'Masterpiece' BBC drama based on book that fans hail 'best series in years'

Three years after its release, a television adaptation of a non-fiction book about working as a doctor continues to be hailed. This Is Going to Hurt is a British medical comedy-drama television miniseries. The series was created by Adam Kay and was based on his memoir of the same name, and was co-produced by the BBC and AMC. It focuses on the lives of a group of junior doctors working on an obstetrics and gynaecology ward in a National Health Service hospital, profiling both their professional and personal lives, and explores the emotional effects of working in a stressful environment.

The series closely follows the stories of Adam Kay (Ben Whishaw) and Shruti Acharya (Ambika Mod) as they work through the ranks of the hospital hierarchy. These characters both break the fourth wall and directly address viewers with dialogue in a Fleabag-esque reminiscence. This Is Going to Hurt is a seven-part series that premiered on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in early 2022.

The series synopsis reads: "This Is Going to Hurt is about a junior doctor on an obstetrics and gynaecology ward, based on the memoir by Adam Kay. The show follows Adam as he navigates the high-pressure, chaotic, and emotionally draining world of the NHS, juggling life-or-death decisions, a demanding workload, and a personal life that suffers as a result. The series balances its dark themes with humour, showing the real toll that an overstretched system takes on doctors like Adam and his colleague Shruti."

Fans have hailed the series, and its 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes reflects this. The critics' consensus states: "Ben Whishaw's live-wire performance of an exhausted doctor powers This is Going to Hurt, a smart drama full of humour and pain."

One critic described it as "the best medical drama in years", while another said: "This Is Going To Hurt is hilarious, heartbreaking and, above all, important. We see the healthcare system as it really is: messy, remarkable and in desperate need of reform."

A fan of the series wrote on IMDb: "That's a masterpiece. I don't remember when any TV show left me speechless (episode 6-7)."

This Is Going to Hurt is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.