After four runs on Yle, the fifth season of Yellow Film & TV ’s hit medical drama is playing on Nelonen’s streaming service Ruutu since mid-November.

With the latest season of Nurses (Syke), set two years ahead of when season 4 ended, Creator Petja Peltoma has teamed up with writers Terhi Aarola, Kirsikka Saari, Harri Virtanen, Jari Olavi Rantala and Outi Keskevaari.

In addition to the patients’ stories and relationships, the series deals with the hospital’s world from the nurses’ point of view. It challenges viewers to reflect on the frailty of human life, love and fear. Familiar characters making their come-back include the nurses Iiris (Iina Kuustonen), Johanna (Leena Pöysti), Marleena (Tiina Lymi) and Lenita (Lena Meriläinen), heart surgeon Max (Antti Luusuaniemi), anesthetist Ilmari (Matti Ristinen) and general surgeon Holopainen (Jarkko Niemi).

Before Nelonen’s take-over of Nurses, the medical drama has drawn massive audiences on the public broadcaster Yle and is the most watched series ever on Yle’s streaming service Areena. The first two seasons on Yle TV2 averaged 901,000 viewers per episode - a record for Finland’s population of 5.5 million. Season 4 reached shares of 30%.

Abroad, the Finnish show was the first Nordic drama series to air on the German commercial channel ProsiebenSat1 according to world distributor Eccho Rights.

As a format, the show has been even more successful. “Nurses is a wonderful format that has been a key part of our catalogue for a number of years. We have secured many international deals for a series and script that is gripping and emotional and speaks to producers and broadcasters looking for a unique take on the medical drama genre,” said Eccho Rights’ managing director Fredrik af Malmborg.

The Swedish format Syrror produced by Bob Film was C More/TV4’s first medical drama, commissioned for 2 seasons, and it was sold to DR in Denmark and TV2 in Norway.

In Slovakia, private broadcaster Markíza has enjoyed the successful first run this fall of Sestričky, the local remake. Broadcast in September and October, the series scored an average rating of 9% and share over 25% throughout its run, with a high of 28%, making it the best performing new series in Slovakia for the fall. A returning season has been confirmed by Matthias Settele, managing director of TV Markíza.

The format has been optioned for a remake by DLT in the UK and Zebra Producciones in Spain.