RA Rulez! “The Golden Hour!”
I’ve come and gone from Londontown. I’ll save my impressions of all that for another post. Right now while my impressions are somewhat fresh, I’m here to tell you that I really liked RA’s Doc Alec in “TGH.”
He was strong, mostly silent about his feelings, a solid and confident leader, somewhat vulnerable in his relationship with the unworthy Doc Jane (must have been slim pickin’s in his dating zone), caring and humane in his dealings with patients and their loved ones, and he managed to look deliciously handsome in the orange jump suit, a black leather jacket, a transparent green plastic surgical apron, as well as both black and white tee shirts. Ahhhhh! That white tee shirt showed some real promise with its short sleeves showing us inches of his tan line and all of his glorious biceps in straining action!
Those lovely lips. The incredibly gorgeous eyes. The “NT”* in its full profilish glory. The hair style even looked great. The beautiful hands and long, lean fingers. The broad and yummerific muscular shoulders were fully present and accounted for. Of course, the long, lanky legs were in full stride throughout. And lots of nice long shots to show us just how T, D, and H* our fav docteur is. Can’t say on this first run-through that his “peaches”* were acknowledged particularly well by the camera’s eye. Will have to study that aspect on subsequent viewings. Last but not least; upper arm muscles to die for!
Unfortunately, since the four-part series was written by men, the relationship aspect of the storyline sucked in a major way. I should say written by “rock ‘em; sock ‘em” men. The actions parts of the scripts seemed so much better written and realistic in tone. While the relationship aspects were laughably bad soap opera.
There were lots of details that just didn’t ring true. Mostly empty critical care hospital rooms seemed more like limited or bad budget choices. Atmosphere in hospital seemed way too relaxed. All four lead docs seemed to work on accident victims and then just forget about them while they talked to each other rather casually. I didn’t pick up that urgency of the whole “golden hour” premise even though they were constantly reminding each other of how many minutes they were into it.
Also, I would have thot that they’d carry those heavy medical bags up closer to where their target patients were lying crushed, mangled, and writhing around in pain. Instead, they’d just dump them off as soon as they got out of the helicopter or the car.
And they used handheld cell phones to communicate with each other. Not an earphone in sight. Ep 1 even had Doc Paul performing a chancy in-the-field operation while another emergency worker held the phone to his ear so Doc A could talk him through it. Very unbelievable in today’s world when every teeny bopper walks around plugged into his phone. Maybe it’s a British thing but I just felt like it was unbelievable. Moments later, Doc P was holding it in his bloody hands thanking Doc A for his talking him through the messy procedure.
Okay! I just realized that I managed to write nearly a whole bitch page about technical schmecknical dribble without a word of praise and nary a drool string for the TDHDIOJS* himself.
Sorry! This oversight shall be immediately rectified. Drool building as I type.
First sweet thrill comes in the opening credits…guess whose last name begins with the first letter of the alphabet? Yup! Doc Armitage…! We are treated to some action shots of him right off the bat. I found myself “yumming” as each ep opened with “Richard Armitage” superimposed over those shots. Must have made both him and his loved ones proud to see it pop up week after week. He looks so much taller than the rest of his team. Mostly because in the overall shot of the four of them, they have for some unknown reason stuck the gidget* next to him. It would have looked better if the blidget* were in that place instead. Or at least Doc Naz. Doc Jane is just way too short for that shot.
I promise not to dissect each and every screen moment of his. I’ll just hit what for moi were the high points. Synopsis: Looks 10; Acting 10!
Overall…excellent small, closed smiles throughout the four eps. Some really good teeth ones also. Very tender and caring to the gidget. She must be an incredible lay ‘cause I can’t really determine any other areas of compatibility between them. There is only ONE kiss in the shadows of Ep 1 that is seen from a distance. V. disappointing as our Bridget Jones would say. Even Mark Darcy got some almost ones and then the final close-up and personal real ones at the end of her movie. The writer and director sure missed the boat on that. Kisses and feverish necking would have shown us that they had the hots for each other, despite their close working relationship. It was all allegedly meaningful looks on his part and near sneers of semi-flirty lust on hers.
