Once I began watching Fox’s new amnesia series “Doc,” I found myself wishing I could just turn off the television.

There are definitely worse shows than “Doc” (Tuesdays, 9 EST/PST, ★½ out of four), which tells the story of Dr. Amy Larsen (Molly Parker), a cold-hearted doctor who loses eight years of her memory following a traumatic brain injury. While some shows have poor writing, one-dimensional characters, dull narratives, or even offensive content, “Doc” suffers from a far more significant flaw: it is profoundly unpleasant to watch.

“Doc” is, as the younger generation might say, “cringe.” It’s awkward, unengaging, and frustrating. At times, it leans into active depression, far from what can be considered “entertainment.” Despite creator Barbie Kingman’s efforts (“Magnum, PI”), along with Parker and the rest of the ensemble, “Doc” fails to come together into an enjoyable and cohesive series. It flatlines from the very beginning.

Amy embodies every cliche about detached doctors who excel at their jobs but lack compassion. Her patients dread interacting with her, yet she consistently produces results. As the head of internal medicine at a Minneapolis hospital, she clashes with her ex-husband and hospital administrator Michael (Omar Metwally), obstructs the ambitions of subpar Dr. Richard Miller (Scott Wolf), and sneaks around with charming young doctor Dr. Jake Eller (Jon-Michael Ecker).

However, her world is turned upside down after a car accident leaves her with a traumatic brain injury. Upon waking from surgery, she believes it’s 2016 and that she’s married to Michael. She also thinks her daughter is still 9 and her son is alive, only to be faced with the heartbreaking truth that her daughter is now 17 and her son passed away seven years ago. Plus, she’s inexplicably a kinder person without those eight lost years.

The premise, inspired by a French series (which contributes to its unfortunately silly name), holds promise. Yet, “Doc” never capitalizes on the storyline. It becomes overly simplistic with neat oppositions—amnesiac Amy is good while present-day Amy is bad. Amy is a medical prodigy, while her colleagues are mere shadows. She loves her ex-husband, who has moved on, and her new partner struggles to communicate because of workplace dynamics. It all becomes quite monotonous.

Ultimately, the series feels uncomfortable—not in a positive sense. Every single interaction Amy has is laden with dramatic irony, yet the audience is left feeling uneasy knowing her teenage daughter genuinely dislikes her and that the new head of internal medicine is incompetent. Instead of engagement, viewers are just left feeling tense.

It’s disappointing because Parker is an exceptional talent with impressive roles in shows like “Deadwood” and “House of Cards.” She is almost capable of carrying this shaky series, but not quite. The show struggles to decide whether to focus on Amy’s memory loss and relationships or the episodic medical drama. Each episode is frustratingly uneven and poorly paced.

Watching TV shouldn’t feel like such a chore. I’d prefer to forget this show entirely.