8 /10 1 Votes
79% Metacritic Final episode date 12 December 2013 | 8/10 IMDb Genre British dark comedy Network Sky Arts | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Also known as Playhouse Presents: A Young Doctor's Notebook,
A Young Doctor's Notebook & Other Stories Based on A Young Doctor's Notebook
by Mikhail Bulgakov Written by Mark Chappell
Alan Connor
Shaun Pye Directed by Alex Hardcastle (series 1)
Robert McKillop (series 2) Starring Jon Hamm
Daniel Radcliffe Nominations Satellite Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy Cast Daniel Radcliffe, Jon Hamm, Rosie Cavaliero, Adam Godley, Vicki Pepperdine | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A Young Doctor's Notebook is a British dark comedy television programme based on the short story collection of the same name by Mikhail Bulgakov. Jon Hamm and Daniel Radcliffe both portray the show's main character, a doctor at the fictional Muryevo Hospital in Russia, at different ages. The first series was broadcast between 6 December and 27 December 2012 on Sky Arts 1, and a second and final series aired from 21 November to 12 December 2013. The first series takes place in the year 1917 during the Russian Revolution, and the second series takes place in the following year, during the Russian Civil War.
Contents
Production
The second series is based specifically on the short story titled 'Morphine' by Bulgakov, but is also dependent on writers for much of the subject matter as most of Bulgakov's works were utilized in the first series.
The title cards and credits use faux Cyrillic.
The music for the programme was composed by Stephen Warbeck. It features a strong violin line, a clarinet or oboe, an acoustic guitar, and a cello. The theme song was featured on Sky Arts' compilation album Sky Theme Tunes, Vol. 2.
Series overview
Dr. Vladimir Bomgard leads a team at the fictional Muryevo Hospital in Russia. The team consists of Pelageya Ivanovna (Rosie Cavaliero), a junior midwife; Demyan Lukich (Adam Godley), a feldsher; and Anna Nikolayevna (Vicki Pepperdine), a senior midwife. The typical episode follows the team in their attempts to treat patients' illnesses. Bomgard contends with the uneducated populace who refuse his treatment. He regularly provides them with rapid and accurate diagnoses.
Bomgard has a physical relationship with Pelageya. In the third episode, they have sex for the first time. In the second series, they try being a couple and make their relationship work. In the sixth episode, Bomgard tells Pelageya he never loved her, and they separate.
A Young Doctor's Notebook is set in the fictional town of Muryevo, Korobovo in Russia. The first series takes place in the year 1917 during the Russian Revolution and the second series takes place in the following year during the Russian Civil War. The programme also takes place in the years 1934 and 1935. The show's main character reads his old diary and recalls his experiences, interjecting himself into the story of his younger self. The doctor interacts with his younger self, having conversations that reveal aspects of the story yet to unfold.
In the second series, the Russian Civil War begins to affect the fictional Muryevo Hospital, as an influx of wounded soldiers from both the Bolsheviks and the White Guard arrive for treatment. Meanwhile, the young doctor is battling an all-encompassing morphine addiction. His older self stands watch over him and a young aristocrat named Natasha arrives in the hospital. The young doctor takes an intense, destructive interest in Natasha. At the same time, The Feldsher takes a romantic interest in a tall, moustached Colonel of the White Guard, who is also staying in the hospital. They are both fond of each other, and share a love for pickled sprats. At one point The Feldsher was seen to be bringing him a bouquet of flowers. The Colonel reciprocates.
A significant plot element is Bomgard's use of morphine to manage pain, caused by living in a remote and isolated community and abdominal pain. When he has no access to morphine, he occasionally self-medicates with cocaine. Bomgard also frequently chain smokes when he is on medical duty. In the first series finale, the young doctor reacts to mercy killing by taking morphine, and his addiction recurs. At the close of the first series finale, the young doctor begins to hallucinate. His addiction leads to conflicts with Pelageya. In the last episode, the young doctor admits he is addicted to morphine, describing himself as a "hopeless addict". In the first series, the older doctor is under investigation for writing false prescriptions for morphine for himself, before he descends back into his use of it and his subsequent incarceration as a result. At the opening of the second series premier, the older rehabilitated doctor/Bomgard is released from a mental institution/prison, with his addiction under control.
The doctor is constantly reminded of the former doctor Leopold Leopoldovitch's austere presence through comments comparing them by the midwives and the several large, foreboding portraits of Leopold sporting a huge beard on the walls of the medical practice. The young doctor often feels insecure and inadequate when faced with the Leopoldovitch's reputation and skills, which grows into resentful annoyance.
Cast
All five of the main actors appeared in every episode. All five play staff who work at the fictional Muryevo Hospital in Russia. Jon Hamm and Daniel Radcliffe received star billing.
Despite the programme's short run, several recurring characters emerged.
Episodes
A half-hour behind the scenes documentary immediately followed the last episode on Sky Arts 1 on 12 December 2013.
Reception
The average viewing for the first series was 252,000 people making it the most watched programme on Sky Arts 1 at the time of its airing.
It has been well received by critics.
It was nominated for the Magnolia Award for Best Television Film or Miniseries at the 19th Shanghai Television Festival in 2013. It was nominated for the Satellite Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy at the 18th Satellite Awards in 2014.
Release
The first series was broadcast in the United States between 2 October and 23 October 2013 on Ovation, and a second series aired from 19 August to 9 September 2014.