This Is Going to Hurt

My Review- There Will Be Pain

Streaming from March 1st on Foxtel on Demand My Rating. 8/10

Film buffs will remember Gone With the Wind and the tearful pronouncement, "I don't know nothin' 'bout birthin' babies, Miss Scarlett," from the black servant girl Prissy as she lazily strolls home with no Doctor to find Miss Melanie in full advanced labour and is told by Scarlet that she'll have to deliver the baby.

Well , after watching many episodes of Call the Midwife and now 7 episodes of this new gritty but also humorous drama series starring a favourite British Actor of mine Ben Whishaw in There Will Be Pain my knowledge of the joy and pain of childbirth has increased enormously.

The gentle nuns and midwives of Nonnatus House in Call the Midwife I'm sure would be appalled and dismayed at the state of midwifery services and the state of The British National Health System today.

There Will Be Pain is based on the diary entries of real life Adam Kay a Junior ex-doctor and author of the book of the same name .

The series was intended to be filmed in an actual hospital but due to Covid a huge set had to be built in an unused University building complete with a triage , operating theatre and labour ward.

It looks so authentic that when Adam Kay stepped on set, he got chills," and said he thought he was back in hospital." Ben Whishaw is superb in the role of Adam Kay a very capable and dedicated young Doctor with a black sense of humour and an attitude to match that gets him into some strife with his Superiors and a few co- workers especially his dry witted Chief Administrator Mr Lockhart played by Alex Jennings.

Adam like most of the overworked stressed hospital staff is trying to maintain his relationship with live in boyfriend Harry played by Rory Fleck Byrne .

It's a very timely series I think that really highlights the stress that our health workers are under especially knowing that this series was filmed during the Covid pandemic.

Expect blood, trauma and tears (both good and bad) Ben Whishaw as Junior Doctor Adam Kay makes mistakes and some bad judgements but has a good heart and tries his upmost to assist the patients he comes in contact with .

Ben Whishaw is on screen for a great part of this series and between the drama there are some very touching moments as usual no spoilers.

Most of the series takes place in the hospital but we do get to meet Adam's friends as well as his acerbic mother Veronique played by the wonderful Harriet Walter who Adam describes as when she walks into a room the temperature drops ten degrees.

Adam even gets a chance to see how the other half lives when he gets a few shifts in a posh private maternity ward with chandeliers butler service and designer scrubs and the experience is not what he expects .

This series really highlights the outcome of a Hospital system in crises that only affects the patients well being but shows the effects on the wellbeing of our health workers when they are overwhelmed with stress.

This is a very entertaining and very well produced series skilfully directed by Lucy Forbes and Tom Kingsley.

So it may be the bottle of Prosecco I was drinking through the first couple of episodes OR the fact that I've listened to the audiobook read by Adam Kay himself a couple of times but this series rocked me and is the best experience I've had watching a series in a long time.

The main character is one who initially is difficult to connect with but over the series you understand why. I was stunned from episode 5 onwards and it once again is a great reminder of the service provided by the NHS and the importance of every individual involved. Thank you Adam Kay & BBC for sharing this with us all.

There's very little to add to the headline because this is that one rare program that comes around every now and then on which you really can't think of ways to improve. Well-written, well-directed, well-set, and above all, with a bravura performance from Ben Whishaw -- who is somehow able to make a character both unsympathetic, sympathetic, cold, warm, hostile, sweet, and every other possible human characteristic. The rest of the cast is outstanding as well, especially Ambika Mod as the bedraggled young doctor doing her best, and Rory Fleck Byrne as Harry, doing his best to put up with the boyfriend who's barely present. (The show is also a blistering commentary on health care in the UK, making you hope you never get sick there).

The only possible improvement would be another season. Or two. Or more.

Sorry for the pun but it is actually just the right type of show I need as tv is all the same these days.

I knew this was going to be funny and sad but I laughed more than I thougt I would and was adder as I cried with real feeling for Adam.

This means that Ben portrays him very well. Thank you fore eryone involved in bringing this to our screens.

I was hoping when I read this book that it would be serialised but also that it wouldn't lose anything in the process.

I needn't have worried the script is as sharp as a scalpel and expertly delivered by a superb team.

You wouldn't want to be squeamish though.

Thoroughly recommended.