Royal Pains: “I’m only here for the weekend.”

USA Network’s latest foray into original summer programming is Royal Pains, the dramedy starring Mark Feuerstein as a talented surgeon who finds himself working as a private physician for the uber-wealthy in the Hamptons. Initially I thought this was going to be a glossy, quirky series, the equivalent of a summer beach read. After previewing the first episode, however, it’s clear that while the characters are quirky and the setting is glossy, there is depth to this series that’s refreshing.

Every character has layers, from Hank, the Robin Hood of medicine, to his younger brother, the (disgraced?) accountant, to his new physicians assistant, with ties to the wealthier side of the Hamptons. We’re given enough of a glimpse of each personality to wonder what we’ll find out about them in future episodes. Hank’s motivations appear to be altruistic – he loses his job as an ER surgeon after prioritizing care of a “civilian” over the billionaire benefactor of the hospital. Clearly Hank doesn’t understand the intricacies of hospital politics. After a few weeks of moping, his fed-up fiancee gives up on him, his furniture gets repossessed, and little brother Evan has to pry him out of the remaining chair and drag him out to the Hamptons for the weekend. When a young woman collapses at a party, Hank springs into action and goes all MacGuyver to save her. The rich host of the party immediately invites him to become his concierge doctor, a live-in doctor serving the elite. “I’m only here for the weekend,” says Hank.

It’s a phrase Hank will repeat several times over the course of the weekend, convincing no one. Brother Evan (deftly played by Paulo Costanzo), a CPA who makes no excuses for his love of money, jumps at the opportunity to keep Hank in the Hamptons. He immediately forms HankMed and starts interviewing assistants. In a recent interview, we asked Mark Feuerstein about Evan’s motives for wanting to stay in the Hamptons. After all, doesn’t he have an accounting practice to run?

“You will learn in an episode, maybe the fourth episode, you will learn something about why he left his practice, and it may have something to do with certain dealings on his part that were not entirely kosher,” teases Feuerstein.  “So, that’s one part of the backstory that comes out in episode and it makes one believe that he might never return to being a CPA, and why he’s far more dependent on HankMed than maybe I am.”

It sounds like seemingly carefree Evan has some baggage of his own. Meanwhile, Hank’s new assistant, Divya (Reshma Shetty), comes with her own history. Her SUV sports the latest in portable medical equipment, she’s cool and efficient, and she calmly shuts down a drooling Evan with, “Don’t objectify me, sidekick.” Formidable. Until her mother calls, summoning her to a polo match, and she turns into an insecure 12-year-old.

Then, of course, there is the love interest. Jill (Jill Flint) is the administrator at the local hospital, which is deemed far too inferior for the wealthy and therefore most of the patients are the “regular people” who maintain the island and live there year ’round. Hank and Jill connect immediately over their shared passion for equality of medical care. We don’t spend a lot of time with Jill in this first episode, but it’s clear that she and Hank are meant to be an item. I don’t see the sparks flying yet; that will come as the series progresses, I expect.

And finally, there’s the Duke, Boris, who talks Hank into residing in the summer cottage for the season and serving as his concierge doctor. Played by Campbell Scott, who walks the line between smarmy and mysterious with ease, Boris is an enigma who I hope we learn more about this summer.

USA’s tagline is “characters welcome.” I think they have another show full of characters that we’ll be welcoming each week, eager to find out more about them, while wishing we could spend leisurely summers at the shore. Royal Pains premieres Thursday, June 4th at 10/9c on USA Network.