Ed Patrick starts his show
Depressingly realistic
This show is a great insight into what it means to be a junior doctor, and the pressures and failings of the NHS. Within the hour, Patrick manages to share stories that outline both the problems within the NHS and the ridiculous situations that a junior doctor might find themselves in. In Catch Your Breath, the overall delivery of the material is incredibly measured; they’re funny but they’re not hilarious, and the segues between topics aren't always entirely clear. The anecdotes are humorous, but there is an edge to them because Patrick isn’t just making observations for comedy, but he’s describing a very real problem with the NHS. And not in the funny final exam way that Patrick so helpfully – if a little shockingly – describes. Luckily, Catch Your Breath ends on a positive note, because otherwise this would be a slightly depressing show, one that would be difficult to laugh through.
Because of this atmosphere that Patrick creates, some of the anecdotes do seem a little out of place, especially when Patrick describes some of the more awkward positions he has been in when training to be a doctor. Patrick shares scenarios and positions that no one should be in, but the note he ends on is hopeful enough, not necessarily to restore his faith or ours but to show that what we have is still better than nothing.
