Casualty series 13: Difference between revisions

Thirteenth series of Casualty

Season of television series

The thirteenth series of the British medical drama television series Casualty commenced airing in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 5 September 1998 and finished on 13 March 1999.^[1]

Johnathan Young took over from Sally Haynes as producer for this series.^[2] Typically producers join Casualty from other TV series but Young was unique in the fact he had directed previous episodes and was the production manager for series 5.^[3]

Series 13 was the first series to be broadcast in 16:9 widescreen^[4] and saw an increase in episodes, this time to 28, including a feature-length Christmas episode.^[5] The opening two-part episode, “Internal Inferno”, aired on consecutive nights showing a dramatic school fire.^[6] The series also acted as a launchpad for characters and storylines in the spin-off series Holby City, which started on 12 January 1999.^[7]

The events introduced in episode 19 continue across the first four episodes of Holby City series 1.^[8] The character Nicola, portrayed by Joanna Kirkland, is transferred from Holby A&E to Darwin Ward to undergo a cardiothoracic surgery after being crushed in a crowd.^[9] Several cast members from Casualty series 13 appear in episodes of Holby City series 1, establishing a connection between the two series. Charlie appears in episode 1, Chloe in episodes 1 & 2, Sam in episode 2, Tina in episode 3 and Sunny in episodes 1, 2, 8 & 9.^[10]
Notably, the Holby City characters Nick Jordan and Julie Fitzjohn make guest appearances in episodes 13 and 17 of this series prior to Holby City airing.^[11][12]

“Love Over Gold” is the second two-part episode concluding the series where George and Josh are taken hostage after a bank raid.^[13] In the finale, Sam, played by Jonathan Kerrigan, falls backwards from a hospital balcony during a confrontation with a patient’s husband. In an interview, Kerrigan reveals he performed the dramatic stunt himself.^[14] Sam’s fate remains unknown until the first episode of series 14, which continues the story immediately after the fall.^[15]

The thirteenth series of Casualty features a cast of characters working in the emergency department of Holby City Hospital.^[16] The series began with 10 roles with star billing, which was an increase from the previous series. Rebecca Lacey starred as senior house officer Georgina “George” Woodman. Derek Thompson continued his role as charge nurse Charlie Fairhead and Barbara Marten portrayed sister Eve Montgomery. Paterson Joseph appeared as senior staff nurse Mark Grace while Jonathan Kerrigan and Claire Goose starred as staff nurses Sam Colloby and Tina Seabrook. Ian Bleasdale and Donna Alexander continued their roles as paramedics Josh Griffiths and Penny Hutchens. Rebecca Wheatley portrayed receptionist Amy Howard.^[17]

Episode one featured four new cast members: Robert Gwilym (clinical director and emergency medicine consultant Max Gallagher);^[17] Gerald Kyd (senior house officer Sean Maddox);^[18] Jan Anderson (staff nurse Chloe Hill); and Pal Aron (bed manager Adam Osman).^[17] Susan Cookson also made her first appearance as recurring character, nurse Julie Day in episode one.^[17] Following a guest stint at the end of the previous series, Cathy Shipton reprised her role as original character Lisa “Duffy” Duffin in episode four. Duffy returned as an agency nurse, but was later invited to join the team as a senior staff nurse.^[17] Joseph decided to leave the series in 1998; Mark Grace departed in episode 18.^[17] Lacey also chose to leave the series and her character, George Woodman, left at the conclusion of the series.^[17]

This series set up several storylines and characters for the show’s spin-off series, Holby City. Michael French and Nicola Stephenson guest appeared in episodes thirteen and seventeen as their Holby City characters, Nick Jordan and Julie Fitzjohn.^[17] Hospital director, Gary Milton (Ian Keith), also appeared in both this series and Holby City, setting up a storyline which saw the hospital threatened with closure.^[17]