Television drama set in psychiatric hospital

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The novel 'Poppy Shakespeare' by Clare Allan, which is set in a north London psychiatric, hospital will be broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK tonight at 8pm:

http://www.channel4.com/health/microsit ... index.html

There is interview with Clare Allan here:

http://www.bloomsbury.com/Authors/micro ... 1&aid=1487

She said that she could not have written the novel if she had not spent nigh on a third of her life in the psychiatric system. The novel is based on her experiences in a north London psychiatric day hospital.

Got it set to record because its at my bedtime tonight.

Sounds interesting, but in my experience people in hospital are generally too unwell to forge social hierarchies and desperately want to get out. Saying that though, last time I was in hospital (a year ago) I found that I got on with the people there much better than I do with normal people. This wasnt through being social with them though, it was through not judging them, them not judging me, and being kind to them which they really appreciated (and helping them made me feel better too). I was there for only 3 weeks though and people changed wards very frequently so maybe there wasnt the time for this sort of social hierarchy to build up. When I left I was sad to be leaving so many people I had come to consider as friends and who I cared about more than the people I had worked with for two years.
I would like to see the TV series, but not being in the UK I cannot. Perhaps I will buy the book.

A television show has been approached before...but, television ratings are what makes or breaks a show.

All psychiatric dramas are better written and shown on televisions as films...like those seen on the Hallmark Channel or in films
like, "Awakenings" with Robin Williams in his portrayal of the real life works of Dr. Oliver Sacks. Even the film, "A Beautiful Mind"
directed by Ron Howard created much controversy in the portrayal of the life of Professor John Nash.

However, if you have a good storyline, the Hallmark Channel is always looking for stories.

I saw the play 'Poppy Shakespeare' last night. I was broadcast at 9pm, not 8 pm as I said in my previous message.

I enjoyed it. The developing friendship between N, the long-term patient at the pyschiatric hospital, and Poppy Shakespeare who was admitted as a patient though she insisted that she was sane, was poignant and well portrayed.

I liked the scenes where a doctor tells N that she must connect with other people, and where she and Poppy are queuing to receive their medications.

I though that some of the actors playing mentally ill people (not the two lead actresses) were unconvncing. It was obvious that they were acting mad.

I have read that the novel is a British version of 'One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest'. I guess that book has influenced later novels set in psychiatric/mental hospitals.