This Is Going to Hurt (Review)

Image credit: TV Insider / This Is Going to Hurt. Fair use.

The This Is Going to Hurt (Review) highlights a television experience that is both a "rare gem" and a "gut-wrenching" immersion into the British National Health Service (NHS). Based on the bestselling 2017 memoir by former doctor Adam Kay, this British medical comedy-drama offers an unflinching, "realism-packed" look at the psychological trauma and systemic failures of modern medicine. It is a story of exhaustion, medical errors, and the "blood and trauma" that define the lives of those working in an understaffed neonatal ward.

Content ⁉️

1️⃣ Production Overview and Release Details

2️⃣ Synopsis and The Realities of 2006 London

3️⃣ Main Characters Description

4️⃣ The Tragic Trajectory: Plot Summary

5️⃣ Critics Response and Accolades

6️⃣ Spin-offs and Adaptations

🔖 Key Takeaways

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Image credit: Prime Video / This Is Going to Hurt. Fair use.

Production Overview and Release Details

The This Is Going to Hurt (Review) notes that the show originated in the United Kingdom and was co-produced by the BBC and AMC Studios. The series consists of one series comprised of seven episodes, with each chapter running approximately 45 minutes. It was developed by Sister Pictures after a highly competitive twelve-way auction for the rights to Adam Kay's book.

The release date for the series in the UK was February 8, 2022, where it aired on the original release network, BBC One, and BBC iPlayer. For international audiences, the series began airing on AMC+ in the United States on June 2, 2022, and is currently available for distribution via streaming on platforms like Netflix. The show's creative vision was brought to life by directors Lucy Forbes (Episodes 1–4) and Tom Kingsley (Episodes 5–7).

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Synopsis and The Realities of 2006 London

The synopsis of the medical drama centers on a fictionalized version of Adam Kay, a junior doctor working on a busy obstetrics and gynaecology ward in London during the year 2006. The plot follows Adam as he attempts to balance his high-stakes professional life with his personal struggles as a gay man. The narrative is famous for its "fourth wall" breaks, where characters directly address the camera with rapid-fire, cynical observations, making it a "spiritual successor" to the classic series MASH*.

The central conflict begins in the first episode when an exhausted Adam makes a critical error with a patient named Erika Van Hegen, leading to an emergency caesarean and a long-standing formal complaint. This error haunts Adam throughout the series, manifesting as professional crisis and "PTSD trauma".

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Main Characters Description

The This Is Going to Hurt (Review) must credit the "powerhouse" cast that populates this ward:

• Adam Kay (Ben Whishaw): A senior registrar who is demanding, "ruthless, cold," and often his own worst enemy. Despite his prickly exterior, he is a "golden-hearted" doctor struggling to keep his head above water.

• Shruti Acharya (Ambika Mod): A trainee junior doctor (SHO) who serves as a "mirror image" of Adam but lacks his protective cynicism. Her arc is described as the show's most "heart-wrenching" as she struggles to juggle exams, work, and a lack of support.

• Harry Muir (Rory Fleck Byrne): Adam’s partner, a designer who is often shut out of Adam's traumatic work life.

• Nigel Lockhart (Alex Jennings): Adam’s boss, a consultant who is willing to "bend the rules" and "flaunt his wealth" while leaving the difficult work to his juniors.

• Tracy (Michele Austin): A sharp-witted, demanding midwife who frequently clashes with Adam and eventually files an anonymous complaint against his behavior.

• Vicky Houghton (Ashley McGuire): A "brash, foul-talking," and "badass" consultant who represents the hardened professional reality of the ward.

• Veronique (Harriet Walter): Adam’s arrogant and intolerant mother who struggles to accept her son's life and relationship.

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The Tragic Trajectory: Plot Summary

Throughout the seven episodes, the ward is portrayed as a place of "triage, blood, and screaming". While the show uses black comedy, the drama is "piercing". Episode 3 features a ministerial visit for which the hospital is ill-prepared, and the death of a patient, Mrs. Winnicka, which causes Adam to break down.

The narrative takes a devastating turn in Episode 6 when Shruti, overwhelmed by the pressure and isolation of her role, dies by suicide. The finale, set two months after her death, explores the "commonality" of suicide among medical professionals. The series ends on an ambiguous note regarding Adam's relationship with Harry, but with Adam still dedicated to his role as he delivers a baby in a parking lot—only to find a parking ticket on his windshield.

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Image credit: BBC / This Is Going to Hurt. Fair use.

Critics Response and Accolades

The This Is Going to Hurt (Review) notes that the critics response was one of "widespread acclaim". It holds a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 91/100 on Metacritic. Critics praised Ben Whishaw's "live-wire" and "effortlessly authentic" performance. However, the show faced some controversy, with some viewers accusing it of being "misogynistic" for its "gory, gross" depiction of childbirth, where women were allegedly reduced to "slabs of meat".

The series has won several prestigious accolades, including:

• BAFTA Television Awards (2023): Won for Best Actor (Ben Whishaw), Best Writer: Drama (Adam Kay), Best Scripted Casting, and Best Editing.

• Gotham Awards (2022): Won for Outstanding Performance in a New Series (Ben Whishaw).

• Royal Television Society Awards: Ambika Mod won for Supporting Actor – Female.

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Spin-offs and Adaptations

While there are no television spin-offs, the show is a direct adaptation of Adam Kay’s memoir. Additionally, the series features a notable soundtrack by the band Jarv Is, led by Jarvis Cocker. Described as a "love song to the NHS," the soundtrack was released as a digital album in March 2022 and on vinyl in October 2022.

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🔖 Key Takeaways

🗝️ Authentic Portrayal: The NHS series is lauded for its "frank honesty" regarding the emotional and physical toll on healthcare workers.

🗝️ Stellar Lead Performance: Ben Whishaw’s portrayal of Adam Kay is central to the show's success and has been widely recognized with major awards.

🗝️ Social Impact: The series highlights the systemic lack of support for junior doctors and the high rates of suicide within the profession.

🗝️ Darkly Humorous Tone: It successfully balances "biting humor" with "gut-punch" drama, utilizing the fourth-wall-breaking technique to engage the audience.

🗝️ Controversial Realism: Its depiction of childbirth is intentionally "visceral," sparking debate about how women are treated in medical systems.

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🌐 External sources

This Is Going to Hurt

This Is Going to Hurt (TV series)

This is Going to Hurt — A one-of-a-kind, gut-wrenching drama

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Keywords: This Is Going to Hurt

This Is Going to Hurt

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