Product Details

• Actors: Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo
• Format: AC-3, Box set, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 3
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: May 25, 2010
• Run Time: 537 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0037XPPAM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,986 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Royal Pains: Season One" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Now it can be told: the mega-rich get sick and hurt too. It's just that their illnesses, injuries, and conditions are a lot weirder and more exotic than those suffered by mere mortals. At least that's the message delivered in Royal Pains, USA Network's medical-comedy series offered here with all 12 first-season episodes (plus bonus features) on three discs. Mark Feuerstein plays Hank Lawson, a Manhattan physician who unfairly loses his hospital job, and soon thereafter his gold-digging fiancée, when a powerful trustee dies on his watch. Enter younger brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo), a nerdy accountant and shameless social climber, who enlists Hank to help him crash a fancy soiree in the Hamptons; Hank saves the life of a partygoer, which leads to more and more work, and all of a sudden he's a "concierge" doc at the service of people whose wealth is matched only by their vanity and acquisitiveness.

Hank soon establishes himself as not only a remarkably creative doctor (since he makes house calls, he's often obliged to be a medical MacGyver, jerry-rigging equipment out of whatever's lying around) but a man of unimpeachable ethics--a real rarity in this crowd. He also finds Divya (Reshma Shetty), an eager and reliable assistant, and Jill (Jill Casey), a fellow doctor and potential new love interest who seems to be a real person. That leaves the patients, and therein lies the rub. How much can we really be expected to care about a ballerina who's allergic to pizza, a woman whose jealous husband has had a tracking device implanted in her chest, a scientist nipped by a shark kept in a tank in some rich dude's basement, a billionaire with substance abuse problems, or a frivolous socialite whose maid becomes ill during her dog's "bark mitzvah"? Sure, some of these bits are amusing, but they seem at odds with Hank's utter seriousness about his duties. What's more, while Hank is an appealing protagonist, his relationship with Jill is uninvolving, and the snobby Divya and always-on-the-make Evan both wear thin in a hurry. Royal Pains has a lot of potential--let's hope it's more fully realized in subsequent seasons. --Sam Graham

Product Description

Hank is a rising star in the New York City medical community, until he loses everything fighting for the life of a patient. With his career stalled and his personal life in shambles, Hank is in need of a new beginning. That’s where his younger brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo) steps in. Fed up with Hank’s personal pity party, he convinces Hank to join him on a last-minute trip to the Hamptons for Memorial Day weekend. When the brothers crash a party at the home of a Hamptons billionaire and a guest falls critically ill, Hank saves the day. His dramatic medical rescue draws attention from the crowd. Inadvertently, Hank becomes the hot new “concierge doctor” in town. With encouragement from Evan and an ambitious young woman who volunteers to be his physician assistant he decides to stay in town solving medical crises and helping those in need. Hank is back to doing what he does best. And now he’s reinvented himself as the Hamptons’ hottest new “doctor-in-demand.”

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Rich pains March 18, 2010

By E. A Solinas HALL OF FAMETOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

In some ways, the rich are no different from the rest of us: they get sick, get hurt, and need doctors to figure out what makes them ache. "Royal Pains: Season One" follows the misadventures of a doctor who finds himself at their beck and call, and it has the right mix of everything -- luxurious living in the Hamptons, weird medical crises, and a fair amount of humor.

Hank Lawson (Mark Feuerstein) is a successful young E.R. doctor in New York... until the day when a wealthy trustee dies because he focused on saving a dying teenager. Trying to distract him from his woes, his brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo) whisks him to an exclusive party in the Hamptons, at the palatial mansion of the reclusive, absurdly-wealthy Boris Rabanisch (Campbell Scott).

Then a woman nearly dies at the party, and Hank manages to save both her and Boris' treasured privacy. As a result, he soon finds himself drafted as the new concierge doctor for the wealthy Hamptons residents, along with Evan and a physician's assistant named Divya (Reshma Shetty). And his work often brings him to see Jill Casey (Jill Flint), the administrator of a local hospital.

Among the cases: breast implant disasters, an epidemic at a "bark mitzvah," a mystery shark bite, a hemophiliac teenager and his "cyberchondriac" girlfriend, and mystery ailments afflicting a senator's son, a ballerina, a horseback rider, a restauranteur, and a bestselling illustrator. Since Hank cares more about curing people than making money, he also provides care for people who can't afford the best -- but the person who needs his help the most may also be the wealthiest.

I normally can't watch medical shows -- every time I try, I develop a massive case of "medical students' disease" and end up having to go watch "Psych" instead. Fortunately, "Royal Pains" is relatively light on the medical gore (despite the "flail chest" episode) -- the biggest problem is that Hank's McGuyveresque medskills sometimes stretch credibility (he makes a microscope out of jeweler's loupes?).

Despite all the deadly medical stuff, the writers also include a lot of light humor (the hot tub disaster) and fun dialogue ("She is my right hand AND my left hand, and occasionally my brain!"). But there are some heavier currents woven into the story, such as Jill's struggles to open a free clinic for the poorer people of the Hamptons. And there's a running mystery about what Boris is doing, and what his motivations might be.

Feuerstein is quite likable and endearing as a kind doctor with a conscience, who cares more about curing people than for money or politics -- and the on-off romance he has with Flint is rather cute, if complicated by Jill's ex-hubby. Costanzo's bumbling Evan can be a bit annoying at times (especially in the season finale), but he does seem to be improving. And Shetty's Divya is awesome: a sharp-tongued, sharp-minded young woman who is trapped into an arranged engagement by her arrogant parents.

And there are some great supporting actors as well -- Scott's elegant and mysterious Boris, Christine Ebersole's kindly but eccentric socialite, and Ezra Miller's neglected teenager Tucker (who becomes a sort of little-brother/nephew figure to Hank).

"Royal Pains" has some areas that need polishing, but the mixture of medical drama and guilty pleasure is pretty addictive stuff. Just don't make Dr. Hank detox you.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Summer Escapism March 23, 2010

By M. Brasfield

Format:DVD

Hank Lawson is the kind of guy you wish your doctor was: kind, dedicated, committed to helping you out. Unfortunately we live in a world that caters to the wealthy and that kind of commitment is not smiled upon. Hank lost his job in a hospital when he choose his dedicatiion to his work to perhaps looking out for that job and while we love his dignity, seeing people suffer is what makes a good television show. Luckily to his rescue comes his brother Evan, though a night at a party an opportunity comes up to change Hank and Evan's fortunes perhaps forever, or at least for a little while. Hank's quick thinking saves a woman and Evan see it to start up a business in the wealthy Hamptons with HankMed, a coinege to the wealthy and interesting cases among the rich. But you can't have a story without hitches and their problems are just beginning. Royal Pains will return for a second season, but buy Season 1 and catch up on the many fun and serious cases that came up for them, one I love was when Evan and Divya were on a sailboat far out at sea. Not what you think. Watch!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ;0) February 20, 2011

By Lady Raven RAVE! TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

I love Hank and Evan. I personally think this show is different from your typical doctor shows on tv right now. Hank is a doctor that was let go from the hospital were he was currently worked, feeling depress his brother Evan who is funny in the show take him to the Hamptons where everything change for them. Hank became the go to doctor who goes to the clients rich or poor and with the help of his brother the business became Hank, MED. It's a very good show fresh and a little different for me.