Miami Medical's Omar Gooding: Friday Night Slot Is a "Good Thing"

A Friday prime-time slot isn't so prime anymore, but Omar Gooding isn't worried about Miami Medical.
"I actually think being on Friday is a good thing," Gooding tells TVGuide.com. "I know I'm probably in the minority who think that, but CBS has done pretty well with Friday shows. They've got Medium, Ghost Whisperer. ... Numb3rs, which was before us, owned the spot, so we're in good company."
In three airings, Jerry Bruckheimer's splashy drama has averaged some 7 million viewers and twice has won its 10 p.m. hour (against competition including 20/20 and Dateline NBC). The numbers are reassuring for Gooding and the Miami gang, who saw their show sit on the shelf awhile.
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"It's kind of impatient waiting to come on, so to have a good reception feels great," he says. "I think a lot of people have a preconceived notion that Friday automatically means cancellation, but it's just a different beast and networks may have to nurture [shows] a little bit more. But as long as you're good, people will find you and stay with you."Part of the appeal of Miami, Gooding says, is in its signature Bruckheimer high-octane action that would "pull anyone in." But the show also has character-driven storylines with patients and the Alpha Team.

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On Friday's episode, the group treats a couple who falls after a balcony collapses. Or at least it tries to; the wife refuses treatment. "People always ask if I think there's too much craziness and blood and too little drama, but I don't think there needs to be a 50/50 balance between them," he says. "There are actually wild cases like ours, and with us having to treat these people within the first hour [of the accidents], that makes it so much more fast-paced and unpredictable. But we never forget about the people. You always get to know the patients."By the end of the season, viewers will get to know Gooding's Tuck Brody very well. The laidback nurse is as fun-loving and relaxed as he has appeared — but there's more to him.Miami Medical: "The rockstars of medicine""Each person kind of gets an episode or so to themselves. You'll get into Tuck's story more and find out about the scar on his head and all that," Gooding says. "There is something dark to him. The last two episodes will focus on him more along with some other insane stuff. It's going to be great! If you thought what we've shown has been crazy, just wait. ... There is a cliff-hanger with certain people."The cliff-hanger is wrapped up, and there are five episodes in the can for Season 2. Now, all the series needs is a pickup."Hopefully, we'll be back," Gooding says. "I think we have a chance. We definitely have way more to tell."