TLC (2002)
TLC is a darkly surreal farce-like sitcom set in a fictional NHS hospital called South Middlesex where coffee is traded like drugs and pretty much everyone has a personality problem. It was first broadcast on the BBC on 11 November 2002 and ran over six episodes until 16 December. There were some very mixed opinions on the show among both critics and viewers, but it achieved decent ratings and featured an excellent comedy cast including Richard Griffiths, Alexander Armstrong and The League of Gentlemen's Reece Shearsmith. The series was released on DVD in the UK on 29 October 2007. The show never confirms what "TLC" stands for, although it is presumed to be a sarcastic reference to the widely used abbreviation for "Tender Loving Care", but could equally refer to the alternative yet related abbreviation "Total Lack of Concern".
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Episode 1 - Staying Awake
Release Date: 2002-11-17Doctor Flynn starts working at the south Middlesex hospital. He suffers from a series of nightmares, which stem from the complicated operation that caused him to fail his finals first time. Doctor Noble tells everyone in the hospital, and Flynn becomes a laughing stock. A new patient is admitted who sells coffee… a much-desired drug around the hospital, one which Noble swapped Flynn's personalised stethoscope for. To gain the respect of the staff, Flynn makes everyone in the hospital a cup of coffee, only to find out that it is de-caff! Flynn becomes convinced that the coffee rep needs the operation that he failed on, and does it, puncturing the patients lung, just as Mr Ron comes to do the rounds…
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Episode 2 - Sectioned
Release Date: 2002-11-18Flynn tries to learn stitching to impress Judy. Flynn gets locked out of his flat, and is told to sleep in casualty. He begins to treat an old lady (Ethel) with a bowel obstruction, who bites his finger. His finger is treated by Judy, who teases him into taking his trousers off, then gives him a tetanus shot. While Flynn sleeps on a trolley, Terry and Judy get him sectioned. In the morning, Flynn escapes, and meets Noble, who tells him that the old lady was only constipated, and he has given her laxatives, so that she will ‘relieve' herself at 9 the next morning. In search of a toffee, Ethel grabs Flynn's left testicle. He also find that his door has been ‘fixed' by being pulled off its hinges. Flynn stops Ethel's sleeping pills, causing her to go on a zombie-esque rampage. Judy flirts with Flynn, and tells him she might sneak into his room. As he sleeps, she sends Ethel into his room. Everyone gathers and wakes Flynn, just as the clock strikes 9am…
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Episode 3 - Clean White Coat
Release Date: 2002-11-25Flynn searches for a clean white coat before his next rounds with Mr Ron. The only things that stand in his way are: a rat, the pet shop boys, and a priest's spleen.
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Episode 4 - Three Stars
Release Date: 2002-12-02Flynn and Noble attempt to win back three NHS ratings stars.
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Episode 5 - The Wrong Leg
Release Date: 2002-12-09Flynn is put in charge of notorious criminal Frank Briggs's leg opperation.
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Episode 6 - Agency Nurse
Release Date: 2002-12-16The arrival of an attractive new Spanish nurse causes Judy to re-think her feelings for Flynn.