"Doctor at the Top" (1991) TV series

User Rating:

4.0/10   

Creator:

Richard Gordon

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

21 February 1991 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

An update of the classic seventies "Doctor" comedies.

Plot Keywords:

Doctor | Medical | Friendship | Nurse | Humor

Cast

Robin Nedwell	...	Dr. Duncan Waring (7 episodes, 1991)
George Layton	...	Dr. Paul Collier (7 episodes, 1991)
Geoffrey Davies	...	Dr. Dick Stuart-Clark (7 episodes, 1991)
Roger Sloman	...	Dr. Lionel Snell (6 episodes, 1991)
Georgina Melville	...	Geraldine Waring (5 episodes, 1991)
Ernest Clark	...	Sir Geoffrey Loftus (4 episodes, 1991)
Chloë Annett	...	Rebecca Stuart-Clark (4 episodes, 1991)
Jill Benedict	...	Emma Stuart-Clark (3 episodes, 1991)

Runtime:

UK:30 min (7 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Movie Connections:

Follows "Doctor at Large" (1971)

The return to 'St Swithin's'

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

'Doctor At The Top' was the final edition of the 'Doctor' series, a series which had started life on I.T.V in 1969 as 'Doctor In The House'. 'In The House' proved so popular that a number of sequels followed after its conclusion, these were: 'Doctor At Large' (1971), 'Doctor In Charge' (1972-1973), 'Doctor At Sea' (1974) and 'Doctor On The Go' (1975-1977). The show also spawned an Australian version for 'Network 7' in 1979 entitled 'Doctor Down Under', but this show failed to succeed and was swiftly cancelled. In 1991, actor George Layton created a revival for British television in 1991 entitled 'Doctor At The Top' (shown on B.B.C-1). However, it was not the success he must have expected it to be.

Times have changed since the gang were last seen. 'Duncan Waring' (Robin Nedwell) is now a paediatrician at St Swithin's hospital. 'Paul Collier' (George Layton) is now a senior consultant with his own private practice at Harley Street. Finally, 'Dick Stuart-Clark' (Geoffrey Davies) is now the Professor of Surgery. Also, a new doctor has joined the team at St Swithin's, 'Dr. Lionel Snell' (Roger Sloman). Duncan is now married to 'Geraldine' (Georgina Melville), the daughter of ex-Professor 'Geoffrey Loftus' (Ernest Clark), and has five daughters. Dick is now married to 'Emma' (Jill Benedict) and has one daughter, 'Rebecca' (Chloe Annett), of whom has joined the students union, much to the disdain of Dick. Paul, on the other hand, is still single.

Audiences were not impressed with 'At The Top', 12 million viewers had tuned into the first episode but by episode three, the figures had dropped to five million. After only seven episodes, the show was cancelled.

George Layton wrote over half the episodes, the remaining episodes were penned by Bill Oddie. The Oddie scripted episodes were the best episodes from the series.

'Top' has only been repeated once, since then it has been virtually forgotten. A great shame as 'Top' is, in my opinion, one of the better adaptions of the series. Audiences were disappointed at the sight of the lads (save for Collier) as mature, married men. To be honest, this never bothered me in the slightest, though I do feel adding Chloe Annett (later to play 'Kochanski' in 'Red Dwarf') to the cast was a mistake, the show simply didn't need her.

All the I.T.V 'Doctor' series' are available on D.V.D (courtesy of Network D.V.D). Maybe one day 2entertain will rescue the show from the vaults, if this does happen, I can safely say I will be the first in the queue to purchase a copy.