THE SHOW "Coma," A&amp;E, Monday and Tuesday nights at 9 
 WHAT IT'S ABOUT Something is not right at Memorial Hospital, and it doesn't take med student Susan Wheeler (<a href="/topics//Lauren_Ambrose">Lauren Ambrose</a>) long to figure out what: Patients are going into comas while the poor souls are then shipped off to the mysterious Jefferson Institute. She wants to know why, and gets an assist from surgical resident Dr. Mark Bellows (Steven Pasquale) but not from the hospital's ambitious head shrink, Dr. Agnetta Lindquist (<a href="/topics//Geena_Davis">Geena Davis</a>). Meanwhile, what's the deal with funky old-timer, Professor Hillside (<a href="/topics//Richard_Dreyfuss">Richard Dreyfuss</a>) -- onetime friend and colleague of Susan's father? Speaking of the funk, how about creepy Mrs. Emerson (<a href="/topics//Ellen_Burstyn">Ellen Burstyn</a>) who takes care of the comatose at Jefferson? Says she of her stricken flock, "They're not really alive. But they're not dead, either." Based on <a href="/topics//Robin_Cook">Robin Cook</a>'s 1977 bestseller and <a href="/topics//Michael_Crichton">Michael Crichton</a>'s '78 film, this is one of the last production collaborations of brothers Ridley and <a href="/topics//Tony_Scott">Tony Scott</a>; the latter died last month. 
 MY SAY The appeal of a <a href="/topics//Michael_Crichton">Crichton</a>-directed adaptation of <a href="/topics//Robin_Cook">Cook</a>'s thriller in 1978 was obvious. Bursting with ideas about medical ethics on the frontier of new medicine, <a href="/topics//Michael_Crichton">Crichton</a> -- himself a doctor -- found the perfect material to match his own interests and growing rep behind the camera. But the appeal of a <a href="/topics//Tony_Scott">Scott</a> adaptation in 2012 is not even remotely obvious. "Medical malpractice" had barely entered the language back then, much less the public consciousness. A hospital that harvested patients? Crazy . . . but, hey, maybe not so crazy! This, however, is 2012, folks, and the idea is just plain crazy, and so is the plot. The hospital screws up, and not a single lawyer is heard from? Grieving families don't visit their loved ones? Not in this miniseries, anyway. "Coma" demands of the viewer -- you -- a superhuman suspension of disbelief over four hours. If you can muster that, you're left with a largely entertaining movie, featuring some legendary actors happy to ham it up in the presence of two famous producers. 
 BOTTOM LINE Sure, the plot's ridiculous, but the film's mostly fun, while the pleasure of watching <a href="/topics//Ellen_Burstyn">Burstyn</a> play a homicidal wacko is not to be denied anyone. 
 GRADE B

THE SHOW "Coma," A&E, Monday and Tuesday nights at 9 WHAT IT'S ABOUT Something is not right at Memorial Hospital, and it doesn't take med student Susan Wheeler (Lauren Ambrose) long to figure out what: Patients are going into comas while the poor souls are then shipped off to the mysterious Jefferson Institute. She wants to know why, and gets an assist from surgical resident Dr. Mark Bellows (Steven Pasquale) but not from the hospital's ambitious head shrink, Dr. Agnetta Lindquist (Geena Davis). Meanwhile, what's the deal with funky old-timer, Professor Hillside (Richard Dreyfuss) -- onetime friend and colleague of Susan's father? Speaking of the funk, how about creepy Mrs. Emerson (Ellen Burstyn) who takes care of the comatose at Jefferson? Says she of her stricken flock, "They're not really alive. But they're not dead, either." Based on Robin Cook's 1977 bestseller and Michael Crichton's '78 film, this is one of the last production collaborations of brothers Ridley and Tony Scott; the latter died last month. MY SAY The appeal of a Crichton-directed adaptation of Cook's thriller in 1978 was obvious. Bursting with ideas about medical ethics on the frontier of new medicine, Crichton -- himself a doctor -- found the perfect material to match his own interests and growing rep behind the camera. But the appeal of a Scott adaptation in 2012 is not even remotely obvious. "Medical malpractice" had barely entered the language back then, much less the public consciousness. A hospital that harvested patients? Crazy . . . but, hey, maybe not so crazy! This, however, is 2012, folks, and the idea is just plain crazy, and so is the plot. The hospital screws up, and not a single lawyer is heard from? Grieving families don't visit their loved ones? Not in this miniseries, anyway. "Coma" demands of the viewer -- you -- a superhuman suspension of disbelief over four hours. If you can muster that, you're left with a largely entertaining movie, featuring some legendary actors happy to ham it up in the presence of two famous producers. BOTTOM LINE Sure, the plot's ridiculous, but the film's mostly fun, while the pleasure of watching Burstyn play a homicidal wacko is not to be denied anyone. GRADE B

Entertainment

ETTEL03,WEB

'Coma' review: A&E adaptation is a hoot

Newsday

ENTER TV-TINSEL 2 MCT

Entertainment trending

Take our quizzes

50 best LI movies

AI's effect on entertainment

Jones Beach summer 2026 concerts

Most Popular

Entertainment Rail Module

The "Sabrina" actor and her mother will receive the Legacy Vanguard Award.

