Realistic? - Bodies (2004) Discussion

[–] milliek1983 19 years ago

I hope not either! Although I suppose in a way they have to distance themselves from what is going on otherwise they'd go mad. I'd like to think that they weren't talking about me behind my back, but you never know. Read the book and it gives a slightly different outline to the programme. Although you hear all sorts of stories about student doctors and their cadavers.

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[–] bigfatpig 19 years ago

It was written by a doctor so I think what we are seeing is a very good insight - scary isn't it! Think Max Beesley is great in this

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[–] thesnowleopard 19 years ago

Jed Mercurio is now a bitter *ex*-doctor who makes a rather decent living as a writer who rants about how nasty doctors are.

For a balanced view of the book/series (both pro and con), check out the reviews on Amazon.uk:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0224061976/qid=1117891021/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl/202-5485365-5496618

I liked it initially, but overall, I found it depressing and not very realistic. He just picked all of the worst things that could happen instead of all of the heroic things you see the (yes, also very unrealistic) docs do on Holby City, Casualty or ER.

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[–] ruttlesRevenge 19 years ago

I relative of mine died, aged 26, having her second baby. Her death was due to medical incompetence at the maternity ward. The Anethestist had wierd ideas (sounds like Roger Hurley)which cost her her life.

I also have a relative who was a nurse, she told me that doctors always cover each other's back (while the nurses stab each other in the back).

I think Bodies is more realistic than you think.

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[–] thesnowleopard 18 years ago

My mother was a nurse for 37 years and I worked on ambulance squads for six years, so I've seen first-hand some very wacky and disturbing things in the medical profession. I'm not overly impressed by the mystique of doctors and am well aware that they are flawed human beings who can make very stupid mistakes and cover them up.

But I still thought the series was over the top and ultimately, unrealistic. Just because it's a depressing portrayal of the medical profession and its politics doesn't automatically make it more accurate than a positive one.

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[–] simon-dragon 17 years ago

My better half is a midwife. She reckons this is so accurate that it could be documentary.

In fact the birth scenes are so realistic that they make up part of the training for student midwives.

'I'm not married, I don't have any kids, and I'd blow your head off if someone paid me enough.'

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[–] thesnowleopard 17 years ago

But that's talking about the mechanics of the scene, not the politics of the story, no?

Also, I've noticed that midwives, in particular, have a particularly jaundiced view of doctors--my mother was a nurse-midwife.

http://www.geocities.com/rpcv.geo/other.html

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[–] simon-dragon 17 years ago

They do have a very jaundiced view of doctors...mainly because if the *beep* hits the fan it's the doctor that automatically blames the midwife. A recent case in Cornwall is testament to this.

It's the old joke....What's the difference between a doctor and God? God doesn't think he's a doctor.

'I'm not married, I don't have any kids, and I'd blow your head off if someone paid me enough.'

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[–] jbacilllus 17 years ago

Yeah but what's the difference between a midwife and a terrorist?
You can negotiate with a terrorist

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[–] ruttlesRevenge 17 years ago

I'd heard from my aunt who was in the nursing profession (with the NHS) that doctors cover up for each other and nurses stab other nurses in the back. She said this years before Bodies was ever written.

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[–] sbrianson 16 years ago

I am a doctor in the NHS (and not a bitter *ex*-doctor - I actually love my job), and so is my partner. I can honestly say that, unfortunately, the series is in parts extremely realistic. The only quibbles I have with some of the content is that it is actually toned *down* a bit to make one or two procedures or occurrences a bit less distressing for the layperson public. But yes - the politics, the struggle for power, the gory details (for the most part!)... it's all pretty realistic. There's some pretty good medical advisors in the crew, I can tell you!

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[–] petra-59 17 years ago

We gave up at the beginning of Episode 5 realising that we couldn't possibly stand another two episodes of what was rapidly becoming an annoying soap opera.
It appeared that the "Mission Statement" was:
"Our mission is to keep the statistics excellent so that the Government is happy. If, as seems unlikely, we have any time left after that and after all the false reports of harassment and trying in vain to report bad doctors, and having lots of sex, we might try not to kill the patients."

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[–] mazunderscore 17 years ago

It's fair to say not all of them would be like that, but I think it's certainly possible to come across some medical professionals as disrespectful and incompetent as some of the ones of this show.

Last movie seen: Coldblooded (1995) *********

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[–] Appealgirl 17 years ago

I have worked in hospitals and it is scarily realistic. the hospital politics is spot on, the fight for power between manager and clinician is pretty near the mark.

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[–] asoberirishman 16 years ago

I wouldn't say it is prevalent, but there are people out there like that.

A cousin of mine works as a nurse. One of her superiors is nothing more than a sexist arrogant pig. She was actually in a position of power above him at one stage until she fell pregnant, and couldn't get maternity leave for whatever reason. So she basically quit and came back after giving birth, and has got nothing but careless abuse from this guy. Fortunately he is in the minority.

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[–] faibrit 12 years ago

Yes, this is VERY realistic. Sorry to scare you, but all of these doctors and the situations are based on reality. Firstly, I worked for many years in an NHS hospital. Secondly, and more importantly, the writer of BODIES is a medical doctor himself. Say no more. You can't get more authentic than that.

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[–] allseeing 12 years ago

This was a wonderful series. Brilliantly written, directed and acted, not one thing out of place. Why it was canned is beyond me. BBC3 has become an amateur night out.

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