The recent release of The Pitt Season 2 proves that the medical TV show is not just a one-hit wonder, but there are still some great alternatives for audiences. Since its release last year, The Pitt‘s cast have been praised for their incredible performances as the various members of staff at Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center. One of the reasons why The Pitt has been such a success is because of how it delves into the harsh realities of working in healthcare in a post-COVID world. However, unlike other medical dramas, The Pitt‘s overall format is more similar to shows like 24, because every episode covers a chunk of an ongoing hospital shift for the characters.
A brilliant alternative to The Pitt is the British dark comedy drama This Is Going to Hurt, which is based on the memoir of the same name by Adam Kay, who recounts his tales and experiences working in the UK’s National Health Service. This Is Going to Hurt is one of the best medical dramas of the 2020s so far, and while it has its differences from The Pitt, it’s an ideal watch for audiences who want another title that delves into the grittiness of working in healthcare.
‘This Is Going to Hurt’ Offers a Dark, Comedic Take On the UK’s Health Service
This Is Going to Hurt takes audiences back to 2006 and sees Ben Whishaw in the role of Adam Kay, a dry-humored and exhausted doctor working on a labour and delivery ward in an NHS hospital. The show also follows his colleague, Ambika Mod’s Shruti Acharya, who struggles to keep herself afloat in this hectic world of obstetrics and gynecology. This Is Going to Hurt is a comedy show that breaks the fourth wall, with Adam taking the time to talk to viewers during the wild (and sometimes mundane) events that occur throughout their shift.
However, there’s plenty of heartbreak, too. This Is Going to Hurt has a very dark sense of humor, which makes sense given the subject material, but the show doesn’t shy away from the horrific and destructive realities of working in the NHS either. There are several twists and turns, deaths of characters that are made even more painful by foreshadowing, and deep subplots. Adam tries to be more open about his sexuality with his family, for example, which is a fascinating part of the story, and how he balances his job alongside his relationship with his partner, Harry, is an important part of the plot, too.
Not every moment in This Is Going to Hurt is as dramatic as other medical TV shows like The Pitt, though. A lot of events are portrayed as realistically as possible, and this allows viewers to learn more about how the boring, administrative side of the NHS often creates more obstacles and complications than it actually helps people. While This Is Going to Hurt is only a miniseries with 7 episodes, it’s still an enthralling watch from start to finish, and despite its differences from The Pitt, viewers of the hit HBO show will still enjoy it.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
