Malpractice

Malpractice doesn't muck about it has an explosive opening that shows the pressure A&E departments and their staff live with. The writer Grace Ofori-Attah was herself a Doctor in the NHS for ten years and the world's she's created here felt totally authentic.

Some of the critics have christened it Call of Duty meets Casualty and that's not a put down. Its an investigative thriller and a very twisty one - far removed from the more earnest look at the NHS under the cosh seen in 'This Is Going to Hurt' on BBC1 last year.

Production values were good throughout with an excellent script and a strong cast. A big shout out to the lead Niamh Algar for another stellar performance (also brilliant in 'Deceit').

There are a few moments you may need to suspend belief (could someone she previously knew investigate her - no) - but with such a good story and cast I didn't mind.

Excellent miniseries. Well written. Paced to perfection. Intelligently shot.

It didn't drag on too long, nor was it truncated to too few episodes. The casting was superb. And the actors performed brilliantly.

The plot also dealt with a very topical issue: the problem of addiction to prescription - rather than street - drugs. And touched upon the stress of the recent COVID pandemic as well. A strong story that had me hooked through all 5 episodes. Yes, at times a few characters were over-scripted (namely the duo on the internal investigation panel), which was grating, but this can be forgiven considering the quality of the rest of the drama.

It's great to see GOOD telly made once again, considering all the 'pap' put out by TV these days, both in too many other miniseries and in non-dramatic broadcasts.

They didn't labour the 'ah-ha' realisation moments. The viewer wasn't treated like an idiot. So there was no feel to this of a soap-y and lightweight miniseries. This one will stay with the viewer for some time. And it is a good memory.

The level of tension was kept high from the first to the last episode of this first season. In the end, they still leave open the possibility of a second season, which I hope will cover the failures of the NHS as a whole, addressing other forms of malpractice.

I also want to highlight the outstanding performances of Niamh Algar as Dr. Lucinda, as well as the entire supporting cast. The chemistry between the characters was palpable, and their portrayal of the stresses and moral dilemmas faced by healthcare professionals was both realistic and nuanced.

However, while the show offered a gripping portrayal of the internal conflicts of healthcare professionals, I couldn't help but notice the artificiality of the investigations into medical misconduct. The speed at which they occurred, coupled with the questionable access to information, seemed overly convenient and unrealistic. As a viewer, it made me question whether such investigations can truly take place at such a rapid pace in the British healthcare system, where bureaucracy and red tape can often hinder progress. Nonetheless, I hope this is something the show will address in future seasons, as it has the potential to add another layer of authenticity to an already compelling drama.

It's a truism that it's easier to start an interesting story than it is to finish it. I found this one gripping in the first couple of episodes. By episode 3 I was looking up how many more episodes there were left to go.

The story and the predicament of the lead character got more and more fraught, but it might have been hurried along, in my opinion.

In episode 5, not surprisingly it all reaches a crescendo - but then rather lamely, too smoothly and quickly comes to the conclusion.

I think it's almost a rule now that TV drama serials have one or two episodes too many. I presume it's somehow cheaper to spin out one series out than to generate two.

There are some clichés, for example those TV drama disputes where characters have an argument lasting one minute, which ends when one of them simply leaves the room.

Doctor Lucinda Edwards faces a huge decision, whether to treat an overdose victim or a young gunshot victim, as she chooses the other is left to a Junior colleague, but dies, Lucinda is grilled.

I'll be honest, after recent medical drama Maternal, my expectation were quite low for this, but this was altogether a different kind of medical drama.

When you hear that The Line of Duty team are involved, you get an idea of what to expect, and despite essentially being a hospital set melodrama, the whole thing is full of tension, twists and turns and intrigue.

It's one of those shoes that's easy to binge watch, as there are several things going on. One thing you come to realise, is that Doctors do essentially have to make some pretty huge choices, I'm not saying it's always life or death, but their decisions do have consequences.

Each episode offers something, and leaves you with more questions, I liked that it was just five episodes long. This one is worth your time.

Very well produced, it looks great and moves by at a pace. Very well acted also, Niamh Algar is excellent as Lucinda, strong performances all round.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, 8/10.