NRK hospital drama LIS takes unrealistic creative liberties, producer admits

The Norwegian public broadcaster’s acclaimed hospital drama LIS—praised for its realistic portrayal of the country’s healthcare system—includes fictionalized scenes that stray from real working conditions, executive producer Ales Ree told Dagbladet on Sunday.

The series, which follows junior doctors in residency at a Norwegian hospital, has drawn widespread approval from medical professionals since its NRK debut weeks ago. Ree confirmed the production team conducted extensive research, including interviews with doctors and staff, to ground the show in authenticity. Yet some elements, she acknowledged, were adjusted for dramatic effect.

“When we created a series centered on workplace relationships, we needed scenes where characters engage in small talk—eating pastries together, discussing their private lives,” Ree said. “But our research made it clear: real LIS doctors simply don’t have time for that.”

The team also discovered that trauma situations in hospitals often unfold with unexpected calm, posing a challenge for building on-screen tension. Ree described the daily efforts of healthcare workers as “profoundly impressive,” a quality she hoped the series would capture.

On Thursday, Ree joined series creator Karianne Lund and producer Ivar Køhn at a Helse Sør-Øst regional conference in Kristiansand to discuss the intersection of drama and medical reality. Their presentation included clips from LIS alongside insights from production and research.

While fictional, the series has resonated deeply with physicians. Celebrity doctor Kaveh Rashidi told Dagbladet it “struck him to the core,” and Harald Dobloug, another physician, cited the unrelenting demands of hospital work as his reason for leaving the profession. Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre has indicated the show may prompt reforms to Norway’s LIS residency program.