Malpractice

Malpractice doesn't muck about it has an explosive opening that shows the pressure A&E departments and their staff live with. The writer Grace Ofori-Attah was herself a Doctor in the NHS for ten years and the world's she's created here felt totally authentic.

Some of the critics have christened it Call of Duty meets Casualty and that's not a put down. Its an investigative thriller and a very twisty one - far removed from the more earnest look at the NHS under the cosh seen in 'This Is Going to Hurt' on BBC1 last year.

Production values were good throughout with an excellent script and a strong cast. A big shout out to the lead Niamh Algar for another stellar performance (also brilliant in 'Deceit').

There are a few moments you may need to suspend belief (could someone she previously knew investigate her - no) - but with such a good story and cast I didn't mind.

Excellent miniseries. Well written. Paced to perfection. Intelligently shot.

It didn't drag on too long, nor was it truncated to too few episodes. The casting was superb. And the actors performed brilliantly.

The plot also dealt with a very topical issue: the problem of addiction to prescription - rather than street - drugs. And touched upon the stress of the recent COVID pandemic as well. A strong story that had me hooked through all 5 episodes. Yes, at times a few characters were over-scripted (namely the duo on the internal investigation panel), which was grating, but this can be forgiven considering the quality of the rest of the drama.

It's great to see GOOD telly made once again, considering all the 'pap' put out by TV these days, both in too many other miniseries and in non-dramatic broadcasts.

They didn't labour the 'ah-ha' realisation moments. The viewer wasn't treated like an idiot. So there was no feel to this of a soap-y and lightweight miniseries. This one will stay with the viewer for some time. And it is a good memory.

The level of tension was kept high from the first to the last episode of this first season. In the end, they still leave open the possibility of a second season, which I hope will cover the failures of the NHS as a whole, addressing other forms of malpractice.

I also want to highlight the outstanding performances of Niamh Algar as Dr. Lucinda, as well as the entire supporting cast. The chemistry between the characters was palpable, and their portrayal of the stresses and moral dilemmas faced by healthcare professionals was both realistic and nuanced.

However, while the show offered a gripping portrayal of the internal conflicts of healthcare professionals, I couldn't help but notice the artificiality of the investigations into medical misconduct. The speed at which they occurred, coupled with the questionable access to information, seemed overly convenient and unrealistic. As a viewer, it made me question whether such investigations can truly take place at such a rapid pace in the British healthcare system, where bureaucracy and red tape can often hinder progress. Nonetheless, I hope this is something the show will address in future seasons, as it has the potential to add another layer of authenticity to an already compelling drama.

Look, this didn't send frissons of excitement up my spine but it was reasonably tense at times. The thing is not to take everything at face value or there wouldn't be a TV series.

How anyone in charge, no matter what class of work - could have access to such detailed personal information about one of their employees is mind boggling, admittedly.

At any rate, I did enjoy it and even rooted for the main character even though I found her to be rather unlikable. There were other unpleasant characters too, I guess none of them really covered themselves in glory.

Still, in the end it was a good watch. The only guy I vaguely recognised, still not sure from where, turned out to be the baddy!!!

Medical drama 'Malpractice' has been put together by some of the same team that wored on 'Line of Duty', and it shows: it features a tricksy plot, sustained dramatic tension, and a lot of high-pressure interviews. But it's not quite as successful. While I don't know exactly how allegations of medical malpractice are actually conducted, I found the aggressivley confrontational approach shown here, with doctors treated as if they were criminal suspects, unconvincing. Moreover, there's a reason why so many dramas feature the police: even if a normal individual is caught up in some horrible plot, they don't investigate it themselves. And there's a level of coincidence that at times strains credibility that the story relies upon to repeatedly put its protagonist into the tightest of tight spots. It still has plenty of gripping moments, but as a whole it feels contrived. I still enjoyed it, and Niamh Algar is good as the central character, even if she can't entirely escape the limitations of the script.