Holby City

British hospital dramas can be cliched affairs and yet despite sticking to the well-worn rules, Holby City has managed to stand alone as much more than just a Casualty spin-off.

The formula of eager young surgeon kept in check by irascible veteran with a God complex works a treat here, thanks largely to the chemistry between Michael French (Nick Jordan) and the sublime George Irving as Anton Meyer.

Unlike French, Irving's lack of TV baggage has made his character here all the more believable. Roles in The Professionals, Bergerac, The Bill and Boon have given him a good grounding in TV drama and his current role as the self-assured Cardio-Thoracic Consultant Surgeon seems to have been tailor-made for the South Shields-born actor.

The second run has seen the character develop, largely thanks to the arrival of his old sparring partner Mike Barrett (Clive Mantle) who manages to keep Meyer in check while dispensing a few dreadful gags.

"I had this one patient who swallowed a spoon - I told her not to stir."

Ah, where would we be without the joys of Holby City?? If you enjoy gory operations, pain-in-the-arse patients and the entire staff going for a drink in the bar at the end of the day and waking up in bed with each other the next morning then this may very well be for you.

Im a medical student, and surprisingly Holby City is not that far from the real world, if only Ed would put a tie on! Things may be a little OTT but the series is enjoyable, inspiring and not afraid to take on real issues of consent, racism, addiction and honesty in medical practice. It is most definately light relief from real-life hospitals and universally enjoyed by medics! A spin off of Casualty it has outgrown its predecessor and taken hospital dramas to new hights. For those of you who regularly watch ER this is similarly absorbing but there is slightly less of the completely impossible week-in week-out (ie helicopters don't fall on the consultants every other week)

Like any long running drama they do have the continual problem of killing off all the best characters and dragging story lines out for several months, but this show is definately worth a look on a cold rainy tuesday eve.

I have just come across the first four seasons of Holby City and am re-watching them. This was a brilliant series in the beginning, thanks to particularly the characters of consultant Anton Meyer, Victoria Merrick, Nick Jordan and Sister Karen Newburn. Compared to more recent episodes that I have watched one can see how the series has gone downhill since most of the original characters have left.

Now almost 23 years on, HOLBY today is so far from HOLBY of 1999.

Today HOLBY is a rushed, badly written and sometimes badly acted Soap Opera, in the real sense of the term, Soap Opera.

Back in the day it was new, fresh, well written and the Actors were believable!.

One was invested in the lives and struggles of Patients, Doctors, Nurses and the Paramedics and crews.

Not anymore!, instead of the quality TV it once was, today you find yourself looking at your watch, almost wishing it to end!.

So very Sad!, If the Actors do not deserve better, then surely the Viewers should.

Holby City has inspired me. 16 years old, I've watched the episodes over and over again and I love the atmosphere. I have now decided to go into medicine, as the lifestyle of the characters in this programme has enthralled me. The acting is brilliant, the effects are wizardry, the atmosphere is memorable and it's a fantastic spin-off from 'Casualty' - Another medical drama set in the same hospital.