TVScope: As the current series of ER has just come to an end, those looking for a Sunday night medical replacement could do worse than tune into BBC 3. But be warned. Bodies is not suitable viewing for the faint-hearted or indeed any woman due to attend the labour ward in the near future.
With its full quota of screaming, labouring women in stirrups, full frontal nudity and explicit sex scenes, viewers should be prepared in advance!
Set on an obstetrics and gynaecology ward, the story is centred around junior hospital doctor Dr Rob Lake, played by the very watchable Mark Beesley.
Working as a specialist registrar to a bombastic and frankly dangerous consultant, Dr Hurley, our hero quickly develops a veneer of cynicism. This protective mechanism, coupled with regular, energetic and very sweaty sex with one of the ward sisters, helps him survive the ordeals of his new post.
Problems arise when a female consultant anaesthetist initiates a formal complaint against Dr Hurley, questioning his competence. However, she very quickly finds the tables turned and is suspended on the grounds that her history of depression makes her unfit for work. The unfortunate whistleblower is ostracised by her fellow consultants who opt to support their male but lethal colleague instead.
As a result, Dr Lake finds himself trapped between his boss - on whom he relies for a decent reference to further his career and the needs of a patient who has been left bereaved and permanently disabled as a direct result of the mismanagement of her labour. His colleagues' advice is stark - keep out of it or you'll find your career consigned to the sluice room.
Gripping and all as this drama is, Bodies does not have a realistic feel about it. As someone who has experienced the health service on both sides of the patient divide, the essential ingredients missing are humanity and humour. All the characters, with the exception of Rob Lake and the female whistleblower, are portrayed as insensitive, misogynistic, medical caricatures. And although communications skills in the healthcare sector may not always be up to scratch, Bodies' medical staff are almost completely devoid of emotion and sensitivity.
Written by Dr Jed Mercurio, creator of an earlier medical drama, Cardiac Arrest, his new offering feels a little jaded. This could be a reflection of the author's short medical experience, as he opted for a creative writing career after internship. With good acting, a pacy plot and interesting camera angles this series could develop a substantial following. Dr Lake may not beat ER's Dr Kovac in the "brooding medic stakes" but as a locum he shows potential!