Tv Previews

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday January 12, 2009

Josephine Tovey

Blood And Guts: A History Of Surgery

SBS, 8.30pm

There is enough blood and guts in this aptly titled medical documentary to induce viewers into bringing up some of their own bodily fluids.

Host Michael Mosley guides the audience through the history of heart surgery in this episode, which would be impossible to do without at least some blood.

But restraint is not the name of the game here: the show takes adolescent glee in the stuff and blood flows gratuitously in every scene. Silly horror-style sound effects and MythBusters-like stunts also lower the tone.

It's a pity really, because underneath this theatrical gore-fest are some pretty interesting titbits on the development of important medical techniques.

Few, however, will have strong enough stomachs to find them.

Desperately Seeking Doctors

SBS, 7.30pm

A more digestible medical documentary is on offer here, in the second episode of this three-part series about doctors working in the bush.

The series follows the experiences of three doctors who have made a tree-change and left behind their families to work in seriously understaffed towns in rural Western Australia.

Last week's first episode was a real charmer, thanks largely to Dr Mary Fortune, an affable Scottish doctor stationed in Kalgoorlie. Immediately after her arrival she had to confront the mental and physical problems faced by her patients, particularly the females, in the isolated mining town, which she did with great sensitivity and humour.

Unfortunately, this episode only spends a short period of time with Dr Fortune and focuses more on the conflict between a doctor and his medical student in another town. This storyline could have happened anywhere and lacks the fish-out-of-water drama of the first episode but is interesting nonetheless.

Party Animals

ABC1, 8.35pm

Political cynicism seems to be at an all-time high in Britain as its national broadcaster continues to turn out witty programs that explore the underbelly of the political process. First we had the excellent black comedy The Thick Of It and now this, a sophisticated drama about aspiring politicians and staffers, all of whom are very cool young things.

This episode tracks the building sexual tension between the sleek Tory candidate, Ashika Chandiramani (Shelley Conn), and the idealistic Labour lobbyist, Scott Foster (Andrew Buchan). As they sling mud at each other in public, things get messier behind the scenes.

The show moves fast and as this is the penultimate episode of an eight-part series, new viewers may feel lost at first.

Even so, the dialogue is excellent and it's worth tuning in to get a glimpse of Matt Smith, the man recently cast to play the next Dr Who, who stars as Scott's brother.

The Museum

ABC1, 7.30pm

I felt like a kid being dragged to the museum on my school holidays watching last week's episode. But this look at the people who conduct research on the artefacts in the bowels of the British Museum was a vast improvement.

Tonight's episode shows how everyday objects left behind by ancient societies give us clues to understanding those societies' customs and beliefs.

Researchers in this episode explore the drug habits of Middle East cultures by testing urns for traces of opium. The episode is ultimately a little slow and unsatisfying but it's an interesting insight into the painstaking detective work needed in historical research.