Sitcom that takes place in a hospital ward full of hypochondriacs. Twenty-nine episodes in all. It stars James Bolam as Roy Figgs, Peter Bowles as Archie Glover, Christopher Straull as Norman Binns, Richard Wilson as Dr.Gordon Thorpe and Derrick Branche as Gupte. Funny show.
Opening episode: October 29,1979 – “A Bed With A View” – Norman is taken to a room with Roy and Archie. The curtain around Archie’s bed is closed and Norman hears moans. Roy wonders what happened to the last patient in the room. He was a ballroom dancer named Seymour who broke his leg when he fell off the operating table.
The bed by the window is open and Norman get in. Roy wants it for himself. Norman gives it up. That causes confusion with Dr.Thorpe and Gupte. Norman doesn’t know what’s wrong with him. Roy has thirty-five stitches in his stomach and doesn’t know what’s wrong. Archie is taking advantage of the National Health System. He was moaning because a nurse was giving him a massage.
There’s a very funny bit when Norman presents Thorpe with a gift from his mother.
Archie says Seymour went to a better place. That makes Roy give the bed back to Norman. Archie eventually gets it and that causes even more confusion with Gupte. As a result Archie is taken to the operating room because Norman’s chart is still on the front of the bed. Good start to the series.
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