Critical (TV series)

Critical
Genre	Medical drama
Created by	Jed Mercurio
Written by	Jed Mercurio Matthew Broughton Laurence Davey Mark Greig Michael A. Walker Tom Needham Katherine McGinn
Directed by	Jon East Michael Keillor Philippa Langdale
Starring	Lennie James Catherine Walker Claire Skinner Kimberley Nixon Neve McIntosh Prasanna Puwanarajah John MacMillan Ellen Thomas Mali Harries Paul Bazely Danny Kirrane Peter Sullivan Emma Fryer Jack Fortune Orion Lee Juliet Oldfield
Composer(s)	Ruth Barrett
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	1
No. of episodes	13
Production
Executive producer(s)	Jed Mercurio Mark Redhead Cameron Roach
Producer(s)	Christopher Hall
Running time	60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production company(s)	Hat Trick Productions
Release
Original network	Sky 1
Picture format	16:9 1080i
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	24 February – 19 May 2015
Website

Critical, styled with a time-clock format as CR:IT:IC:AL, is a British medical drama series that debuted on Sky 1 on 24 February 2015.^[1] The series is set in a fictional major trauma centre (MTC), City General Hospital, which treats critically ill patients. Each episode is based on one patient and efforts to save his or her life within one hour.^[2] Created by Jed Mercurio (Line of Duty and Bodies),^[3] the drama follows the team of medical professionals whilst they make life-changing decisions.^[4] The title refers to critical condition, the most serious medical state, as well as the decisions and actions of the staff; everything done within the first hour is absolutely vital and could determine whether a patient lives or dies.^[5] Even though the show received positive reviews, it didn't quite get the viewing figures it wanted and on 14 July 2015, it was officially axed.^[6]

History

The series was created by Jed Mercurio.^[7] The first 13 episodes were ordered by Sky 1 from Hat Trick Productions^[8] in September 2013.

Characters

• Lennie James as locum trauma consultant, Glen Boyle.^[9]
• Catherine Walker plays Fiona Lomas, a vascular surgical registrar and trauma fellow.
• Claire Skinner plays Lorraine Rappaport, a consultant vascular surgeon.^[10]
• Kimberley Nixon plays an emergency medicine SHO, Harry Bennett-Edwardes.^[11]

Cast

Actor	Character	Role	Duration
Lennie James	Glen Boyle	Trauma Consultant, Trauma Team Leader[12]	13 episodes
Catherine Walker	Fiona Lomas	Vascular Surgical Registrar, Trauma Fellow[13]	13 episodes
Claire Skinner	Lorraine Rappaport	Consultant Trauma Surgeon, Consultant Vascular Surgeon, Trauma Team Leader	6 episodes
Kimberley Nixon	Dr Angharad ('Harry') Bennett-Edwards	Senior House Officer	13 episodes
Neve McIntosh	Nicola Hicklin	Consultant Nurse, Acting Clinical Lead, Deputy Clinical Lead	13 episodes
Prasanna Puwanarajah	Ramakrishna Chandramohan	Anaesthetics Registrar	12 episodes
John MacMillan	Justin Costello	Staff Nurse	13 episodes
Ellen Thomas	Constance Campbell	Sister	unknown episodes
Mali Harries	Nerys Merrick	Sister	9 episodes
Paul Bazely	Giles Dhillon	Trauma Manager	9 episodes
Danny Kirrane	Billy Finlay	Operating Department Practitioner	13 episodes
Peter Sullivan	Clive Archerfield	Clinical Lead Consultant, Major Incident Officer	unknown episodes
Emma Fryer	Rebecca Osgood	Orthopaedic Registrar	9 episodes
Jack Fortune	Robert Street	Consultant General Surgeon	6 episodes
Orion Lee	Brian Zhao	CT Radiographer	unknown episodes
Juliet Oldfield	Shelley Imms	Radiographer	unknown episodes
Maya Barcot	Tessa Yarwood		4 episodes
Daphne Cheung	Debbie Wong		4 episodes
Anna Koval	Ania		4 episodes
Kirsten Foster	Dalisay Guinto		3 episodes
Garry Marriott	Paramedic		2 episodes
Mingus Johnston	PC Simpson		1 episode
Paul Blackwell	Police officer		1 episode
Elliot Cowan	Tom Farrow	O/G Consultant	2 episodes
Benjamin Dilloway	Angus Hamilton		1 episode
Peter Guinness	Mr. Devlin		1 episode
Oliver Lansley	Wes Howe	Microbiologist	1 episode
Lisa Miller	Emily Norcutt		1 episode
Anouska Mond	Lauren		1 episode
Cyril Nri	Joseph Whitnell		1 episode
Simon Poland	Ed Warburton		1 episode
Lee Asquith-Coe	Fireman		1 episode
Jay Boakes	Tommy		1 episode
Chloe Driver	Nuala Barrington		1 episode
Uriel Emil	Fareed		1 episode
Tim Faraday	Bob Webster		1 episode
Ana Lucia Robleda	Ana Garcia		1 episode
Cosima Shaw	Jenny Kirk		1 episode
Joe Tucker	Kevin Curtis		1 episode
Glenn Webster	Paramedic		1 episode

