Casualty - Consistently Excellent (Casualty)

Member Name: kirstieksf

Product:	Casualty
Date:	24/07/00 (10 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Gritty storylines, good script, great effects

Disadvantages: Unrealistic series cliffhangers

Casualty has been running since the mid 1980's now, and despite the frequent cast changes (not many of them seem to stay more than 2 years) is still the best medical drama series on TV. It has been the catalyst for many actors careers - Brenda Fricker and Robson Green to name but two, and the storylines are always of a high standard.

We aren't bogged down in the characters personal lives unless it's integral to the plot, which is a great advantage, and prevents the show from becoming overly sentimental. The supporting cast are nearly always excellent, and the medical effects are astounding in their realism.

If there is one disadvantage, it's that while A&E staff do encounter violence in their jobs more often these days, in the past three series we have seen Jude get stabbed by a patient, and make a miraculous recovery, only to move to Greece with Matt, and Sam get pushed over a balcony - only to also make a miraculous recovery from being at death's door, and subsequently leave. Add to that Jasmine, a nurse in Casualty's spin off series Holby City, who, yes - you've guessed it - was stabbed by a patient, and ...made a full recovery! The current cliffhanger has left us with Charlie lying unconscious in the toilets - will he survive? I think this is rather lazy on the parts of the scriptwriters - please xcan we have some different cliffhangers at the end of a series?

n the whole though, I am a great fan of Casualty, and would advise any drama fan to watch it.

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