# "The Indian Doctor" on the BBC **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 3, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795 "2010-12-03T11:55:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/1 "2010-12-03T11:55:31Z")
I happened to be poking about iPlayer last night and watched two episodes of this comedy drama. It’s the story of an Indian doctor, (astonishingly, eh?) played by Sanjeev Bhaskar of Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars at no. 45 fame who moves to a sleepy little Welsh village with his very aristocratic wife, and the evolving story of their involvement in the village. Not for the first time, I cursed the brevity of UK TV seasons, since 5 episodes is hardly enough for any sort of character development or real story arc, but it was an enjoyable few episodes nonetheless. I wondered if anyone else at all had seen this, but as I expect this to sink like a stone, I’ll reserve further discussion until someone else pipes up. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/2 "2010-12-03T19:16:34Z")
So, The Doctor has finally outsourced. It was only a matter of time. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/3 "2010-12-03T19:28:36Z")
Gah! Episode one has dropped off iPlayer. I hadn’t heard about this and want to watch it. One of my uncles was an Indian doctor at around the same time as this is set (a bit earlier in fact), except in Scotland. I might have to resort to nefarious methods… ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/4 "2010-12-04T23:31:25Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Gah! Episode one has dropped off iPlayer. I hadn’t heard about this and want to watch it. One of my uncles was an Indian doctor at around the same time as this is set (a bit earlier in fact), except in Scotland. I might have to resort to nefarious methods… I got lucky then, since I accidentally found it on iPlayer. It’s on series catch-up, though; don’t they usually leave all of them up for a while at the end? If, however, you do resort to nefarious methods, do let me know! ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/5 "2010-12-05T23:18:53Z")
This was shown in the in the middle of the afternoon on week-days and I missed it. But it’s been getting rave reviews in various newspapers and in the _Radio Times_. Lets hope the BBC repeats it, gets the larger audience it seems to deserve. ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/6 "2011-01-01T19:42:35Z")
If anyone’s still following this thread, the entire series is now available on iPlayer, for a limited time only. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/categories/drama/classic\_and\_period](http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/categories/drama/classic_and_period) ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/7 "2011-01-01T21:33:49Z")
The Kumar’s, of course, lived at #42. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/8 "2011-01-01T22:13:13Z")
I liked it. However, it felt like it was going somewhere, and then seemed to stop before it got there. I wonder if there are plans for more. It could work as a long running show. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/9 "2011-01-01T22:26:28Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > If anyone’s still following this thread, the entire series is now available on iPlayer, for a limited time only. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/categories/drama/classic\_and\_period](http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/tv/categories/drama/classic_and_period) Ah, excellent. Cheers bud! ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/10 "2011-01-02T09:45:11Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > The Kumar’s, of course, lived at #42. Too true. I hadn’t noticed that typo in my OP until I re-read it just now. Slip of the fingers rather than ignorance, I assure you. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-indian-doctor-on-the-bbc/562795/11 "2011-01-02T20:17:26Z")
I’ll start watching this tonight and let you know what I think (bet you can’t wait). The other day I watched an episode of ‘The House That Made Me’ where Sanjeev Bhaskar mentioned his parents being very disappointed that he didn’t become a doctor. Funnily enough, that documentary contradicts the Wikipedia entry on him - Wiki claims that he experienced racism at school and: > [@](#): > > At one point in his sixth form, all but two of 150 students refused to talk to or sit with him. Which is kinda true, but the racism was from other British-Indian students who hated him for acting too white. At least, that’s what he said in the House programme.