"Casualty" (1986) TV series 1986-????

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Creators:

Jeremy Brock
Paul Unwin

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23

Release Date:

28 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The everyday lives of the people frequenting the frenetic Accident and Emergency department of Holby City hospital.

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Accident | Nurse | Doctor | Father Son Relationship

Awards:

6 wins & 18 nominations

Cast

Derek Thompson	...	Charlie Fairhead (306 episodes, 1986-2009)
Suzanne Packer	...	Tess Bateman (256 episodes, 2003-2009)
Ian Bleasdale	...	Josh Griffiths / ... (253 episodes, 1991-2007)
Simon MacCorkindale	...	Harry Harper (228 episodes, 2002-2008)
James Redmond	...	John 'Abs' Denham (213 episodes, 2003-2008)
Martina Laird	...	Comfort Jones / ... (195 episodes, 1995-2006)
Susan Cookson	...	Maggie Coldwell / ... (173 episodes, 1998-2009)
Janine Mellor	...	Kelsey Phillips (168 episodes, 2005-2009)
Sam Grey	...	Alice Chantrey (135 episodes, 2006-2009)
Matthew Wait	...	Luke Warren (129 episodes, 2003-2006)
Elyes Gabel	...	Gurpreet 'Guppy' Sandhu / ... (128 episodes, 2001-2007)
Elizabeth Carling	...	Selena Donovan / ... (127 episodes, 2003-2007)
Jane Hazlegrove	...	Kathleen 'Dixie' Dixon / ... (127 episodes, 2006-2009)
Catherine Shipton	...	Lisa 'Duffy' Duffin / ... (125 episodes, 1986-2006)

Also Known As:

"Casual+y" (UK) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

50 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Bristol, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Initially, the producers made no secret of the fact that Holby was a fictitious name for Bristol. However when a new producer, Peter Norris, was brought in for Season 4, he decided to play down the association between Holby and Bristol, and so Duffy's West Country accent disappeared and fewer recognizable Bristol locations were used.

Quotes:

Selena Manning: [to Maggie] You will never guess what just happened.
Maggie Coldwell: Yeah well so long as I don't get the blame I don't care.
Selena Manning: Nathan just asked my out.
Maggie Coldwell: Nathan as in Spencer?
[Selena nods]
Maggie Coldwell: Well I hope you told him to get stuffed.
[Selena looks away]
Maggie Coldwell: You didn't did you?
Selena Manning: Look, I didn't say yes. Look, he's not that bad, he's good looking, he's successful.
Maggie Coldwell: Yeah and what happened to I need a good man? He's obviously a snake, what is it with you and dodgy blokes? Please, Selena, just wait for a decent man.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spin off "Casualty @ Holby City" (2005)

British version of ER

I'm sorry but I am beginning to see a pattern of British dramas which I dare say is quite bland. The acting, the writing, and even the sets are just similar. Holby City and Casualty are two separate shows but I can't tell the difference. The actors and actresses look the same and I'm sure that the cast of characters of one show end up in the other at one point. Does it matter? Is Casualty popular enough to have spin off series like Holby City? I can't answer it because I don't live in the United Kingdom. It would be nice to see a familiar face among the cast. I watched Coronation Street and see the familiar faces of some cast members. EastEnders is popular simply because Wendy Richard who played Pauline Fowler for 21 years was the heart and soul and not to mention that she was a cast member of the popular comedy, Are you Being Served? and Barbara Windsor who is better known for her roles in Carry On series. That's the problem, I think the shows are stepping stone. In America, we have actors and actresses who have stayed and that's important is the regularity. I'm not saying that British soaps are bad. No way, British soaps like Casualty and Emmerdale are an important factor of British culture. I encourage people especially tourists to watch them. British soaps can be both funny and sad, happy and entertaining as well as enlightening. Don't think that I don't appreciate the British contribution to soaps because I think Britons are quite appreciative of their existence where as in America for example, soaps are only the stepping stone to their careers and sometimes the highlight.