30 commentaires
I loved this programme! The casting is excellent, from the doctor and his wife, to the receptionist and her boyfriend, to the mine boss and his wife, to the miners, to Dan, the little boy.
There is no shortage of subplots in this series. We meet a supercilious mine boss with his pathetic wife. We meet a young receptionist in her search for love. We meet an Indian doctor and wife who are newly-arrived in a small Welsh village, suffering the difficulties of fitting into a new culture, and the townspeople who, in many ways do not know what to make of the foreigners. In addition, a young boy and his father are struggling with life with little money and troubles of their own.
The music in this series is of its time. Excellent choices of music run throughout, adding to the authenticity of the series.
I recommend The Indian Doctor highly, and hope that the BBC sees fit to continue it. There are many loose ends left to tie up!
There is no shortage of subplots in this series. We meet a supercilious mine boss with his pathetic wife. We meet a young receptionist in her search for love. We meet an Indian doctor and wife who are newly-arrived in a small Welsh village, suffering the difficulties of fitting into a new culture, and the townspeople who, in many ways do not know what to make of the foreigners. In addition, a young boy and his father are struggling with life with little money and troubles of their own.
The music in this series is of its time. Excellent choices of music run throughout, adding to the authenticity of the series.
I recommend The Indian Doctor highly, and hope that the BBC sees fit to continue it. There are many loose ends left to tie up!
- schnappi_croc
- 11 déc. 2010
- Permalien
I'm not a daytime TV viewer but I block-recorded this from a Sky channel because the trailers of beautiful rural Wales, Sanjeev Bhaskar and BBC Drama looked intriguingly promising. It's certainly delivered. Sanjeev Bhaskar is always good, in my opinion, and coupled with an excellent and fabulous Ayesha Dharker and a very solid cast, they bring the stories to life nicely without getting clichéd or all Heartbeat. The simultaneous claustrophobia and freedom of their situation is clear but not overworked. There's no sixties tracks lazily ladled over every scene, possibly because the lovely Welsh village and breathtaking scenery are a far better way of creating the atmosphere. Period drama that doesn't feel like a period. Look out for the quality from Mali Harries and Naomi Everson and immerse yourself in a good story.
- loveagoodstory
- 27 mars 2015
- Permalien
- mizhelenuk
- 27 déc. 2010
- Permalien
I was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful cast, stunning scenery, accurate and thoughtful storytelling, and gorgeous HD picture quality. This really belongs in prime-time on a Sunday night because there are so many storyline threads that were not able to be resolved in just five 45 minute episodes, and I need to know what happens next to all the characters! With ITV foolishly cancelling Heartbeat and The Royal, the BBC should take advantage of this and commission another series of this feel-good family drama now. The cast were wonderful, very likable, and the 1963 setting - complete with a musical soundtrack of the day - was pure heaven.
Please, please, please BBC - let's have more of this series please and preferably in an early Sunday evening time-slot.
Please, please, please BBC - let's have more of this series please and preferably in an early Sunday evening time-slot.
The kid Dan, cracked me up when he says to Mrs. Sharma "Then, lets both run away to India"... HAHA Jokes aside, but its wonderful drama and i came by a fluke trying to search parts of old series. It might be clichéd to some people but I think the drama is enjoyable, I am not from Wales or from UK but I can imagine the old town or county, thought process of people, herd mentality etc... This fits right in with the era of 1960, not xenophobia as such but unwilling to accept something thats not local etc.... but Bhaskar and Ayesha plays pretty good role... Season 2 is really a cracker, as the character builds up from season - 1. I highly recommend, this as a perfect family drama with no bad language, swearing or odd scenes, a nice family drama to watch with kids.
Great job, continue the series if you can...
Great job, continue the series if you can...
I binged watched all three seasons on Hulu in one day. I am a fan of Ayesha Dharker which is why I started the series, but now I am also a fan of Sanjeev Bhaskar, who plays the doctor. They both have the ability to communicate with their eyes and with facial expressions. They are amazing actors.
The plot started out about adapting to a new culture and got better from there. I don't know why the popularity of the series went down because the story became more engaging with each episode. Perhaps the lack of violence, sex and profanity did it in. I wish we had more seasons of this series and others like it.
The plot started out about adapting to a new culture and got better from there. I don't know why the popularity of the series went down because the story became more engaging with each episode. Perhaps the lack of violence, sex and profanity did it in. I wish we had more seasons of this series and others like it.
Great series which seems to hsve gotten lost in the third season. Weak new charcters, weak development of existing cast. Final episode the weakest
Dark Comedy, Melancholic drama, the acting is brilliant, the backdrop is as apt as apt can be. It has a very LOTR-shire like characteristics. It takes you to a different world, yet its a real world. The cast is small but intricately woven so you know the characters in and out. There always a background story line "noise" - which stays with you all the time yet does not let you get preoccupied with the outcome. Its probably the most "human" show i have seen in a long time. Sanjeev Bhaskar has managed to shed his image as a slapstick comedian in this venture. I am sure most people will be pleasantly surprised, and those who are not, give it some time. You'll get involved before you know it. Hope BBC recommissions it.
- varunbali05
- 25 oct. 2012
- Permalien
I really wish I could like this show more, but it suffers from one critical problem: it is generic, and the writing is hackneyed and often stupid. What do I mean by that? "What? Working in a coal mine causes emphazima and lung cancer? Who knew?" Well, they knew about that in the 1880s, so a show set in the 1960s making this sound like a big reveal is a bit idiotic. We have the typical relationship drama of the unhappy marriage between the mine manager and his wife, straight out of the relationship therapy book. We have the locals not trusting the new Doctor straight out of any period drama.
