set amid the beginning turmoil of new york's covid crisis, beyond the mask is a fictional psychological chronicle of six health care workers in a callous city hospital system. maureen is a jaded veteran nurse about to retire. michael is a dedicated er nurse for whom family is everything. ethan is a young nursing assistant, nursing student, and recovering addict, ready to embark on his next chapter helping people get well. sandy is a newbie nurse getting her bearings in unforgiving surroundings, wondering if she's really in the right place. kyle is an x-ray tech who knows his job inside out until its requirements change before his eyes. fran is an orthopedic nurse who came to her work as a single mother so as to better provide for her young developmentally challenged son. in this ripped-from-the-headlines drama, six colleagues confront the failures of body and state up close. beyond the mask puts us not just in the room with health-care workers but in their heads, giving voice to conflicts, doubts, and desires unique to their calling in present-day america.