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)[14]
1	"Episode 1"	Jon East	Jed Mercurio	24 February 2015	0.79
Sixty minutes to save a life. The clock is ticking in this real-time medical drama set inside a state-of-the-art major trauma centre
2	"Episode 2"	Jon East	Jed Mercurio	3 March 2015	0.50
Time is running out as the team treats a woman who has suffered an horrific fall. Amid all the action, Fiona tries to adapt to working with her ex, Glen.
3	"Episode 3"	Jon East	Jed Mercurio	10 March 2015	0.47
Emotions run high when the team fights to revive a cyclist involved in a serious collision. Glen makes a bold decision, but will it be enough?
4	"Episode 4"	Michael Keillor	Matthew Broughton	17 March 2015	0.37
Stress levels rocket when, while treating a badly beaten man, the team faces a nightmare scenario that sends the major trauma centre into lockdown.
5	"Episode 5"	Michael Keillor	Laurence Davey	24 March 2015	Under 0.36
Confusion fills the operating theatre when Lorraine returns to work, taking the reins from Glen as trauma team leader to treat a woman with a gunshot wound.
6	"Episode 6"	Michael Keillor	Mark Greig	31 March 2015	Under 0.37
Tensions continue to bubble between Glen and Lorraine, when they race to the aid of a troubled patient who has jumped from the hospital's atrium walkway.
7	"Episode 7"	Philippa Langdale	Michael A. Walker	7 April 2015	Under 0.35
A shock is in store for the team when they treat an agitated patient who has been involved in a car crash. Glen delivers an overdue apology to Fiona.
8	"Episode 8"	Philippa Langdale	Jed Mercurio	14 April 2015	0.29
The team feels the pressure more than ever when they treat an unexpected, horrifically burned patient. Glen grows closer to Fiona, when he sheds light on his army days.
9	"Episode 9"	Philippa Langdale	Jed Mercurio	21 April 2015	0.36
The prognosis is bleak when the team battles to save a teenage drowning victim, leading to a standoff between Glen and Clive. Fiona, meanwhile, makes a bold move.
10	"Episode 10"	Jon East	Tom Needham	28 April 2015	0.39
Hospitals are normally animal-free zones, but the team makes an exception when the victim of a dog attack is brought in - with the canine still attached.
11	"Episode 11"	Jon East	Laurence Dave	5 May 2015	0.44
Obstacles arise when the team tackles one of their trickiest cases, a man who has been perforated by crane spikes. Glen receives an interesting offer.
12	"Episode 12"	Jon East	Katherine McGinn	12 May 2015	0.38
Stretched to the limit, the team hits the road to treat multiple victims involved in a traffic accident. Fiona, meanwhile, tries to keep her engagement a secret.
13	"Episode 13"	Jon East	Jed Mercurio	19 May 2015	0.40
Devastated by news of Fiona's engagement, Glen races off, only to be involved in a life-or-death emergency.

Reception

Reviews were predominantly positive,^{[15][16][17][18]} noting the ground-breaking style and structure of the series; however some critics expressed a preference for a more traditional approach to medical drama.^[19][20]

International broadcasters

In Australia, the series premiered on BBC First on July 28, 2015.^[21]

References

1. "Critical: Every second counts as Lennie James leads ground-breaking Sky1-HD medical drama". Sky. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
2. Lynn, Connolly (3 February 2014). "Critical coming to Sky 1! Is this the lovechild of ER and 24? Lennie James stars in "real-time" drama". Prime Time. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
3. Plunkett, John (27 January 2014). "Line of Duty's Lennie James to star in Sky1 Jed Mercurio drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
4. Drewett, Meg (27 January 2014). "Lennie James leads cast of new Sky1 medical drama Critical". Digital Spy. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
5. Munn, Patrick (27 January 2014). "Lennie James Cast As Lead In Sky1's Medical Drama Series 'Critical'". TV Wise. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
6. Martin, William (14 July 2015). "Sky1 has axed medical drama ‘Critical’". Cultbox. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
7. "Bodies creator pens real-time medical drama for Sky 1 ". The Guardian.
8. "Lennie James to lead cast of Sky1's Critical". Televisual.
9. "Sky announces real-time '24-style' medical drama Critical". Whats on TV. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
10. Hunt, Debs (27 January 2014). "Lennie James leads cast of Sky 1 medical drama 'Critical'". Inside Media Track. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
11. Pyke, Chris (30 April 2014). "Watch: Kim's Critical new medical drama from Line of Duty team". Wales Online. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
12. "Line of Duty's Lennie James to star in Sky1 Jed Mercurio drama ". The Guardian.
13. "Critical coming to Sky 1! Is this the lovechild of ER and 24? Lennie James stars in “real-time” drama!". Unreality Primetime.
14. "Weekly Top 10 Programmes". BARB. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
15. Billen, Andrew (25 February 2015). "TV Review: Critical; Immigration Street". The Times.
16. Jones, Ellen E. (25 February 2015). "Critical, Sky1 - TV Review". The Independent.
17. Wollaston, Sam (25 February 2015). "Last Night's TV". The Guardian.
18. Hogan, Michael (25 February 2015). "Critical episode 1 review". The Telegraph.
19. Harrison, Bernice (28 February 2015). "Critical needs a dose of the emotion shown by Grey's Anatomy". Irish Times.
20. McKay, Alastair (27 February 2015). "Catch-up TV". London Evening Standard.
21. Purcell, Charles (July 23, 2015). "NEW THIS WEEK (Jul 27): I Am Cait, Village Vets Australia, Critical, Atlantis, Ipswich V8s & more". The Green Room. Archived from the original on July 25, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2015.

External links

• Official website
• Critical at the Internet Movie Database