The Indian Doctor: Series 1

This 2010 first season of the BBC-aired series follows the personal and professional odyssey of Dr. Prem Sharma (Sanjeev Bhaskar), an Indian physician who comes to Great Britain in 1963 with his wife Kamini (Ayesha Dharker). Prem arrives as part of a British government effort to import doctors to fill gaps in the National Health Service, but rather than serving as expected in London, he's assigned to the Welsh coal mining village of Trefelin. Not surprisingly, a culture clash divides the Indian couple and the Welsh villagers—both sides have problems understanding the others' accents and distinctive approaches to the English language. But the initial confusion quickly gives way to somewhat thorny plots that touch on mining health hazards, the relationship between Prem and a miner's widow, and the sense of physical and emotional isolation that gnaws at Kamini. Both Bhaskar and Dharker turn in wonderful performances as immigrants who try to navigate unfamiliar surroundings, while Mark Williams is particularly strong as mine manager Richard Sharpe, who doesn't always have his workers' best interests in mind. The Indian Doctor manages to avoid soap opera histrionics, thanks to Bill Armstrong's intelligent screenplays and thoughtful co-direction by Tim Whitby and creator Deep Sehgal. This five-episode first season ends with a few cliffhangers that will undoubtedly make viewers eager for the follow-up. Recommended. (P. Hall)