Breathtaking - Series Review

Starring Golden Globe award-winning actress Joanne Froggatt and written by Rachel Clarke, Jed Mercurio and Prasanna Puwanarajah, `Breathtaking' is an account of an NHS doctor in the eye of the storm during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, showing how frontline medical staff endured fear and frustration as they desperately tried to save the lives of patients. Based on doctor-writer Rachel Clarke's unflinching personal memoir of the greatest public health crisis in living memory.

Joanne Froggatt's performance in the screen adaptation of Rachel Clarke’s memoir offers a unique perspective on the challenges, struggles, and trauma of being a medical professional during the COVID-19 pandemic. In just three episodes, the screenwriters skilfully weave together the stories of doctors, nurses, and patients, providing a distinct narrative of the National Lockdowns in the UK and the impact it had on the NHS.

While the show could have delved deeper into the events of the pandemic, the three episodes we did get were a testament to the show's ability to balance realism and fiction. The solid writing, direction, and a fantastic ensemble cast, including Froggatt as a fictionalized version of Clarke, brought a compelling mix of real and imagined experiences to the screen.

There were debates over whether a show like this was too soon, given that this is very recent history. However, I think this show handled the themes with grace and sensitivity while not downplaying the trials and struggles of the pandemic for both doctors and patients. I was absolutely hooked from the opening scene and thought Froggatt was perfectly cast to play the lead in this gripping drama.

The cast and crew brought the harrowing and emotional scenes to life with such intensity I was almost moved to tears. Froggatt’s Dr Abbey Henderson and the ensemble cast captured the medical team’s struggle with the first wave of COVID-19 patients. Running out of PPE, staff, and beds, Abbey is forced to make difficult healthcare decisions as her colleagues begin to be infected with Covid-19. As the episodes progress, we see the emotional turmoil as those challenges only worsened as the virus continued to spread.

Craig Viveiros was the perfect choice to direct these episodes. The cinematography was haunting and intense, often letting scenes play out in long takes to capture the actors’ emotional performances. The show also incorporated archived footage of political news coverage and the Prime Minister’s continuous delays to lockdown, which vastly contrasted with the dire situations in hospitals. We see the medical team struggle with the lack of clear direction while the patients continue to be admitted to the hospital.

As we see Froggatt’s character struggle to keep her medical team and patients safe and cared for, we see the emotional toll this has on her personal life. She has to self-isolate away from her family, as her young daughter would be vulnerable if she caught the virus. Froggatt is already a masterful actress, portraying the character’s guilt and longing to be with her family by speaking to her co-stars through a phone screen as chaos goes on around her.

The rest of the cast were phenomenal in their roles, especially those who played Abbey’s medical team. Bhav Josh, Donna Banya, Naomi Denny, and many others in the hospital delivered groundbreaking performances. All of the dynamics, conflicts and relationships were beautifully portrayed on screen. As the series progressed, they balanced the hope and devastation of the pandemic and its ramifications on the staff of the NHS and the general public.

I cannot discuss the many reasons I enjoyed this show without spoiling the show, but it is a stellar production. ITV brought the story to life in a way that connects and moves its viewers and portrays the reality of the pandemic with brave and unflinching honesty.

My rating for Breathtaking is ★★★★★.

All episodes of Breathtaking are exclusively available on ITVX.