Why Casualty's new era is off to a strong start
Back in September it was confirmed by the BBC that fewer episodes of Casualty would be made each year from now on, as a result of inflation in drama production. In the wake of its spin-off Holby City being axed a couple of years ago, there was speculation as to whether the popular medical drama might be headed for the same fate.
This speculation perhaps wasn’t helped by the recent three-month break the show took over the autumn. But Casualty has now returned to our screens, and if the first two episodes are anything to go by, it remains on top form.
The show is trying new things on its return, with each episode now dropping on BBC iPlayer at 6am on the day of transmission, while still airing on TV on Saturday evenings. This is a move which has worked well for EastEnders, so it arguably makes sense for the BBC’s other flagship continuing drama to give it a go too.
Casualty is also continuing with its new box-set strategy. Instead of a yearly series consisting of 40+ episodes, the show now splits itself into 11-13 episode arcs which have an overarching title. By doing this, it almost mimics the format of a Netflix show on iPlayer, while also still operating on BBC One in a linear format.
These changes show how Casualty, a nearly 40-year-old institution, is attempting to keep up with the shifting TV drama landscape and rapidly changing viewing habits.
The last series concluded in September with a special episode that involved paramedic Jan accompanying her ex-husband Gethin, who was suffering with motor neurone disease, to an assisted dying clinic in Switzerland. It was an incredibly emotional episode, and while it was the culmination of a powerfully told storyline, it also could be appreciated as a standalone hour of TV.
It also truly confirmed that Casualty is in the business of producing high-quality drama, and the new series is taking further steps to prove this.
In the opening episodes of the new arc, titled ‘A History of Violence’, the issue of staff safety in the hospital has been a key theme. After a shift spent trying to treat patients who were queued up outside the building in ambulances, nurse Ryan was brutally attacked by the son of a patient who died. While he recovered, in episode two Ryan felt he had to leave his job altogether, unable to work in a place which held traumatic memories.
This is in addition to the arrival of Ngozi, a new nurse who recently moved to the UK from Nigeria, who had a chaotic first shift in the ED and had to deal with racism from a disgruntled patient. The treatment of staff by those they are caring for has been put firmly in the spotlight, with the show giving voice to yet another aspect of NHS life that is too often brushed under the carpet.
As well as these new themes are continuing stories such as Faith’s drug addiction and recovery, Rash’s father’s dementia and clinical lead Max’s kidney failure – a story that will end with Nigel Harman’s exit in the coming months. This is, of course, alongside the messy and complicated personal relationships between the doctors and nurses, making for enjoyable soap drama each week.
The cast has had almost a complete overhaul in the last few years, with many mainstay fan favourites leaving in quick succession. However, the show has managed to rebuild a diverse, likeable group of characters who are telling important stories both in and away from the hospital – including Sah, as the show’s first recurring transgender and non-binary character.
This period of change has been helped along by the introduction of a new set of staff nurses last year – Rida, Jodie, Cam, and the recently departed Ryan. The new recruits felt akin to a new set of interns in Grey’s Anatomy, with a fun and compelling camaraderie quickly forming between the group. Plus, it gave new viewers an accessible way into the show, with characters who don’t have years of backstory to catch up on.
There are big things to come in the new series, including the arrival of Corrie’s Melanie Hill as the new clinical nurse manager, and the exit of Casualty’s longest-serving character Charlie Fairhead, who has been played by Derek Thompson since the show’s very first episode back in 1986. Details of his dramatic departure are being kept under wraps for now, but it will involve a brief return for much-loved character Zoe Hanna (Sunetra Sarker), a burst of nostalgia for long-time fans.
Charlie continues to be the linchpin of the Holby world in this series, with the nurse having some brilliant scenes with both Ryan and Ngozi in last week’s episode – therefore it’s practically impossible to imagine the show without him. But the ensemble cast has become so impressive, with many capable of leading episodes, that it's clear the show will not only survive but continue to thrive when he does sadly leave.
It may often slip under the radar, but Casualty is perhaps one of the most important shows on television. It fulfils the remit of public service broadcasting so fully, by providing a unique and often damning insight into life on the frontline of the NHS, that also makes for entertaining Saturday-night viewing.
In the current TV landscape, no show is ever completely safe, and it’s difficult to predict what Casualty’s future might look like. However, there is plenty to love about the show at the moment, with lots of reasons why it deserves to be protected for years to come.
Casualty airs on Saturday nights on BBC One. The show is now releasing episodes early on BBC iPlayer at 6am on the day of transmission.
Read more Casualty spoilers on our dedicated homepage
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