Ambulance: stole our hearts and the BBC budget.

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Ambulance: stole our hearts and the BBC budget.

October 06, 2016 - 14:51
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Ambulance is an observational documentary series that brings an unprecedented insight into Britain’s largest ambulance service, the London Ambulance Service.

Ambulance

By Llwynog45

Ambulance is an observational documentary series that brings an unprecedented insight into Britain’s largest ambulance service, the London Ambulance Service.

There’s a lot of this kind of documentary on our telly boxes right now! ‘24 hours in A & E’, and ‘999 What’s Your Emergency’ to name but two. ‘Ambulance’ follows the tried and tested formula of following paramedics tackling horrific injuries and accidents via a narrative based on ordinary people. The BBC seems to thrown a lot of cash at this, and it adds lot’s of bells and whistles to the usual formula including flashy graphics, subtitles (in case you can’t understand working class accents) and a moody, atmospheric musical score.

The Express reports many viewers contacted the BBC after witnessing the story of 94 year old Peggy in this episode, who’d had a late night fall at home. After the paramedics (Andy and Dean) had attempted to comfort her, Peggy told them "I'd like to die. Throw me away." However it was her frank confessions to Andy and Dean that made viewers fall for Peggy and she revealed to them: "I've had two husbands and one lover. But they were useless in bed." Sadly, it was revealed at that Peggy had passed away a couple of days later. Powerful emotional TV.

There were many extra ordinary stories here, about ordinary people, beautiful weaved together and edited seamlessly. It’s well made, and tops the charts for the emotional bonds you get from these type of shows.

However, it’s all rather ‘worthy’ and uses the same ‘clock’ graphic concept stolen from it’s Channel Four equivalent, to give us an essence of ‘real time’. If you’re a fan of this kind of formulaic fly on the wall documentary, this is probably the best of it’s kind, and although I’m sick of TV channels copying each others show concepts mercilessly, to be honest this blood soaked, emotional roller coaster is as good as it gets.