‘This Is Going to Hurt’ Recap: ‘Episode 1’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains minor spoilers for the series premiere of ‘This Is Going to Hurt’. 

Often times, television shows that explore what life is like to be a doctor working in a hospital, paint quite the rosy picture. One where the doctor or doctors in question… lead some powerful and inspiring lives. Since they save people multiple times over the course of a particular episode and do so with a grace and ease that makes their job appear to be the pinnacle of modern heroism. Since it takes a true hero to be that cool and collect under that kind of pressure and they’re so good at what they do, the only conflicts they run into… relate to their personal lives and interpersonal issues at their always bustling office. But while it is indeed wonderful to tune into these shows and see wonders be accomplished in an emergency room… there is a slight problem with this uplifting structure.

In that… these shows present a world that is just… too perfect at times. Because loss doesn’t happen here all that often and suffering is quickly solved and while television is indeed grounded in escapism, this is that to excess and it almost romanticizes a world that quite frankly… is far more difficult than we give it credit. Because doctors work their tails off, suffer losses and setbacks, and are human and have days where they feel bad and have to push through so much, to save lives and make miracles happen and well, at long last… a genuinely raw and honest look at what it is like to be a doctor in a high-pressure environment is finally hitting the airwaves. For today, AMC+ is host to This Is Going to Hurt, a show that is based on the biography of writer Adam Kay, who was once a doctor in a maternity ward and well, what makes this series so raw and incredibly honest… is that it truly offers us an up close and personal look at the struggles doctors face in real life. 

For we are privy to the sheer chaos that is present at the hospital where Adam works, where babies are arriving seemingly every minute of every day and that alone is powerful in its own right. Since childbirth is presented in fiction as a moment of genuine beauty, not a medical procedure that runs into fierce complications at times or is handled in a factory-esque manner… and that leads to some powerful moments. Wherein we watch Adam struggle to handle his daily duties because of the sheer volume of work there is to do at his hospital and because of a lack of staff to help him complete his duties, all while he battles the weight of that amount of work mentally and physically, and we are even privy to something revolutionary here… mistakes. Since Adam and others take part in missteps here, a storytelling decision that serves to remind us that this is difficult work that doesn’t always end in a smooth manner.

But thankfully, Adam has support from the handful of coworkers he does have around him, and that helps to keep this place running. One that is constantly on the precipice of disaster it seems, a move that hammers home just how much stress doctors experience in reality and how hard they push themselves to try and bring order to chaos. Which in many ways, makes this appear to be something of a bleak drama of sorts, one designed to serve as an exposé of an industry in need of that. But that’s simply not the case. Instead, it is obvious that Adam just wanted to break the tropes and stereotypes surrounding this kind of story and really present the medical world in an honest and powerful light. One that would allow for people to really understand what goes into being a doctor and the dedication it outright requires and Adam’s unique take upon this world… makes this story quite engaging and at times… lighthearted believe it or not. 

A feat accomplished here by way of a flawless injection of humor. Since there are fourth wall moments and plucky dark humor that allows for this world to never become as overwhelming as it might be for those that choose to be part of it, and that is a brilliant choice storytelling wise. Since it really does ease the tension and oddly helps to plunge us into fictional Adam’s world further, and it also doesn’t hurt, that this premiere is filled to the brim with incredible performances. For Ben Whishaw plays Adam, and he is simply electric in the role and sells the story with an incredible honesty, as do his supporting cast mates. Of course, director Lucy Forbes also deserves a round of applause, for making this environment believable and well… in the end, all of these elements make this… a brilliant premiere through and through. One that informs us that we are going to be part of an original and emotional ride. The kind that will revolutionize how these types of stories are told, and well… it is going to be fascinating to see what other honest and raw moments await us in the weeks to come, as we bear witness to all the highs and lows of Adam’s time in the maternity ward. Until next time.  

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