‘Ratched’ Season One Review

Ratched just premiered on Netflix. I just…I have so many feelings about this show. Let’s just get right into it.

THE GIST

The gist comes straight from Netflix. From Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, RATCHED is a suspenseful drama series that tells the origin story of asylum nurse Mildred Ratched. In 1947, Mildred arrives in Northern California to seek employment at a leading psychiatric hospital where new and unsettling experiments have begun on the human mind. On a clandestine mission, Mildred presents herself as the perfect image of what a dedicated nurse should be, but the wheels are always turning and as she begins to infiltrate the mental health care system and those within it, Mildred’s stylish exterior belies a growing darkness that has long been smoldering within, revealing that true monsters are made, not born.

RATCHED was inspired by the iconic and unforgettable character of Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest and was created by Evan Romansky. The series stars Sarah Paulson as Mildred Ratched, Cynthia Nixon as Gwendolyn Briggs, Judy Davis as Nurse Betsy Bucket, Sharon Stone as Lenore Osgood, Jon Jon Briones as Dr. Richard Hanover, Finn Wittrock as Edmund Tolleson, Charlie Carver as Huck, Alice Englert as Dolly, Amanda Plummer as Louise, Corey Stoll as Charles Wainwright, Sophie Okonedo as Charlotte and Vincent D’Onofrio as Gov. George Wilburn.

The series is executive produced by Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Sarah Paulson, Alexis Martin Woodall, Aleen Keshishian, Jacob Epstein, Jennifer Salt, Margaret Riley, Michael Douglas, Robert Mitas and Tim Minear.

THE FEELINGS

I will give you two words that sum up my feelings for Ratched. Fucked up. This show is seriously fucked up beyond words. First, there is so much gore. I usually don’t have a big issue with gore. I love murder mysteries, crime shows and horror movies. They are some of my all time favorite genres. However, this show takes it to a whole new level. You will see people get their throats cut open and stabbed to death very graphically. You will see lobotomy’s being performed and mental health patients being “treated”, but in my opinion it is torture. I couldn’t handle it very well, but I pushed through so I could write this review or else I would have stopped watching after the second episode.

Second, I know that mental health patients were treated very differently in the 1940’s than they are now, but still. I very much disagree with lobotomy’s being performed on any patient and LGBTQ+ patients being treated with hydrotherapy to “cure” them or any of the other sickening treatments this show displayed. It’s inhumane, torture and unethical. The fact that it was ever legal sickens me.

There is nothing wrong with people who are LGBTQ+. They don’t need to be cured of anything. Also, mental health patients need help with therapy and treatments that work. Mental health needs to be a focus in society and people need to be more educated about it. It’s looked down upon when it shouldn’t be.

Third, the basic storyline of Ratched was so up and down. Half the time I couldn’t get what side Mildred was playing. She had her hands in way to many piles in an effort to save her brother. Also, Mildred is certainly no Angel of Mercy in my opinion. I have no idea how Betsy and Gwen can even be remotely ok with her. I would have turned her over to the police so fast.

TWO POSITIVES

I can really only count two positives to this show. One, as always, is Sarah Paulson. She continues to blow me away as an actress. She is hands down phenomenal. I don’t think I have seen her in a part where I wasn’t left impressed by her acting. I may have hated this show but I don’t hate Sarah. Her performance was great.

Second, the scenery of Northern California. Yes, I’m talking about the fucking scenery because that is the only other positive thing I like about this show, which is very sad. Pacific Coast Highway and the drive by Monterey is beautiful. If you have never been, I highly suggest it.

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS SHOW?

I’m sure you will be very surprised by this, but a big FUCK NO. Unless anything I mentioned sounded interesting to you, then you will probably like this show.

Did you like this show? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

Ratched is now streaming on Netflix.