Back to the god now known worldwide as RA. Gobs and gobs of long shots which display his long, lean, muscular, and leonine body and legs to fine advantage. Also, his confident stride is sprinkled liberally throughout to set my heart pitty pattying..
I loved his hair style for some unknown reason. It reminded me somewhat of how it looked in “N&S”* at times. Conjured up the loverly HCMO* himself; JT*, in modern doc garb. Unfortunately, Doc J sure ain’t no Margaret Hale!
Black tee shirt was on duty, peeking out of the collar of afore-mentioned OJS in all eps but the one where it was inexplicably replaced by a plain, white one instead. No complaints from the peanut gallery though about this switch in Ep 3 since the sleeves were cut beautifully to display massively alluring biceps in full action as he strained and tugged to save his patient’s life. This drooler would have preferred to see that black sleeve in action in same ep but will offer no squeak of complaint at what was served her in its place.
He was a delicious walking, sometimes talking, piece of visual eye candy throughout the series. Only had to smile to make me wince and gasp inwardly. Lighting was really perfect to accentuate his dark, brooding good looks. His nose was marvelous in all shots, especially the side ones, of which there were many to savor.
Nearly forgot the teeny, weeny sideburns! The man’s face was simply created for sideburns. These have their own moments in the spotlight. Several screen caps display them magnificently. Had me itching to drag out a teeny, weeny little comb to brush them for about, uh, three years!
Fav mole on right side of neck was also on duty. Caught glimpses of that little fella now and again and licked my lips in lust. Shameful to admit that I have a crush on his sideburns and mole!
His acting, you say? How about his acting?
Can there be any doubt that it was superb? Not to this fanRAbid. Very understated as he does so well. Never once called attention to himself in a scene. Reminded me a great deal of his JS* in “SH.”* Very much the ensemble player. Doc A is not a “MeMeMe” kind of guy so RA played him very much as a low key leader of the HEMS* medical team. The other lead actors were always joking around with patients, or with each other, while Doc A was of a more serious and professional bent. Seemed shy even. Especially in dealing with the flirty girty Doc J who couldn’t seem to decided whether or not she was interested in Doc A or Doc P. Most likely, had there been another ep or two, she’d have been making those cow eyes as Doc N also! Shameless hussy!
Doc A’s character reminded me of ex-hubby who while brilliant mathematics graduate student when we met, had almost no experience at dating or with women. He was great at goofing around with the guys but rather tongue-tied around the gals. And definitely not a smooth operator when we first began dating. Just a sweet, earnest fumbler. Which, of course, was totally endearing to a somewhat shy gal comme moi.
The quiet, laidback demeanor of Doc A was perfectly captured by RA. He seemed not to be tempted to engage in the byplay that the other docs displayed so easily. He stood somewhat to the side and smiled benevolently at their antics when he got the jist of them and just looked on when he didn’t. He never allowed himself to be baited either. The other three were the world’s biggest blabbermouths. Couldn’t keep a secret of their own let alone each other’s.
Our handsome doc also seemed to exist in a somewhat dreamy state when he was off duty. Coma Girl’s condition was more compelling to him than meeting the crew for their Friday night drinking fests. I think and hope it was a Friday night affair and that they weren’t carrying on like that during the work week. V. unprofessional and rather alarming if it were the case.
Male fantasizing of this sort…the writer and director…never seems to progress beyond pre-adolescence. I really didn’t like the way any of the other characters were shown. No depth that was discernible. Just real surfacey stuff. Drinking, smoking, modified carousing, etc. Only Doc A seemed like an adult that I would want dealing with my trauma. He never cracked a joke or allowed himself to be distracted once he lay his lovely, healing hands on the bod of his patient. All of his attention was focused on righting a wrong.
After watching all four eps tonight, I’m struck with the thot that the producers are seriously aiming at continuing the series of this show. However, they need to go slightly Merrican in their approach. More eps in each series. More revelations about each character so we get to know and like them in a deeper, more satisfying way. There was almost no real back story for any of them, especially Doc A and Doc P. And they sure seemed to have an unrealistic degree of intimacy flowing between the docs J, N, and P, for only having worked together for three months! Hello! It should have been a longer period of time. More believable!
