Approx length: There are thirteen episodes ranging in length from 42-45 minutes. One source said it would take 13 hours to binge, and I would say slightly under that.
Where to find it: It’s on Disney+, and you can watch it on YouTube. The links to each are in a post I made here (I couldn't put them into a playlist, for some reason): https://dauntlessshadowice.dreamwidth.org/16509.html
What is it, in summary?: A single season teen drama about the adolescent patients at the fictional Ocean Park Hospital in LA, it follows the titular Red Band Society, a sextet of acquaintances turned friends (turned lovers, at least for some of them), and the drama that comes with living in a hospital. Oh, and it’s narrated by a twelve-year-old in a coma. So. The Red Band Society is (writing this down here because I’m referencing them later): Charlie, the narrator. He’s in a coma. Leo, a former osteosarcoma patient and amputee. He has an on-off relationship with Emma. Jordi, the new kid at the beginning of the series with Ewing sarcoma, and Leo’s roommate. Dash, who has cystic fibrosis and is Leo’s bestie. Emma, a girl with anorexia and Leo’s on-off girlfriend. Kara, the other new kid at the beginning of the series with an enlarged heart. Charlie’s roommate. I don’t know why.
What do you love about it? It’s a long list. I love the fact that it focuses more on the patients than the staff (though they get screen time) and that they don’t shy away from making the taboo parts of other shows central to the storyline (for example, Emma, one of the main characters has an eating disorder, and it’s well-written, for the most part.)
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: Definitely Jordi/Leo and Emma/Kara, as well as Jordi/Emma/Leo and Emma/Jordi/Leo/Kara. Gen stuff. Everyone getting better and living their lives. Everyone getting as worse as possible without actually dying. (I’m aware of how those contradict each other and I’ll bring up the point of very few fics in the fandom anyway.)
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: Uh, not really. It’s a serial, so it would have to be watched in order. There’s characterization in every episode that you’d miss if you didn’t watch that particular episode.
Content warnings: There’s discussion of death, and there’s one scene in one of the final few episodes where Emma relapses and throws up, which may be triggering. There’s also drug use and underage alcohol use.
Red Band Society (US TV)
Title: Red Band Society (US TV)
Media: TV Show
Approx length: There are thirteen episodes ranging in length from 42-45 minutes. One source said it would take 13 hours to binge, and I would say slightly under that.
Where to find it: It’s on Disney+, and you can watch it on YouTube. The links to each are in a post I made here (I couldn't put them into a playlist, for some reason): https://dauntlessshadowice.dreamwidth.org/16509.html
What is it, in summary?: A single season teen drama about the adolescent patients at the fictional Ocean Park Hospital in LA, it follows the titular Red Band Society, a sextet of acquaintances turned friends (turned lovers, at least for some of them), and the drama that comes with living in a hospital. Oh, and it’s narrated by a twelve-year-old in a coma. So.
The Red Band Society is (writing this down here because I’m referencing them later):
Charlie, the narrator. He’s in a coma.
Leo, a former osteosarcoma patient and amputee. He has an on-off relationship with Emma.
Jordi, the new kid at the beginning of the series with Ewing sarcoma, and Leo’s roommate.
Dash, who has cystic fibrosis and is Leo’s bestie.
Emma, a girl with anorexia and Leo’s on-off girlfriend.
Kara, the other new kid at the beginning of the series with an enlarged heart. Charlie’s roommate. I don’t know why.
What do you love about it? It’s a long list. I love the fact that it focuses more on the patients than the staff (though they get screen time) and that they don’t shy away from making the taboo parts of other shows central to the storyline (for example, Emma, one of the main characters has an eating disorder, and it’s well-written, for the most part.)
What sort of things are you likely to request for it?: Definitely Jordi/Leo and Emma/Kara, as well as Jordi/Emma/Leo and Emma/Jordi/Leo/Kara. Gen stuff. Everyone getting better and living their lives. Everyone getting as worse as possible without actually dying. (I’m aware of how those contradict each other and I’ll bring up the point of very few fics in the fandom anyway.)
Are there sections of canon (rather than the whole canon) that can be consumed by themselves to fulfil your requests, or that showcase particular characters and relationships?: Uh, not really. It’s a serial, so it would have to be watched in order. There’s characterization in every episode that you’d miss if you didn’t watch that particular episode.
Content warnings: There’s discussion of death, and there’s one scene in one of the final few episodes where Emma relapses and throws up, which may be triggering. There’s also drug use and underage alcohol use.