There is a viscerality in the representation of the experience of doctors on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic that sometimes clouds the development of the characters and a plot that seems like a succession of examples of how the decisions made in the offices of the NHS were confronted with the reality that was experienced in hospitals. But some narrative weaknesses don't cloud the series' ability to be moving and terrifying at the same time. And to remind us of some recognizable images, and to raise how political decisions were responsible for the poor management of the pandemic.

A lot of people discussing have said how much this series reminded them of the pandemic, but to me this still felt like a dramatisation. Sure, it is well done, and will remind people of those hard times, but I think people had such different experiences that this can only ever be one lens on things. I was safe in NZ rather than than UK, but lost a lot of relatives and friends around the world. Many people have forgotten the uncertainty from the start of the pandemic, and, many people are remembering things in hindsight through a different. One thing this miniseries does do (especially Episode 3) is remind people of how hard it was for some, and it is worth it just for that Available online at https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/breathtaking (requires an account)