MS on TV: Is it Accurately Represented?

We were five seasons into a show when the main character got unexpectedly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

How is this going to end? Is my carefree nighttime entertainment with my husband now going to be a constant reminder of the disease that I live with every single day? Will the writers do a good job of representing the real world with MS?

Seeing MS depicted on TV

I honestly was surprised that I hadn’t been tipped off about the show earlier, because by the time we were binging “The Resident” on Netflix, it had been out for a number of years. Typically, when a celebrity is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or it becomes a topic on a show or in the news, someone within my social circle will think of me and pass it along.

But when Randolph Bell of "The Resident" was unexpectedly diagnosed with MS, I had no idea it was coming. And I’ll admit, I was really bummed, because I simply didn’t want to think about multiple sclerosis any more than I already do. It’s not an “entertaining” storyline to me. What’s entertaining is something that takes my mind off of it.

But I stuck with it.

Missing the mark

His symptoms first started with a hand tremor, then walking issues, and then optic neuritis that prevented him from seeing. All of this was within two to three episodes. It was like popcorn, a new – and rather dramatic – symptom kept popping up. While it can be very indicative of this unpredictable and progressive disease, it felt like the writers were trying to overdramatize the diagnosis.

While I understand that’s part of Hollywood, it felt like they completely missed the mark.

Yes, MS can do big, scary things to your body. Yes, it’s unpredictable. And yes, it can feel like one big game of whack-a-mole. However, even that’s not the full picture.  The invisible symptoms can be just as big of a struggle. Fatigue is one of the biggest and most challenging symptoms of MS. But that doesn’t make good TV, does it? That part of MS is even boring to the writers – and likely the viewers, too.

Have you seen MS in TV or movies?

I was glad that they brought the diagnosis to light, given that it’s an often overlooked diagnosis in the news. Nearly 1 million of us in the United States alone are living with it, but it still doesn’t get the spotlight too often.¹ So, I guess, it’s a bit of a catch-22. I’m glad that the show helped to raise awareness by including it in the storyline, but as with any storytelling, the creative control that the writers have will determine how accurate it’s actually represented.

The nature of TV is to dramatize storylines to keep us hooked, right?

Now, this is just my perspective on the show. I’m curious to know, did you watch "The Resident" with Bell’s diagnosis? Or have you come across MS in another TV show or movie? How did you feel about it? Do writers do a good job in your opinion with conveying the realities of living with multiple sclerosis?

Please share below, so we can hear your perspective, too. Your voice matters, and we love hearing it!