TV review: Trauma Doctors

Not to say fancy production is a necessity, but last night's premiere of Trauma Doctors looked like it was filmed on a camera phone someone had found at a bus stop in the late 90's.

Of course, they ramped up the tension with graphics that could have been lifted straight from CSI – showing crunching bones and blood; Powerpoint effects that slowed time and left the doctors to say technical words about the patient, and manic cuts that flicked around incessantly like it was edited by a five-year-old with ADHD after a sherbet binge.

The show, which follows the usual Ronseal method of naming Channel 5 programmes, admirably does what it says on the tin: the cameras follow a selection of trauma doctors and their patients at Royal London Hospital as we go from accident to diagnosis and resolution. Fairly typical of shows such as these, there are a number of cases, although largely it tended to give a rather revolving door approach to what are life changing events for the people featured.

Perhaps I'm alone in wanting depth rather than breadth in shows that document real lives.

And that desire for depth left me wishing that I was watching Channel 4's recently returned 24 Hours in A&E instead.

The frenetic pacing of Trauma Doctors, as well as the cutaway graphics, all seemed to take away from the human element that can make these shows captivating.

In fact, it's safe to assume that Channel 5 commissioned the show in a direct bid to emulate the success of its competitor.

Indeed, Channel 5 is like the boy with acne and early-onset nasal hair that's six months behind the current trends, desperately trying to play catch-up with the cool kids on the playground.

Even the soundtrack of the programme was 'wub wub' dub-step that was incredibly out of place given the subject matter, all in what we must presume was an attempt to make the show seem current.

Perhaps we should at least be thankful that whoever the network employs to keep their finger on the pulse didn't opt for a career as a doctor because they'd still be searching for a heartbeat during the post mortem.

The level of passion and care from the staff was truly staggering to see, but the makers gave it all the compassion of a cattle market.

Although, I felt truly gripped by the show in the closing moments when an elderly woman named Doris – who had been admitted with an infection, and suffering from severe confusion – was found to be in the latter stages of breast cancer.

In just a few moments with her doctor, we were shown the breadcrumb trail that led to a discovery that will help lengthen her life.

It's just a shame there weren't more genuinely touching moments like that during the hour.

In essence, there are two strands of enjoyment in these shows: watching the jigsaw puzzle come together, and a rubbernecking love of seeing gruesome injuries that you've not suffered yourself.

To both ends, the show did its level best but only by sacrificing a sense of attachment with the people on screen.

All in all, Trauma Doctors was a noble – if not misguided – effort, but if this is your kind of telly, then try 24 Hours in A&E over on Channel 4. It has all the positives, and none of the negatives.

Robert James Taylor