It's the longest-running medical drama in television series and is called the most enduring medical drama that's shown around the world. "Casualty" is the hit British drama series on television since 1986. That's nearly 30 years.
Hell, we have "The Simpsons" over 25, "Law & Order" & "Gunsmoke" at 20, along with "ER" at 15, which is America's most extended medical drama on television.
If you saw "Casualty," that's okay. I hadn't heard of it until a couple of years ago. The series is set in a fictional Holby City Hospital and focuses on the doctors, nurses, and patients who come through those doors and into the Emergency Department.
Somehow, this show has stood for nearly 30 years, with viewers still tuning in each week. Of course,e with every character, there's a chance that they might die or get to leave and move on in one piece and be happy. And usually, British television shows know when it's time to end a series.
In its 29th season, the show still has one character from the beginning, Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson), the senior charge nurse of the ED. There are also characters like the clinical lead Connie Beauchamp (Amanda Mealing), consultant in emergency medicine Zoe Hanna (Sunetra Sarker), the awkward but brilliant Dylan Keogh (William Beck), and not to mention the registrars of Ethan Hardy (George Rainsford), Caleb Knight (Richard Winsor), F2 doctor Lily Chao, and the clinical nurse manager Rita Freeman (Chloe Howman).
There are a lot of characters that come and go, as you can see in the cast.
The series featured many feature stars, from Kate Winslet to Orlando Bloom, Minnie Driver to even ER alum Parminder Nagra. It also brought a lot of spin and special series from Holby City, HolbyBlue, Casualty 1900s, and the crossover series of Casualty@Holby City.
As I said, I heard of this show a couple of years ago. I only found out about the series when I was looking up medical drama shows and found this series. I only get to watch it on YouTube, and there are episodes from the past seasons.
I find the characters interesting and just listening and watching what the health care in the UK is like and what it's like over here in the US. Even though, to our own eyes, it might be a bit dull at first, once you get used to it and pay attention, it's an excellent series.
I do recommend trying to find this series and watch it. You might like this season's version more than the past ones. It makes Grey's Anatomy look like a wrong medical soap opera. Hell, at least Casualty knows how to surprise the audience when a character is killed off.
Casualty is a medical series that, for nearly 30 years, still holds to keep the story fresh, medical issues tangible, and not make it too soapy.
You can see Casualty on Saturday nights on BBC One.
