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The Nation's Health

1983·Show
4Episodes in1Season

Where to watch

No stream option in US yet.

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

The Nation's Health fingerprint

Immersive world, strong craft, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

Builds slowly, so the intensity comes in waves.

  • Tension6
  • Fast Pace3
  • Violence3

Heart

Profoundly sad and moving

  • Melancholy9
  • Pathos8
  • Nostalgia5

Humor

Some dark humor and satire

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Dark Humor7
  • Satire & Parody6
  • Wit & Wordplay5

World

Society, everyday modern life, and politics

Lived-in and easy to get lost in.

  • World Immersion8
  • Dialogue Centrality8
  • Novelty7

Craft

Standout performances, dialogue, and characters

  • Acting8
  • Dialogue Quality8
  • Character Depth8

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Sound Centrality7
  • Cinematography6
  • Editing6

Who it's for

AdultsFriends NightPartner WatchSolo WatchThought-Provoking

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You need an uplifting moodYou want fast pacing

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every show. Select a row to see all of them.

About

The Nation's Health is a 4 episode series written by G.F.Newman based on his book of the same name, originally broadcast on the fledgling Channel 4 UK TV channel in 1983. The series consists of four episodes that are, in order, titled: Acute, Decline, Chronic, and Collapse. In it we are faced with a maelstrom of political issues, illnesses, fatalities, personal greed and professional vanities. As may be clear from these titles, the series draws a relentlessly bleak view of the NHS in 1980s Britain. The protagonist of the series is a newly-qualified doctor, Jessie Marvill (Vivienne Ritchie). The series follows Jessie through four different sectors of the NHS, although the episodes are not focused entirely through Jessie: the NHS is seen from a variety of different perspectives, from doctors and patients to administrators and kitchen staff.
Bleak Social DramaGritty Medical RealismUK Political SatireChallenging ViewingCharacter Study1980s NHS CritiqueIntellectual & Dialogue-DrivenPessimistic OutlookHistorical Context

Crew

Written by:
Produced by:

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about The Nation's Health

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Nation's Health legally?

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Is The Nation's Health worth watching?

72
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 72/100 (IMDb 7.2). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is The Nation's Health rated?

Strong languageDisturbing imagery

Content advisories: strong language and disturbing imagery.

How many seasons does The Nation's Health have?

1 season

It has 1 season with 4 episodes.

When did The Nation's Health air?

It ran from 1983 to 1983 and has ended.

What language is The Nation's Health in?

English

It was made in English.