A Young Doctor's Notebook & Other Stories

I utterly adored this little series. So far three episodes have been shown and I have laughed uncontrollably at them all. It won't be for everyone, being a little too black humored in places for some people's tastes however it had me in bits. Daniel Radcliffe is really maturing as an actor and rarely puts a foot wrong in this, gamely throwing himself into the role of the younger Doctor and his counter from John Hamm gives pathos to his older version and the supporting characters are excellent too, adding to the bleakness with a strong sense of sarcasm.

If you like bleak comedy with some unexpectedly gory moments, I recommend and wholeheartedly hop for more.

First off, hats off to Daniel Radcliffe for trying to outgrow the Harry Potter image he will forever be associated with. He shows us that he is not just a cute boy wizard but a mature actor that can handle diverse roles. Jon Hamm also shows his acting muscle in a role which is much different from Mad Men.

I've never read Mikhail Bulgakov and so cannot comment on how accurate the series is to the short stories of the Russian writer but i can say this with certainty, the series has me hooked. I have seen the first season and it was all good. The found the dark humor oddly refreshing though shockingly gory at times.

Its not for everyone, but if you have the stomach for gore and comedy go see it, you will probably like it.

AZD

Daniel Radcliffe stars as a young doctor, who in 1917, is sent to a remote village hospital in Russia, where he has to contend with eccentric staff, few supplies, and his own growing morphine addiction. Not to mention the various conversations he has with his older self (played by John Hamm).

In parts, the show is quite gruesome - it certainly made me wince! - but it also manages to be extremely funny - sometimes guiltily funny, as I found myself laughing at the inappropriateness of certain comments and situations.

Daniel Radcliffe surprised me by being very good as the younger doctor, while John Hamm is just super as his older, somewhat wiser self, who tries to stop his younger self from the mistakes he is about to make. The supporting cast are excellent, especially Adam Godley as the dull (to his colleagues, certainly not to the viewers) assistant.

What I really liked is the inversion of the popular 'doctor as hero' storyline. This doctor is most certainly not a hero - he can be uncaring about his patients, filching morphine for his own use rather than for those who really need it, he is a coward at times, and incredibly selfish. And of course, he is able to see himself being all of those things, but is powerless to stop himself.

It's well acted, well-written, will make you laugh and make you squirm - and it's definitely worth watching!

Having watched all the 4 episodes have to at this one was superbly made. The story itself is quite a simple one but wonderfully narrated , hence the most accolade should go to the author.Mostly dark humour but will be liked by most and hopefully will have a sense of humour to laugh about some medical topics. The editing is good too especially considering the number of episodes they were aiming for. The direction does justice to the story and the story and plots essence is never lost. Radcliffe is almost made for his role with the boyish looks and is very well supported by Jon Hamm. All the the supporting actors are very good and offer comic support just with their superb expressions.The half hour episodes make it quite easy to watch too . An easy watch but very entertaining.

A young doctor's notebook is based on the book with the same title by Mikhail Bulgakov. It tells the story of a young doctor from Moscow who is send to a village a day's ride from 'the middle of nowhere in 1917's Russia. First of all, I really loved the atmosphere of the series and it's the main reason why I gave it an 8 out of 10. On the other hand, I cared little for the personal problems of the main protagonist. They seemed a bit forced but nevertheless added some depth to the story. I don't share the problem that most people seemed to have with the difference in appearance of Daniel Radcliff and John Hamm. For me those could be seen as the director taking artistic liberties with the story. Both actors do a fine job in communicating to the audience the distinctions that could be made between a young doctor fresh out of medical school and a more seasoned practitioner with his fair share of personal problems.