Bodies

The finale of Bodies has just aired in the UK and I can say without doubt that this is the most compelling and tense drama to come out of Britain for a very long time. Combining an acting and shooting style both muscular and assured in execution; a brave, gripping, convincing script and appropriately realistic prosthetics, Bodies is hard to beat in its genre. With all the colourless, vapid dross being churned out on British TV nowadays, it seems almost unbelievable that the BBC in its wisdom saw fit to axe it.

Max Beesley brings a riveting, pinched intensity in his outstanding portrayal as hard-done-to doc Rob Lake struggling in a sea of incompetence, dishonesty and sheer managerial mediocrity. His central, career-defining role in tandem with oleaginous Dr Whitman (Keith Allen), comely foils Donna Rix (Neve McIntosh), Polly Grey (Tamzin Malleson) and his nemesis, the pusillanimous, dangerous Roger Hurley (Patrick Baladi), provides the viewer with an at times uncomfortable but undeniably unmissable experience.

There is no sentiment at work here, no shirking away from numerous, unpalatable aspects of the British NHS or dilution of the viscera involved in child delivery. Bodies is destined to remain a classic TV series; a far cry from the cloying sloppiness and user-friendly mollycoddling of, say, the BBC's Casualty. Closer in concept to ER yet far superior in the sheer quality of the conflict on screen, Bodies packs a bloody punch as a tremendous watching experience which has yet to be unsurpassed in medical drama.

Highly. highly recommended.

I work in the NHS, and this is the most realistic drama I've seen. None of your dewy-eyed idealism of casualty et al, this shows what hospitals are really like, and it's not pretty. I think the acting is great, on the whole, Max Beesley is a really realistic sort of person, and Neve NcIntosh looks really anxious and upset, which judging by the circumstances, she probably ought to be. My favourite bit is when one gynaecologist tells the manager that there's a four letter word that describes a gynaecological orifice, and he's the biggest one he's ever met! Absolutely priceless! I wonder if they'll make any more, they should move it to BBC1 if they do.

'Bodies' is a realistic and riveting medical drama set around the gynecological and labor ward staff of a London hospital.

Personally, I haven't been this taken with a British drama series in years, or any drama series for that matter. A medical drama is especially hard to do. To balance the medical procedures with the lives of the hospital staff is a very difficult thing to achieve.

'Bodies' not only uses realistic medical situations and procedures to keep you watching, but also uses the personal and professional relationships between the doctors and nurses. Both of which will make you want to come back over and over again.

The characters aren't black and white, they have layers and the audience finds them selves responding to them differently at different times.

The acting is absolutely perfect, most notably Max Beasley and Neve McIntosh as the torrid lovers Rob and Donna, Patrick Baladi as the enigmatic Dr. Hurley and of course the wonderful Keith Allen as Mr. Whitman. The direction is flawless and the cinematography is edgy and poignant, using a hand held camera and lots of close ups.

Despite the odd cringe worthy medical scene, this show really is worth watching. I'm waiting for the DVD to come out in Australia so I can watch it all over again.

If you are young and fancy a career in medicine sit through a season of this before you make your decision. This warts and all drama really hits home without compromise. Being set in an Obstetrics ward some of the scenes are incredibly graphic, they server to counterpoint what it really must be like working in a UK NHS hospital environment.

The acting is top notch as is the writing. A particular nod to Max Beasley and the excellent Patrick Baladi. Keith Allen also delivers his usual styled misogynist character to one of the roles.

I can not highlight enough this is not for the squeamish I couldn't watch certain scenes because of their graphic nature.

An excellent UK (home grown) masterpiece.

I have been following this fantastic drama over the last few weeks. It was gripping. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Every week I kept thinking of a very small swear word to describe Dr Hurley.

I read the book and as Jed Mercurio rightly points out his book taken straight from page to screen would not have worked. I am pleased with the way in which he has handled the transition and made it real in a way that only television and the screen can do.

I felt that by making Donna Rix and Rob Lake older than their characters in the book (21 and 24 if i remember rightly) their lives held a better realm of realism. Max Beesley was far more believable as a doctor rather than trying to find a younger actor to play the part. When he makes mistakes you feel as though as an experienced doctor he should have known better.

All in all bodies was a fantastic piece of drama and my only point of criticism is that the ending of the series was a little abrupt, especially if this is to be a one off drama. I hope not as the doors have been widely left open. I hope to see a DVD release and a new series.