Critical - new A&E series on Sky - anyone watching?

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I recorded the first episode of this new series, and watched it last night, closely followed by the second episode. I was under the impression that it was going to be a high-octane, dramatic UK version of ER - but to be honest, it hasn't really taken off yet, IMO.

A few things are bugging me about it - the Nurse Consultant, who is Second Clinical Lead, who stands in the background, doing nothing, but criticising whatever decisions the doctors make. Ditto one of the Sisters.

The gowns they wear for surgery - maybe someone who is currently working in hospitals can tell me - are those strange, black, plastic-y gowns what are being worn nowadays? When I was a theatre nurse, we wore reusable cotton gowns, and then that changed to disposable blue paper ones - I have never seen gowns like the ones they are using on this - either on r/l medical programmes, when I was working, or on any other hospital drama.

And why does no-one tell the actors how to behave when they are gowned and gloved for surgery? As a theatre nurse, I can tell you that it is poor practice to hold your gloved hands up ahead of you, at face height - there is much more risk of contaminating them than if you do what we were taught, which is to fold them against you, at waist height.

I'd also like to know how many A&E departments are a) so quiet and empty and b) so massive! I watched 24 hours in A&E before watching Critical - and the difference in the amount of space and the lack of clutter in the latter compared to the former, is stunning!

I am going to carry on watching this, but I hope it stops pissing me off as much, and that, once we get to know the characters a bit better, the series will take off a bit more.

It's a bit silly isn't it? Almost like a spoof show. I keep waiting for Mitchell and Webb to appear. I feared as much from seeing the trailers.

I like Lennie James but he's really bad in this. The way he kept announcing his character's name and the lingering looks between him and the woman who phoned him.

And how did that happen anyway? The woman from Outnumbered got suspended seemingly mid-operation for questioning something or other and nobody knows what's happened. They haven't been told and she hasn't contacted anyone. Surely if the hospital wanted to take disciplinary proceedings they'd tell her team, not least because they'd probably want to ask them questions about her.

Lennie James's ex-girlfriend phones him in Helmand Province, and it's a really good signal, and he immediately comes to step in. Do the British Army just let you do that?

Then he turns up and operates and people let him without knowing who he is. He didn't even appear to have a security pass. He could be anyone.

Apparently the writer, Jed Mercurio, has a medical background.

Also OP, do they really bark a whole list of drugs and blood and things at you in operating theatres? I'd be useless. I'd say: 'Hang on, is that five pints of O positive? What was that thing about the platelets?'

I've never had a huge list of things barked at me like that, no, limitedperiod.

The holding up of hands is probably because that's what people expect to see. Although it might also be because the actors haven't researched it.

Anne Reid, who plays that very unconvincing detective, Vera, said that she'd researched and was told that if police officers aren't gowned up at a murder scene, they always keep their hands in their pockets to avoid touching anything.

So that's what the cast do.

I don't know whether that's true. Perhaps a police officer can come on and say whether it's rubbish or not.

I used to be a court reporter and the number of people who take the oath: 'I swear etc' and end it 'so help me, God' was untrue.

They have to do it again because 'so help me, God' isn't part of it, and the oath is printed on a card for them. But they say it on so many TV shows that people can't help themselves.

I watched the first episode and found it very boring, I switched off five minutes into the second episode.

I saw an interview with Lennie James where he was saying it was medicine-based rather than being the traditional hospital drama which is all about relationships.

When I watched it I thought: 'You little liar.' And the relationships aren't as well done as on House or Nip/Tuck or my favourite - Nurse Jackie. I never watched ER.

He was disappointingly luvvieish as well.

I think for Sky medical dramas I might stick to Sun, Sea and A+E.

I thought it was pretty crap and it sounds like the second is no better.

I'm really not sure after washing the first episode. It seemed really futuristic and odd. Hmm, I'll watch the second to see if that can reel me in.

Oops. Watching

Well I loiked it

Yes, I thought it was weird. Why were so many people standing around doing nothing? Does anyone know what ST4 and N8 mean? I wondered if it meant surgical trainee but then I realised the surgeon and the anaesthetist both had the same badge. And I'm not sure why N8, who is clearly not a doctor, is ordering everyone around. Or quite why the junior doctor gets away with say "s*t, s*t so much!

There was no drama, so it was, basically a very unrealistic documentary. Not sure if I will last the entire series. I was getting a bit bored during episode 2.

not sure if this helps explain what they all do?

It is just awful.

I have watched 2 episodes and will not bother with any further.

I had such high hopes for it, British ER is what I was hoping for , but no. Badly researched, stuff factually wrong, wooden acting, weird dialogue, urgh. Just weird.
I am more than happy to suspend my disbelieve for a good story, but it's not working for me here.

I loved both episodes & was gripped from start to finish.

I've no medical background whatsoever, though, so wouldn't have a clue if it is realistic or not.

I liked that it was completely different from any other hospital based show I've seen before.

I turned off when someone said tracheotomy. This is Britain. I need an s in there!!

N8 will be band 8 nurse (matron level) and the ST4 is a clinical fellow in this case i think.

Anyone still watching this?

I'm hooked because it's compellingly bad.

Lennie James's acting technique is to flare his nostrils when required to show any emotion from mild annoyance to rage.

I rather like it!

I agree with you, and poor Fiona hasn't smiled once!

I think the storyline in the last episode was very sad.

Yes it was sad and horrible.

I felt so cringy for poor Fiona when she thought Glen had taken her to that little bedroom for a shag and he pushed her away and confessed to murder.

Me too!!! I think I muted it at that point!!

I wonder what will happen to Clive?

IRL Clive would get away with it because of his seniority. I've heard the NHS is notorious for people being afraid to speak up.

He can't really be blamed for Lorraine's actions. They were a slightly extreme response to getting into trouble at work.

And Glen attacked him. That's instant dismissal in the real world. But not Critical...

Perhaps Clive won't report it, but that seems very unlikely. And Nurse Bossyboots is such an arselicker and arsecoverer she would be bound to tell tales.

She's sucking Clive off I reckon

Eww! They are hideous. Every workplace has them and they stick together.

I met a group of fellow underachievers I used to work with last night and we were talking about this type of person, each of whom was marching relentlessly onwards and upwards.

There were a couple of cases of terrible downfalls to cheer us up but mostly it was pretty depressing.

We decided they were androids or lizard-people if of living matter.

They sound delightful!

I like it! It's not very realistic of the NHS I work in, but I like a bit of escapism.
ST means specialty trainee and 4 means 4th year of training. They do two foundation years then Core Training for 2 years if in medicine then ST3-8. If a surgical specialty it's straight to ST1-8. But I'll stop there as its gets more involved
N8 means band 8 nurse.