Breathtaking

In much the same vain as Mr Bates vs the Post Office, a blistering representation of the crass incompetence of a dead weight Johnson govt. The problems started several years before when Hunt mainly ignored the results of the pandemic test exercise, downgrading stock piles of PPE kit and reducing the beds per 1000 population to almost the lowest in the EU.

Then followed by the absolute shambles of the govt response given the early warning from the Italian experience. To have failed the public and all health workers all the way through the pandemic, to then shaft all staff in pay negotiations was completely and utterly disgusting.

Doctor Abbey Henderson and her team prepare for the incoming COVID 19 pandemic, only they're short on PPE, oxygen, beds and more. One thing was certain, The country wasn't prepared.

Having been penned by Jed Mercurio, I was expecting something very harrowing and hard hitting, I didn't think that was the case in the first episode, I didn't think it went far enough, I thought the second part however, did get that message through.

At times very sad and very moving, I did question this drama coming out so soon after The Pandemic.

I was hospitalised in the first wave, and I can assure some of the users that I'm no actor, and I got to see first hand exactly how horrendous it was. What I would say, is that whatever your thoughts on the virus, the vaccines, the origins etc, one thing that's clear, NHS staff went through hell.

Well acted, Joanne Froggatt as always is a very safe pair of hands, she did a good job.

I thought Davina's story stood out particularly well, that was very moving.

Seeing the news clips or Johnson and Hancock, made my blood boil.

What I would say, I hope to balance this out, that a drama is commissioned showing the other side of the coin, the effects on those that lived in isolation, those that lost out on education, those that suffered financially, a balanced view needs to be shown.

7/10.

I'm binge watching this on ITVX -- the free streaming service associated with UK terrestrial broadcaster ITV. I just got to the end of the first episode and wanted to write an early review because the first episode was just so wonderful.

Joanne Froggatt provides a wonderfully restrained central performance. Despite not having the appropriate PPE -- because the central authorities have deemed it not essential -- she soldiers on.

The use of Boris Johnson -- the Prime Minister at the time -- is also restrained. It would have been easy to have included all his ignorant and ill-judged comments, but a few well-chosen clips are sufficient to damn him.

The only very minor niggle I have with this is that the font used for the onscreen text is very hard to read -- it's quite small and all uppercase.

This is an extremely well done and hard hitting three part drama.

It brought tears to my eyes in parts as it is so raw.

We can all relate to the pandemic and the loss/stress it caused and the governments lack of control and ignorance over the situation.

Very confusing times!

Very thought provoking and hard hitting and it shows just how bad it must have been for our invaluable NHS staff battling Covid on a daily basis and how they truly are angels putting the publics lives before their own, some losing theirs in the process.

Top acting from all involved.

Joanna Froggatt at her best. 10/10 from me.

This drama is excellent. The writing is superb and it is evident that the script was penned by Medics at the front line during Covid. It is all too easy to forget the horrors that front line NHS saw and the sacrifices that they made to care for Covid patients. I am inspired to read the book that this drama series is based on. There are only 3 episodes in the series but each one is a powerful reminder of the pandemic and how it impacted on families and the health professionals who cared for them. The side of HMG and NHS England is told through news reel clips and that makes the drama all the more powerful.