alone.” The quote from Kara Souders sums up the first season of the new show on Fox as it shows the importance of friendship in times of need. Red Band Society takes place in a hospital, Ocean Park Hospital, and follows the lives of the pediatric patients. Though each character suffers from a different medical problem- an eating disorder (Emma), Ewing’s sarcoma (Jordi), a failing heart (Kara), an amputee due to a cancerous tumor (Leo), or cystic fibrous (Dash)- each is unique and relatable.

The narrator of the show is a boy who is in a coma named Charlie, but despite his comatose state he watches the events unfold between his fellow patients. Despite the show taking place in a hospital, it is not about medical problems but about being a better person and making friends despite differences. The name of the show is derived from the red band that the characters wear to symbolize their loyalty to one another as they each undergo their own treatments.

I was hesitant to watch the show at first because it was after the The Fault in Our Stars movie came out and I feared that it would try to replicate John Green’s novel. Fortunately, I was wrong as the show took on a different angle that was interesting to follow. At times it may have been far-fetched to believe, but it was a show that was made with genuine feelings that did not discourage people who are sick or disabled but made their situations painfully realistic. Despite the season finale, three more episodes were filmed, but the air date is unknown due to the lack of viewers. Why? I think that the show is too brutally honest for some people to watch. I hope that the remaining episodes do receive the airtime they deserve and that the season continues further. Overall it was my favorite show of the 2014 Fall season.