"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Getting On: Series 1, Episode 2 (2009)

 
With another episode under my belt, I feel like I’m getting to know the main characters, and I’m getting a better feel for the tone.  As Den and Kim slog through the myriad problems that crop up in a geriatric ward, you get the sense that they (especially Den) probably really cared at one time.  They still do care – Den has some sweet interactions with a patient in this episode – but after years of watching their patients suffer the indignities of failing bodies, of watching them die, I imagine it’s easier for them to harden themselves to it.
 
A lot of their more callous attitudes likely stem from hospital bureaucracy as well.  Here, we see the two nurses struggle to deal with an erratic, belligerent patient.  Despite repeated calls for a doctor, no help is forthcoming.  The patient obstinately refuses all assistance, verbally abuses everyone she encounters, and repeatedly tries to sneak out for cigarette breaks.  Unfortunately for Kim and Den, they have their work cut out for them in trying to reign her in.  A new hospital policy means that just tapping a patient’s shoulder could be construed as assault, so they can’t do much in the way of restraining her.
 
PC’s character makes his first appearance in this episode.  He plays Peter Healy, hospital psychologist.  It’s clear that Pippa, the ward administrator, has a thing for him, and it’s equally clear to everyone but her that he’s not interested.  While he plays nice with her in her presence, he’s hitting on another doctor the second she’s out of the room.  Classy stuff.
 
I don’t quite have a handle on him yet.  Based on his behavior with Pippa, he’s at least a little two-faced.  But how much, and how far does it extend?  He demonstrates a good rapport with patients, and he appears to be a fairly decent doctor, but is it just a show for his colleagues?  Hard to say; more information needed. 
 
To be fair, he’s only had a few minutes of screentime so far.  Even more significantly, we don’t yet have a clear picture of what Den and Kim think of them.  They’re obviously the main windows into the show, and I imagine their opinion of him will probably be more accurate than Pippa’s.
 
Accent
 
Sounds like RP to me.
 
Recommend?
 
PC-wise – As far as the performance goes, it’s still too early to say.
 
Warnings
 
The aforementioned uncooperative patient has a real mouth on her, and she has a certain fondness for homophobic slurs. 
 

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