This Is Going to Hurt, a series based on Adam Kay's biography, provides an unflinching and realistic portrayal of the demanding and emotionally taxing life of a doctor, particularly an OB/GYN in the NHS, contrasting it with the acclaimed series The Pitt.
When The Pitt was first released last year, the HBO series shook up the industry. After all, not only was the series experimental, with one episode representing one hour in Dr. Robby's shift, but the series has been applauded for being one of the most accurate and realistic portrayals of what being a doctor is actually like.
But while The Pitt certainly continues to live up to that standard with Season 2, which first released on January 8, 2026, there's another ready-to-stream series that doesn't shy away from the harsh realities of being a doctor either. The series This is Going to Hurt, based on the bestselling 2017 biography by Adam Kay, was first released in 2022, and gives another unapologetic and unflinching portrayal of modern medicine. What Is 'This Is Going to Hurt' About? In The Pitt, patients, doctors and nurses, are everywhere, making their way around the ER like busy bees in a bee hive. In This Is Going to Hurt, there’s still chaos, but it's more focused. Instead of following a whole team of ER doctors in each of their cases, the series follows one doctor, Dr. Adam Kay , an OB/GYN who works for the NHS in London and, for the lack of a better term, has had the life sucked out of him after years on the job. In the first scene, for instance, Adam wakes up in his car and realizes he's never made it home since his last shift at the hospital. He then quickly dusts himself off, before taking care of a mom-to-be who's about to give birth in the parking lot. Despite the sheer exhaustion, Adam persists day after day, delivering babies and dealing with the patients' demands at every turn. His automatic mode takes a stumble, however, in the first episode of the series. After a pregnant mom fakes her symptoms, Adam brushes her off and sends her home. Hours later, she returns in a critical condition, and her baby is delivered at just 25 weeks. The mistake haunts Adam, and closes him off to everyone around him, including his boyfriend Harry , and the new doctor-in-training by his side, Shruti . The series also stars Michele Austin, Alex Jennings, Tom Durant Pritchard and Harriet Walter.Posts By Kareem Gantt 'This Is Going to Hurt' Perfectly Balances a Doctor's Harrowing Reality With Dark Humor Despite not being as well-known as The Pitt, This Is Going Hurt has been praised by fans and critics alike, scoring 96% from critics and 92% from the general audience on Rotten Tomatoes. At its core, the series works because Whishaw is spectacular as Adam. At first, he comes off as arrogant and conceited, but the viewer slowly warms up to him over time. After all, not only is he visibly shaken by the consequences of Episode 1, but he regularly breaks the fourth wall, providing insight into his feelings, and delivering some ruthless and hilarious one-liners. In the miniseries, Whishaw is a true scene-stealer, making viewers feel for him while also frustrating them with his walled-up and stubborn ways. Another performance highlight is Mod's shy yet hard-working Shruti. While not exactly playing in to the series' comedic side, Shruti serves as a haunting example of the emotional toll of the profession. In between sharp, often demeaning comments from Adam, Shruti's mental health declines, with her questioning not only her career, but her life. Throughout the series, as she prepares to take her exams, Shruti loses more and more of her empathy while consulting patients, reaching a low point when she bluntly tells a couple their child has died. Mod's unwavering performance is heartbreaking, and shows the real-life consequences of an understaffed, underpaid, and unsupported healthcare system. Plus, unlike The Pitt, which follows more TV-worthy medical cases, like Season 1's PittFest shooting, or a homeless man's maggot-infested cast in Season 2, This Is Going to Hurt follows real, mundane medical cases. So, while Adam tends to one medical emergency after the next, with screaming moms-to-be left and right, the series isn't concerned with spectacle – it's just interested in portraying the real lives of NHS doctors instead. Subscribe for sharper takes on medical dramas and realism Explore why medical dramas land so true — subscribe to the newsletter for curated analysis, recommended viewing, and thoughtful context that digs into how TV shows portray the realities of medicine and what those portrayals mean. Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime. With that said, while The Pitt certainly deserves all the praise, This Is Going to Hurt is another must-watch medical drama that gives an unflinching, accurate and unapologetic account of what being a doctor is really like. Whether you warm up to Whishaw's Adam or not, the miniseries shows a true glimpse into modern medicine, crying babies and all. This Is Going To Hurt Like TV-14 Biography Comedy Drama Release Date 2022 - 2022-00-00 Writers Adam Kay Cast See All
This Is Going To Hurt Medical Drama NHS Doctor Realism
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