Pulse is an Australian television drama series that was first screened on ABC TV on 20 July 2017 and ended after eight episodes on 7 September 2017.[1]
| Pulse | |
|---|---|
| Written by |
|
| Screenplay by | Paul Gerard Kennedy |
| Directed by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Country of origin | Australia |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC TV |
| Release | 20 July – 7 September 2017 |
The series was written by Kris Wyld, Michael Miller, Kristen Dunphy and Mandy McCarthy; directed by Peter Andrikidis, Jennifer Leacey and Ana Kokkinos; and produced by ClandestineTV and Beyond Productions in conjunction with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.[2]
Plot summary
editThe series follows the story of Frankie, a high-flying financial analyst who had it all before a failing kidney landed her at death's door until a transplant offered her a second chance. Inspired by the man who saved her life, Frankie alters course to become a doctor herself, working and learning in the high stakes, high pressure world of the cardio-thoracic and renal wards of a major teaching hospital.[3]
Cast
edit- Claire van der Boom as Frankie Bell
- Andrea Demetriades as Lou Tannis
- Owen Teale as Chad Berger
- Liam McIntyre as Eli Nader
- Pallavi Sharda as Tanya Kalchuri
- Penny Cook as Carol Little
- Susie Porter as Maggie Cutter
- Renee Lim as Monica Lee
- Arka Das as Tabb Patel
- Blessing Mokgohloa as Rowan Mitri
- Dalip Sondhi as Rupert Steele
- Arianthe Galani as Arianna Koutoufides
- Carmen Duncan as Nora Johns (1 episode)
- Geraldine Hakewill as Connie (1 episode)
- Helen Thomson as Lorraine Walsh (2 episodes)
- Rahel Romahn as Adam Aswany (1 episode)
Episodes
edit| No. | Title | Director | Writer | Original air date | Australian Viewers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Peter Andrikidis | Kris Wyld & Mel Hill | 20 July 2017 | 512,000[4] | |
|
Transplant patient and now doctor, Frankie starts her first day in Renal rotation; best friend Lou battles surgery's boys' club; and flatmate Tabb starts as an intern. | ||||||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Peter Andrikidis | Michael Miller | 27 July 2017 | 478,000[5] | |
|
Frankie takes on the system to save a patient, and lands in trouble. Lou finds out it's not always wise to have an affair with a boss; and Tabb questions his ability as a doctor. | ||||||
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Jennifer Leacey | Michael Miller | 3 August 2017 | 404,000[6] | |
|
When a heart transplant patient dies, Frankie fears the surgeons will close ranks to cover up a medical error. Lou realises she and best friend Frankie may be on different sides. | ||||||
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Jennifer Leacey | Michael Miller | 10 August 2017 | 437,000[7] | |
|
When a patient wants to turn off the device keeping her alive Steele tries to dissuade her. Lou feels betrayed when Frankie takes on a Root Cause Analysis into a patient's death, threatening her job. | ||||||
| 5 | "Episode 5" | Ana Kokkinos | Kris Wyld | 17 August 2017 | 413,000[8] | |
|
When Berger learns Frankie has a fever in the middle of a hospital outbreak, he forces her into a bed for treatment, putting her secret at risk of exposure. | ||||||
| 6 | "Episode 6" | Anna Kokkinos | Mandy McCarthy | 24 August 2017 | 392,000[9] | |
|
Tanya is forced to tell Frankie she read her medical files - a breach of professional ethics; while Berger works with Eli Nadar to save a patient from deportation. | ||||||
| 7 | "Episode 7" | Peter Andrikidis | Kristen Dunphy | 31 August 2017 | 350,000[10] | |
|
On the eve of an investigation into a patient's death, Frankie realises that all doctors are fallible when faced with the reality of a health system that isn't always able to cater for all. | ||||||
| 8 | "Episode 8" | Peter Andrikidis | Michael Miller | 7 September 2017 | 384,000[11] | |
|
Chad Berger's days as a doctor are coming to an end, but he is determined to see through a complex set of paired kidney exchange transplants. | ||||||
Reception
editRatings
edit| No. | Title | Air date | Overnight ratings | Consolidated ratings | Total viewers |
Ref(s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewers | Rank | Viewers | Rank | |||||
| 1 | Episode 1 | 20 July 2017 | 512,000 | 13 | 86,000 | 11 | 598,000 | [4][12] |
| 2 | Episode 2 | 27 July 2017 | 478,000 | 15 | 63,000 | 12 | 541,000 | [5][13] |
| 3 | Episode 3 | 3 August 2017 | 404,000 | 16 | 43,000 | 15 | 447,000 | [6][14] |
| 4 | Episode 4 | 10 August 2017 | 437,000 | 15 | 70,000 | 14 | 507,000 | [7][15] |
| 5 | Episode 5 | 17 August 2017 | 413,000 | 16 | 57,000 | 15 | 470,000 | [8][16] |
| 6 | Episode 6 | 24 August 2017 | 392,000 | 18 | 64,000 | 16 | 456,000 | [9][17] |
| 7 | Episode 7 | 31 August 2017 | 350,000 | 19 | 76,000 | 16 | 426,000 | [10][18] |
| 8 | Episode 8 | 7 September 2017 | 384,000 | 18 | 71,000 | 13 | 455,000 | [11][19] |
Critical reception
editThis series has received mixed reviews.
Luke Buckmaster, writer for The Guardian, rated the series two out of five stars saying "medical dramas will probably never fall out of fashion. The genre is crowded, emphasising the need for programs with interesting and distinctive visions. Unfortunately, Pulse isn’t one of them".[20]
David Knox, writer for TV Tonight, rated the series four out of five stars praising the casting of the series and that it's "the strongest medical drama in years" saying that it holds strong against an overcrowded genre.[21]
References
edit- ^ Knox, David (17 June 2017). "Gallery: Pulse". TV Tonight. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
- ^ "Production kicks off on ABC drama Pulse with Claire van der Boom in lead". Inside Film. Australia. 13 March 2017. Archived from the original on 18 March 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (9 September 2016). "ABC to set Pulse racing". TV Tonight. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
- ^ a b Knox, David (21 July 2017). "Thursday 20 July 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ a b Knox, David (28 July 2017). "Thursday 27 July 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ a b Knox, David (4 August 2017). "Thursday 3 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ a b Knox, David (11 August 2017). "Thursday 10 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ a b Knox, David (18 August 2017). "Thursday 17 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 18 August 2017.
- ^ a b Knox, David (25 August 2017). "Thursday 24 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
- ^ a b Knox, David (1 September 2017). "Thursday 31 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
- ^ a b Knox, David (8 September 2017). "Thursday 7 September 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (28 July 2017). "Timeshifted: Thursday 20 July 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (4 August 2017). "Timeshifted: Thursday 27 July 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (13 August 2017). "Timeshifted: Thursday 3 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 August 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (23 August 2017). "Timeshifted: Thursday 10 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (3 September 2017). "Timeshifted: Thursday 17 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (3 September 2017). "Timeshifted: Thursday 24 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 3 September 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (12 September 2017). "Timeshifted: Thursday 31 August 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (15 September 2017). "Timeshifted: Thursday 7 September 2017". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ Buckmaster, Luke (20 July 2017). "Pulse review – ho-hum plots and tin-eared dialogue plague bland medical drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
- ^ Knox, David (12 July 2017). "Pulse review". TV Tonight. Retrieved 12 August 2017.