History Series / Casualty

''Casualty'' (stylised as ''CASUAL+Y'') is a British hospital drama which airs on BBC One on Saturday evenings. Consisting of a mixture of MedicalDrama and SoapOpera, the show debuted in 1986, making it the [[LongRunners longest-running]] MedicalDrama in the world.

Set in Holby General Hospital, the show follows the character development and personal lives of the staff who work there. Coming in at a whopping ''38'' series and over 1300 episodes as of 2024, having passed its one thousandth episode in 2016 just before its thirtieth anniversary, the core cast is wide, varied and constantly changing -- not to mention the numerous [[PatientoftheWeek Patients of the Week]]. Across 37 1/2 years the sole constant was charge nurse Charlie Fairhead, who was continuously played by Derek Thompson from the very first episode in September 1986, but the character finally departed in March 2024. Incidentally, ''Casualty'' has gained a reputation in later series, similar to that of ''Series/TheBill'', for featuring many well-known British actors in small roles, and helping [[StarMakingRole launch the career]] of others who later went on to bigger things.

Set in Holby General Hospital, the show follows the character development and personal lives of the staff which work there. Coming in at a whopping ''32'' series and over one thousand episodes, the cast is wide, varied and constantly changing (the only constant is charge nurse Charlie Fairhead, who has been continuously played by Derek Thompson since the very first episode) not to mention the numerous [[PatientoftheWeek Patients of the Week]]. Incidentally, ''Casualty'' has gained a reputation in later series, similar to that of ''Series/TheBill'', for featuring many well-known British actors (such as Creator/SusieBlake), and [[StarMakingRole launching the career]] of others.

''Series/HolbyCity'', a [[SpinOff spin-off]], was spawned in 1999 and followed the lives of those working on the surgical wards; it drew to a close in 2022, after 23 seasons.

Set in Holby General Hospital, the show follows the character development and personal lives of the staff which work there. Coming in at a whopping ''32'' series and over one thousand episodes, the cast is wide, varied and constantly changing (the only constant is charge nurse Charlie Fairhead, who has been continuously played by Derek Thompson since the very first episode) not to mention the numerous [[PatientoftheWeek Patients of the Week]]. Incidentally, ''Casualty'' has gained a reputation in later series, similar to that of ''Series/TheBill'', for featuring many well-known British actors, and [[StarMakingRole launching the career]] of others.

%% * BleachedUnderpants: Taken literally in some cases.

''Casualty'' (stylised as ''CASUAL+Y'') is a British hospital drama which airs on BBC One on Saturday evenings. Consisting of a mixture of MedicalDrama and SoapOpera, the show debuted in 1986, making it the [[LongRunner longest-running]] MedicalDrama in the world.

-->[[spoiler:[[IDidntMeanToKillHim '''I WAS DEFENDING MYSELF!''']] ]]

* SoundtrackDissonance: ''Have a Nice Day'' by Msuic/{{Stereophonics}} plays at the start of episode where Lara goes back to work [[spoiler:after being released from prison.]]

* SoundtrackDissonance: ''Have a Nice Day'' by the Stereophonics plays at the start of episode where Lara goes back to work [[spoiler:after being released from prison.]]

* SpiritualSuccessor: Has ''inspired'' shows like ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', ''Series/PrivatePractice'' to create similar characters! If Dylan Keogh in Series 25 had a cane, he'd be the bloated clone of a certain [[Series/{{House}} ornery eccentric American doctor.]] (He even has the stubble down!)

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

-->'''Dillon''': Don't even bother.
-->'''Jack''': What?
-->'''Dillon''': Lara - she's not only out of your league, you're playing a different game.
-->'''Jack''': You're just worried I'd get ahead before you, son. That's all it is.
-->'''Patrick''': Forget it, children. [[FirstGirlWins I'm already there.]]

* DysfunctionJunction: In a big way, once you tally up the [[{{Backstory}} backstories]]. If you didn't have a DarkAndTroubledPast before you came here, you will when you leave. {{Lampshaded}} by a (now removed) WebAnimation/YoutubePoop crossover with LeeEvans, featuring a group shot of the Series 20/21 cast with the voiceover saying, "You think you've got problems?"

* RapeAsDrama: Done a few times (as arcs compared to a PatientOfTheWeek plot), but they manage to beat SturgeonsLaw. [[spoiler:Happened to Duffy, but in the first series so would now be considered RapeAsBackstory. Also to GAWJUS Nurse Tina, proving that even good looking nice girls get raped]]

%% * AwesomeMcCoolname:
%% ** Lara Stone.
%% ** Ramona Waters.
%% * TheBabyTrap: Harry accuses Ellen of this, to the point of inducing his own [[ShotgunWedding Shotgun Engagement]]. [[spoiler:Turns out it was tumor. ]]

''Casualty'' is a British hospital drama which airs on BBC One on Saturday evenings. Consisting of a mixture of MedicalDrama and SoapOpera, the show debuted in 1986, making it the [[LongRunner longest-running]] MedicalDrama in the world.

Set in Holby General Hospital, the show follows the character development and personal lives of the staff which work there. Coming in at a whopping ''32'' series and over one thousand episodes, the cast is wide, varied and [[LoadsandLoadsofCharacters constantly changing]] (the only constant is charge nurse Charlie Fairhead, who has been continuously played by Derek Thompson since the very first episode) not to mention the numerous [[PatientoftheWeek Patients of the Week]]. Incidentally, ''Casualty'' has gained a reputation in later series, similar to that of ''Series/TheBill'', for featuring many well-known British actors, and [[StarMakingRole launching the career]] of others.

* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: Writers are quick to point that staff turnover in ED is actually a lot higher in reality.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* SomethingCompletelyDifferent: Later series have been prone to the occasional episode that breaks from the norm, typically focusing on a single plot line in a very odd way. Series 29 has several; ''The Road Not Taken'' features Zoe [[GroundhogDayLoop reliving the same day]] three times to stop patients dying. ''Exile'' is set almost entirely in Bucharest and has Charlie and Connie clashing with a gang to try and stop Louis selling his kidney. ''Holby Sin City'' features a noir-like plot where Ethan discovers a murder, heavily [[LampshadeHanging lampshaded]] by Ethan struggling to remember the term FemmeFatale throughout the episode, only remembering [[spoiler:after they've reported the fake-suicide murder]].

''Series/HolbyCity'', a [[SpinOff spin-off]], was spawned in 1999 and followed the lives of those working on the surgical wards; it drew to a close in 2022.