NBC Pulls ‘Nurses’ Episode From Streaming Platforms Following Criticism of Jewish Storyline

NBC is taking down the season finale of Nurses after receiving criticism from national Jewish organizations calling one particular scene antisemitic. A network source confirmed the news with Deadline. The scene in question shows an Orthodox Jewish man, who’s a patient in the hospital, and his father disagreeing with doctors over the hospital’s proposed course of treatment. He refuses a bone graft for his leg injury because it would come from a “goyim” leg. “A dead goyim leg from anyone, an Arab, a woman ––” the father says in the clip. “Or God forbid an Arab woman,” one of the nurses responds.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center released a statement regarding the controversial scene. “The writers of this scene check all the boxes of ignorance and pernicious negative stereotypes, right down to the name of the patient, Israel — paiyous and all. In one scene, NBC has insulted and demonized religious Jews and Judaism,” it said. It added: “Overreaction? Orthodox Jews are targeted for violent hate crimes – in the city of New York, Jews are number one target of hate crimes in US; this is no slip of the tongue. It was a vile, cheap attack masquerading as TV drama. What’s NBC going to do about it?” The NBC source went on to say the network had been contacted by multiple national Jewish organizations and was keen to have conversations with them about the topic.

Many Twitter users reacted to the episode on social media. “Every time I see a misrepresentation of Chassidim in Hollywood I’m reminded that often the only things I know about other cultures is through the same mediums,” one person wrote. “All I can say about NBC nurses is that if you really want to know about the beautiful hasidic community in New York or elsewhere to go and visit with them. Maybe then you’d learn how wrong that portrayal really is. Stop peddling in stereotypes and get to know the truth,” another user said.

While NBC doesn’t produce the show, the network picked up the Canadian 10-episode series in order to fill the hole in its primetime lineup. The Toronto-set drama follows five young nurses working on the front lines of a busy downtown hospital, dedicating their lives to helping others while struggling to help themselves.