This Is Going to Hurt (TV series)
A medical comedy-drama about junior doctors in an NHS ward.
This Is Going to Hurt is a British medical comedy-drama miniseries created by Adam Kay, based on his memoir of the same name. Co-produced by the BBC and AMC, it follows junior doctors on an obstetrics and gynaecology ward in an NHS hospital, blending comedic and dramatic tones. The series premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in February 2022 and began airing on AMC+ in the United States in June 2022.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Medical drama
- Comedy drama
- Black comedy
- Based on
- This Is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay
- Writer
- Adam Kay
- Director
- Lucy Forbes; Tom Kingsley
- Starring
- Ben Whishaw
- Ambika Mod
- Alex Jennings
- Michele Austin
- Rory Fleck Byrne
- Ashley McGuire
- Kadiff Kirwan
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Series
- 1
Facts from the source article.
Premise
The series is a fictional adaptation of Adam Kay's book, set in London during 2006. It focuses on junior doctors on a busy obstetrics and gynaecology ward in an NHS hospital, depicting the emotional effects of the work environment and the lack of support for junior doctors. Their personal lives are also explored.
Production
In September 2017, Sister Pictures acquired television rights to the book after a twelve-way auction, with Adam Kay as writer and executive producer. Naomi de Pear and Katie Carpenter were developers and executive producers. In June 2018, BBC controller Piers Wenger commissioned the series for BBC Two with an eight-episode order, later reduced to seven episodes; AMC co-produced. Production companies included Sister, Terrible Productions, BBC Studios, and AMC Studios. Lucy Forbes directed episodes 1–4, Tom Kingsley episodes 5–7. Executive producers included Mona Qureshi, Jane Featherstone, James Farrell, Kristin Jones, and AMC Studios' Dan McDermott. The soundtrack was composed by Jarvis Cocker's band Jarv Is, with each episode featuring at least one song with Cocker's lyrics. A digital soundtrack album was released in March 2022, with a vinyl edition in October 2022.
Reception
The series received widespread acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 95% approval rating over 43 reviews with an average rating of 9/10; the critics' consensus calls it 'a smart drama full of humor and pain.' Metacritic assigned a score of 91 out of 100 based on 20 critics, indicating 'universal acclaim.' The Radio Times gave the opening episode 5/5 stars, praising the cast and soundtrack. Lucy Mangan of The Guardian rated the first episode 4/5 stars, noting it 'pulls no punches.' Rachel Cooke of the New Statesman found the characters' 'unlikability' a problem. Ed Cumming of The Independent praised Ben Whishaw's casting and distinguished the show from other medical dramas. Katie Rosseinsky of the Evening Standard liked the mid-Noughties backdrop and praised Whishaw's performance, Ambika Mod's standout role, and Kadiff Kirwan's performance. Jack King of GQ called Shruti's story the show's 'most compelling, heart-wrenching subplots' and praised Mod as '2022's first bona fide breakout.' Juliet Pearce, director of nursing midwifery at the Isle of Wight NHS Trust, described the show as 'hilarious and heart-breaking.' Labour MP Jess Phillips praised it for highlighting NHS pressures.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in This Is Going to Hurt (TV series)?
This Is Going to Hurt stars Ben Whishaw, Ambika Mod, Alex Jennings, Michele Austin, Rory Fleck Byrne, Ashley McGuire and Kadiff Kirwan.
When did This Is Going to Hurt (TV series) end?
This Is Going to Hurt last aired on 22 March 2022.
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