Melissa Joan Hart, Paula Hart honored at first Sayville Film Festival

Tong, the iconic New York anchor who held the job for 45 years at just two stations, said she'll finally hang it up for the most human of reasons: "I'm tired."

Kaity Tong: Why I'm retiring now

But can the hot streak contiue in the coming months?

Thanks to 'Spider-Man.' 'Toy Story,' 'The Odyssey,' Hollywood has a sizzling summer

Springsteen announced the improvement in his wife and longtime E Street Band member's health in a video message for a cancer research fundraiser.

Patti Scialfa's cancer in remission after 8 years, Bruce Springsteen says

The Suffolk will host "A Night With the Cast of 'The Sopranos' " on Oct. 4.

Bada bing! 'Sopranos' stars coming to Riverhead

Learn about the history of the sitcom about idenitcal cousins and how it defined the 1960s.

Hot dogs, crepes Suzette and 'The Patty Duke Show'

Sign up for Newsday's Entertainment newsletter

Entertainment newsletter widget

More Entertainment

Entertainment Article Bottom Module

Ted's back in the UK, this time coaching a women's soccer team.

3 takeaways from new season of 'Ted Lasso'

Tong has anchored in the New York market since 1980 at WABC and WPIX, where she has worked since 1992.

Veteran anchor Kaity Tong retiring

Sharyn Alfonsi and Scott Pelley become journalists-in-residence at Columbia Journalism School.

2 fired '60 Minutes' correspondents get new gigs

NEWSDAY TV SHORTS

Vertical videos

NewsdayTV's Macy Egeland and Doug Geed take a look back at the case against Richard Angelo, who injected several patients with a paralyzing drug.

Picture This: That time an LI nurse killed several patients

Advocates say they are seeing signs that U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement agents are becoming more active on Long Island. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

ICE presence once again growing on LI

NewsdayTV's Izzy Mignardi spoke with Newsday's MLB columnist David Lennon to get his take on the moves the Mets made at the 2026 trade deadline.

Assessing the Mets' trade deadline moves

NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa works out the wrinkles and learns the meticulous process of car wrapping at LI Wrap Pros & Mechanic in Mineola.

LI Works: That's a wrap! Ken tries his hand at wrapping cars

NewsdayTV's Doug Geed tours Splish Splash, which has been entertaining Long Islanders for 35 years.

Out East: Slide into fun at Splish Splash

John Scarola of Kings Park volunteers at the Sweetbriar Nature Center because environment and nature are things he is very passionate about.

 Volunteers of LI: Kings Park man does his part to preserve nature

Newsday food writer Melissa Azofeifa tried several dishes on from the social media menu at Island Lake Diner in Ronkonkoma.

Trying the social media menu at Island Lake Diner

The remains of Sgt. Henry "Harry" Younge, an airman from Long Island who was killed in a Japanese prison fire during World War II, were buried in Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.

WWII airman from LI laid to rest 8 decades after his death

The 50th annual 'Great Freeport Canoe Race' was held at Cow Meadow Park on Sunday. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.

Freeport community comes together for 50th annual canoe race

Suffolk County has agreed to a $57.5 million settlement that repays drivers up to $36 for administrative fees. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

Suffolk to refund $45M in red light camera fees to drivers 

Sitewide Video Playlist

A Newsday review turned up half a dozen instances of unidentified remains found on LI in the early '90s — a period when the admitted serial killer began committing murders. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn hosts a discussion with Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney and Newsday criminal justice reporter Anthony DeStefano.

'We treat each of these cases individually'

Human rights activists say the conditions that led to Lucero's death in 2008 are on the rise again nationwide amid the federal government's mass deportation campaign. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

'Instead of moving forward, we moved backwards'

'He would finally be coming home'

The town's housing authority used an unlawful system to curate its waitlist for apartments, according to federal officials. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.

'I have never seen anything this egregious'

'They will come and get you'

Wednesday commemmorated the 100th anniversary of Babe Ruth catching a baseball dropped from a plane at Mitchel Field in Uniondale. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa has more.

'I wish I was around here to see it'

The 27-year-old Westbury man who was shot has been charged with two counts of menacing a police officer. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

'Officer fired once, striking the individual in the face'

The gang members killed Miguel Garcia-Moran because they mistakenly believed he was a rival gang member, prosecutors said. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.

'A bit of justice'

12 LI school districts had cash reserves beyond the legal limit in 2025-26. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

'Get some more programs for children'

A 2023 Farmingdale High School crash led to New York mandating seat belts in charter buses, but enforcement remains challenging. NewsdayTV's Ken Buffa reports.

'This law is difficult to enforce'

Suffolk created a street takeover task force in 2024 that has broken up more than 100 incidents in the county.

What local police departments do to combat the problem

Ring camera footage appears to show Riverhad Town GOP official leaving the scene after she allegedly struck multiple parked cars and continued driving.

Caught on camera: Riverhead GOP official allegedly hits parked cars

App Nativo Ad Unit Slot

TV - megaslot

Newsday TV critic Verne Gay reviews new TV shows and series from Netflix, Max, Hulu and more. Plus, what Long Island actors are working on and Long Island filming locations.

'Coma' review: A&E adaptation is a hoot

Most Popular

Top Stories

Stay logged in.