Quacks is a fantastic new sitcom from writer/director James Woods, and follows four doctors in Victorian times: Robert played by Rory Kinnear, a Surgeon, John played by Tom Basden, a dentist, William played by Matthew Baynton, a behaviourist/"alienist" as called by Robert, and Caroline played by Lydia Leonard, Robert's wife who has medical knowledge far beyond her time. Whilst there is a through-line of plot, the series more operates like sitcoms of the 80's and 90's where they were heavily episodic.
The best thing about the show is the way in which it creates a very realistic setting in which these characters can operate in. What I mean by this is that it embraces the fact that the show is set about doctors in Victorian times, and that the morality rate was very high especially in hospitals. It makes it clear that these doctor's don't save everyone - just more than most. This is quite a good high-jinx, and each episode does create a premise in which all characters are pulled together in a very farcical way, which some tremendous lines read with laser accuracy by some of the best comedy ensembles in recent memory.
Seriously, this cast is the backbone of the whole show. All of them are standouts. Rory Kinnear is a great comedic lead, who's Robert is so openly showboating, arrogant, conniving and misogynistic, but is also so brilliantly droll at the same time you can't help but find him someone to root for against even the likes of Florence Nightingale. His wife, Caroline, is great because of what she represents - an annoyed, impatient housewife who is unlucky to be born a woman at the time she was; but what's even better about her is asides from her curiosity and intelligence, is that she does still love her husband, and over the course of the series, he comes to depend on her more and more for intellectual and moral support, and Leonard is cracking at it. William, as played by Baynton, is mostly the straight man of the group - ironic given that he is the only one NOT dealing in medical fields, and he gives some great reactions to some of the insane bs that happens, particularly in Episode 4 where he is the subject of a Medical dilemma. Lastly, as John, Tom Basden is very much the unlucky character of the show - everyone around him dies, and the romance he kindles in Episode 5 is finish under sad circumstances - I hope they bring her back in the near future - and he gets humour from a lot of his exacerbations with his situations. All in all, this is such a connected cast, it really helps.
It also helps that you have established actors such Andrew Scott who appears once off as Charles Dickens, Fenella Woolgar as Elizabeth Campbell and Rupert Everett as the head of the hospital Robert and John work at, combined with performances from new actors such as Millie Thomas and Miranda Hennessey who in each Episode they're in nail it completely, especially with the solid writing that transcends the sitcom format it has, makes me really, really, REALLY hope for a second show.
The whole program is available now on BBC IPlayer - give it a go, the whole show will take 3 hours.
The best thing about the show is the way in which it creates a very realistic setting in which these characters can operate in. What I mean by this is that it embraces the fact that the show is set about doctors in Victorian times, and that the morality rate was very high especially in hospitals. It makes it clear that these doctor's don't save everyone - just more than most. This is quite a good high-jinx, and each episode does create a premise in which all characters are pulled together in a very farcical way, which some tremendous lines read with laser accuracy by some of the best comedy ensembles in recent memory.
Seriously, this cast is the backbone of the whole show. All of them are standouts. Rory Kinnear is a great comedic lead, who's Robert is so openly showboating, arrogant, conniving and misogynistic, but is also so brilliantly droll at the same time you can't help but find him someone to root for against even the likes of Florence Nightingale. His wife, Caroline, is great because of what she represents - an annoyed, impatient housewife who is unlucky to be born a woman at the time she was; but what's even better about her is asides from her curiosity and intelligence, is that she does still love her husband, and over the course of the series, he comes to depend on her more and more for intellectual and moral support, and Leonard is cracking at it. William, as played by Baynton, is mostly the straight man of the group - ironic given that he is the only one NOT dealing in medical fields, and he gives some great reactions to some of the insane bs that happens, particularly in Episode 4 where he is the subject of a Medical dilemma. Lastly, as John, Tom Basden is very much the unlucky character of the show - everyone around him dies, and the romance he kindles in Episode 5 is finish under sad circumstances - I hope they bring her back in the near future - and he gets humour from a lot of his exacerbations with his situations. All in all, this is such a connected cast, it really helps.
It also helps that you have established actors such Andrew Scott who appears once off as Charles Dickens, Fenella Woolgar as Elizabeth Campbell and Rupert Everett as the head of the hospital Robert and John work at, combined with performances from new actors such as Millie Thomas and Miranda Hennessey who in each Episode they're in nail it completely, especially with the solid writing that transcends the sitcom format it has, makes me really, really, REALLY hope for a second show.
The whole program is available now on BBC IPlayer - give it a go, the whole show will take 3 hours.