I betcha the producers have signed contracts with all four actors that extend for several series. It really wouldn’t work to introduce new characters each series. No cohesiveness.
Oh! Just thot of another scene that I enjoyed. The toothbrush scene. The expressions on Doc A’s face as it progressed were definitely spot-on for a guy like him. He’s pleased with himself when he gives Doc J the package. Confused when she misinterprets its significance. Somewhat shocked that she thinks it means something other than what it does. And puzzled and just a little hurt when she over-reacts. Clearly, there is little if any real communication going on between these two characters. It has to be just a sexual thing which seems odd given his personality and hers. He’s the intense one but she’s the one pressing for a deeper relationship. And then, she’s off making cow eyes back at Doc P in the next scene after whining to Doc A that she hates skulking around in the shadows with him.
Sorry…but it’s a rare male writer who can really accurately capture how a woman behaves in a situation like this and from the looks of this show, also how a real man would. Even Doc P’s obsession with her is badly written soap stuff. Skulking around in dark corners, beaming meaningful looks at her, etc. Corny tripe! And Doc A never even questions her about any of it in Ep 4, even after he’s heard Doc N talking about it with Doc P. Double corny! I hate loose ends like that. Instead, he’s the warm, comforting shoulder for her to lean on and he shows no emotion about her possible tryst with Doc P.
Anyway, suffice to say, I liked watching the TDH brooding doc for 90 minutes x 4. It was no JT up there on the screen but it was never intended to be. It was clearly a “boys with toys” affair with some fake romance tossed in for us ladyfolk. Hopefully, if it’s picked up for a second series, there will be some sand shifting and better writing.
If not…there’s always “Macbeth” and then “The Impressionists” where the bearded Claude Monet will fill the screen with new images of the god now known worldwide as RA.
Until then…I’ve got my “N&S” and “SH” and “BTS” and “CF” and now “TGH” to warm the cockles of my heart…and keep that drool a streamin’!
“UF” will most likely be a purchase item as it is out on DVD and I do so want to see him both authoritative and athletic. The rugby leg and tight but clothed peaches shots alone should feed my fanRAbidhood quite nicely. Plus, he has many handsome man scenes or so I’ve garnered from all of the screen caps. However, I’d really like to see his acting in it also. I’ve learned to ignore the whiners who only complain about the violence, facial hair, or the lack of RA screen time. They are the ones who expect every role to be just like JT. So, they are unable to realize that an actor takes roles like these to stretch his acting muscles and to be seen as versatile in diverse genres.
P.S. Hoping with crossed fingers that “Doctors” and “Casualty” will also wend their merry ways to SoCal via the South Pacific. And I keep dropping hints that I would like to see “ILM” and “MA” even though his parts in both are teeny, weeny. Dying to see the handsome Philip Turner in full, living animation on my bedroom TV/DVD combo. Especially when he purrs in that deep, velvety voice, “It’s an affair, Inspector. You’re supposed to lie about it.”
Any previously unseen visuals will nicely feed my RAddiction! Or should I call it my, RAdoration?
RA Rulez!
LDB
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NT = “National Treasure” (RA’s magnificent, classic “conk” ehr, nose)
TDH = Tall, Dark, and Handsome
Peaches = Tight, toned butt to us Merricans (tight, toned “arse” to the Brits)
TDHDIOJS = TDH Doctor In Orange Jump Suit
Gidget = Girl midget (Doc Jane…the usual full foot shorter than RA)
Blidget = Blond midget (although Doc P isn’t really a midget…he’s taller)
N&S = “North and South” (2004 BBC production)
HCMO = Handsome Cotton Mill Owner (endearing term from above production)
JT = John Thornton (HCMO from “N&S”)
JS = John Standring (his wonderful character in “Sparkhouse”)
SH = “Sparkhouse” (2002 Red ____ production shown on UKTV)
HEMS = Helicopter Emergency Medical Services
BTS = “Between The Sheets”
CF = “Cold Feet” (Series 5)
UF = “Ultimate Force” (Series 2)