The only times that this show shines is when they touch on the universal aspects of being human, no matter where you are from, and the times that they explore the quirks of culture between India and Wales. THAT is where the show should have placed its emphasis. That is what the show should have focused on.
As for the Big Mystery of the dead doctor's diaries... I'm bored with that story line by episode 3. The idea that there's more than one season/series worth of material in this show, as presented in the first season, baffles me.
The only times that this show shines is when they touch on the universal aspects of being human, no matter where you are from, and the times that they explore the quirks of culture between India and Wales. THAT is where the show should have placed its emphasis. That is what the show should have focused on.
As for the Big Mystery of the dead doctor's diaries... I'm bored with that story line by episode 3. The idea that there's more than one season/series worth of material in this show, as presented in the first season, baffles me.
The strength of the series lies mainly in the casting. Both of the two leads, Sanjeev Bhaskar as Dr. Prem Sharma and Ayesha Dharker as his wife Kamini, have wonderful charisma - you can't help but like and admire them. In the first series, Mark Williams was born to play the nauseating Richard Sharpe. (He plays him so well I wish a spin-off series could be created for this character everyone loves to hate.) The second series, that I have just finished, features Mark Heap as an intensely irritating vicar who has a 'Jesus is my penicillin' attitude during a small-pox outbreak in the village. My favorite, however, is Mali Harries who plays Megan Evans, the lady in the village who carries a torch for Prem so bright it could light the way from Piccadilly to Hadrian's Wall!
- cervantes-4
- 25 mai 2020
- Permalien
Hardly an honest picture of 1960s wales, mining, or medicine.
Lovely venues, charming characters, ridiculous plots. Dr sharma deserves better scripts.
Lovely venues, charming characters, ridiculous plots. Dr sharma deserves better scripts.
I noticed this on a Canadian television schedule one Wednesday evening and I taped it to watch later. I had seen it on the TV guide before but had not looked at it closely. Once I did I realized I recognized the two Indian actors from previous work and knew they were British. I love the British dramas so was ticked off I'd obviously missed the first episode.
Nevertheless I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a pretty good show and I figured out the characters and story lines quickly. Beautifully shot and acted, I'm very impressed. I do miss Heartbeat and The Royal and this is a good replacement. The first series just finished and I'm looking forward to series 2 starting next week.
Nevertheless I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was a pretty good show and I figured out the characters and story lines quickly. Beautifully shot and acted, I'm very impressed. I do miss Heartbeat and The Royal and this is a good replacement. The first series just finished and I'm looking forward to series 2 starting next week.
- fiona_r_lamb
- 5 févr. 2016
- Permalien
Although I hadn't seen this series until now, I must say I totally agree with all the previous reviews. Excellent story line and the characters are perfectly cast. My source is the library where I can view what I want when I want and I gobbled up all three series immediately upon discovering the Indian Doctor. It is a period piece (1960's)meaning a time lapse wouldn't affect it and, if at all possible, I do hope it will continue.........even if I see it later.
I'm not a person of lengthy words but in order to post my comment I must rattle on. Just wanted to let everyone know who may be reading this review that another very good source for those of us who do not for some reason can't pay for cable, the library system in the US does offer DVDs of most things aired and usually things of exceptional quality like this series is.
I'm not a person of lengthy words but in order to post my comment I must rattle on. Just wanted to let everyone know who may be reading this review that another very good source for those of us who do not for some reason can't pay for cable, the library system in the US does offer DVDs of most things aired and usually things of exceptional quality like this series is.
- jdaskevold
- 21 mars 2015
- Permalien
What a great series. You cannot stop watching. The stories are wonderful and the whole family can watch. Good Job!!
The Indian Doctor consists of three seasons all of which are five episodes long. To be honest I really liked every single one of them. The best part I find is that nobody tries to camouflage or disguise their accents here - many of the cast being Welsh just helps to authenticate everything further. At first some may feel this takes a little getting used to but allow for this and prepare to be rewarded for doing so. There are a few wooden performances to watch out for but as the seasons progress these characters disappear into life's rich pattern. Watch out for Sanjeev Bhaskar whose totally transformed from comedy roles such as The Kumars At Number 42 in the most wonderful way within his role as the Doctor. Also watch out for effective performances by Mark Williams and Will Houston as villains - bad guys. Also the coal mine is in Blaenafon and is now a museum whilst locations-wise Blaenafon town and Llantrisant appear to be used. Would I recommend to a friend? Without Hesitating.
The first couple of series are great. Plenty of humour and Deana in equal measure as new arrivals begin to fuse in rural Wales.
The third series is one too many for me. The humour had gone, some cast members had left and the music sequences somewhat short for nostalgia fans with the story basically following on the same way as before, short on ideas.
A great watch for those of a certain vintage in a similar vain to the long-running Heartbeat.
Good escapism for everyone except the baddies.
- xmasdaybaby1966
- 17 oct. 2020
- Permalien
Whilst this mid C20th century-set, cross-generational drama does have some off-putting, overly stereotyped characters, I enjoyed this series when it originally aired in the 2010s. The repeats proved even more relevant during the covid pandemic, so the BBC should really consider re-commissioning the show.
- SunnyDaise
- 9 avr. 2021
- Permalien
- sachingoel85
- 23 sept. 2013
- Permalien
This is a wonderful easy to watch series, no blood, no gore, just a variety of personalities coming together and making life work. Good to see happy endings. And the doctor is so good!
- jojim-66167
- 20 avr. 2020
- Permalien
I loved it alot.It is about an Indian doctor who is representing strong and positive image of New India in a different country by helping their people in small pox through mass vaccination. He fight against all odds of orthodox practices over scientific one.
What a great show/series!! Spell binding and time flies. The story lines are wonderful and cannot say enough about the actors. Thanks for such wonderful time.
- george-50667
- 30 mars 2020
- Permalien