I fell in love with that show! The acting is above what we usually get from television , the characters are all complex and they feel real. Best of all is the writing , the challenge of making a show about patients in an hospital without falling into melodrama territory must have been there but the writers always bring a certain lightness even during the hardest of subject, by the end of the first season , you will forget about the kids illness and will only feel for their friendship. In France , as I write this , the fifth episode of its second season as just aired and there is no drop in quality at all , in contrary, the second season is as strong while being very different (And that is a very good thing). I cannot express my admiration enough for all involve in this show , it simply one of the most moving piece of Television I have seen in a very long time.We need more shows like this one. I only wish that this show was more known worldwide as it truly deserves it. A US remake is in the work , I will pass , I just cannot see other actors in those parts but I wish them good luck.
6 Reviews
One of the best Medical Dramas ever made
moacirneto114 September 2014
One could say it's an irony when I call this a "medical" drama, given the technical mistakes (and, as a medical student, I can assure you, there are a LOT of them in the show). Despite of that, I give "Polseres Vermellas" a 9 out of 10, because it's the only show that has ever made me feel like I'm really inside the hospital (way different than "House" or "Grey's Anatomy"). The sad scenes bring up some memories and emotions I'll never forget. The friendship between the characters flows so naturally as if it had happened in real life. The soundtrack, wow, it's simply incredible. Yes, it has some clichés and some holes in the script, but that comes to a second plan when you have such a good idea developed by such great actors (by the way, Igor Szpakowski (Jordi) and Mikel Iglesias (Ignasio) deserve more notoriety, they're awesome!). Overall, it's not a top quality TV series, but it proves how an innocent production can deeply touch our hearts. Oh, and if you want the best out of it, go for this original version. I've got a bad feeling about the American one. Based on the trailer, it's nothing compared to the Spanish one.
Technicalities don't really matter
gabrimelul1 May 2019
This show is grounded on realism on a different way that many other shows. Instead of being a show about the doctors, their patients and their day to day life at a hospital, this 28 episode excellence gives us a melancholy Catalan style drama about a group of six unforgettable characters and some other minor characters. I've read other reviews about this show as a whole, and I've noticed the majority are talking about technicalities: some patient isn't hooked up to a monitoring machine, etc.
But the question is, does that really matter?
No, it does not. I will never compare this to a big budget show like House, because this is truly a special experience, there is no show like this one.
The North American remake of this show: Red Band Society, isn't even close to this one, given the rules of Spanish TV vs US TV. Do not watch the remake.
I've heard that the German remake is really good and does a better job with the technicalities, but this is the original.
If you are to watch this show I would recommend you watch it in Catalan with subtitles, I've watched it in both Spanish and Catalan (in that order) and the original version is much better.
"Apa, Polseres Amunt"
But the question is, does that really matter?
No, it does not. I will never compare this to a big budget show like House, because this is truly a special experience, there is no show like this one.
The North American remake of this show: Red Band Society, isn't even close to this one, given the rules of Spanish TV vs US TV. Do not watch the remake.
I've heard that the German remake is really good and does a better job with the technicalities, but this is the original.
If you are to watch this show I would recommend you watch it in Catalan with subtitles, I've watched it in both Spanish and Catalan (in that order) and the original version is much better.
"Apa, Polseres Amunt"
CARPE DIEM - Seize the day
amiprojonmo13 March 2015
Pure excellence...
I watched this show for about 4th time. I'm never bored with it. A few hours ago I felt lonely and depressed.I decided to watch it And even though I watched it so many times before I found it restorative and heart lifting. There are many good shows.Also there are probably many better than this one;cause it's not flawless. But if you believe that a TV show can change your life, I have no doubts that this one can influence you as no other. If you have not watched it yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Go to the video rentals and buy it.Yes, don't rent it but buy it.It's a movie that you will watch many times.Perhaps it will even save you..As it had saved me..
I Totally fell in love with that show! The acting is above what we usually get from television , the characters are all complex and they feel real. Enjoy the main message of the series, CARPE DIEM for everyone because the days don't stand still and particularly for those facing serious and/or long diseases.
I watched this show for about 4th time. I'm never bored with it. A few hours ago I felt lonely and depressed.I decided to watch it And even though I watched it so many times before I found it restorative and heart lifting. There are many good shows.Also there are probably many better than this one;cause it's not flawless. But if you believe that a TV show can change your life, I have no doubts that this one can influence you as no other. If you have not watched it yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Go to the video rentals and buy it.Yes, don't rent it but buy it.It's a movie that you will watch many times.Perhaps it will even save you..As it had saved me..
I Totally fell in love with that show! The acting is above what we usually get from television , the characters are all complex and they feel real. Enjoy the main message of the series, CARPE DIEM for everyone because the days don't stand still and particularly for those facing serious and/or long diseases.
Intensament vius
lacasito_0116 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
"Polseres Vermelles" is a Tv3 program about a group of friends in a hospital. These five boys and one girl are all hospitalized during a long time and we see how their friendship helps them fight against their day to day problems, from the amputation of a leg, to the divorce of parents, and plenty of other circumstances not necessarily related to their illnesses.
The premise is good and from the first moment the series can get you hooked.
However, one would think that before recording a series to be seen by thousands of people you would verify the details of their illnesses. Roc is in a coma, but doesn't have any IVs, nutrition, catheter nor monitorization? Ignasi is told that he could have a problem in his "aortic vein" (it doesn't exist)? Ignasi remains unmonitorized for his heart during several episodes, oh my! What is Toni doing at the hospital? And the way they are solving Ignasi's heart attacks (or does his heart stop? it is never quite clear) is frankly mistaken.
Perhaps the author of the series, Albert Espinosa, thought that after spending so many years at a hospital with his cancer (experiences that led to the writing of the series) he didn't need to do any research for the script.
Nevertheless, Polseres Vermelles doesn't get it all wrong. From a humanistic point of view, it leads to a lot of thinking. Many of the things that characters say can leave you with chills. All of the medical mistakes haven't led me to stop watching the series because I still want to see if Roc wakes up, I still want to find out if Lleó is ever going to think about someone other than himself (I'm sorry, he's my least favorite Polsera Vermella), or if Cristina ever gets cured, and so on.
Unfortunately, though, I cannot watch it with the same "can't wait" feeling as I did at first. All the mistakes have made me realize that it is just a TV series and not reality. Perhaps this is not so terrible, as I won't care as much about the characters.
To sum up: Don't believe anything the nurses or doctors say.
Enjoy the lines and scenes that make you laugh (for instance, Toni's poker game) Cry and allow yourself to be overcome by emotion when the polseres are in their worst moments and show their vulnerability.
Enjoy the main message of the series, CARPE DIEM for everyone, and particularly for those facing serious and/or long diseases.
Also, make sure to take note of the incredible soundtrack, perfectly chosen with songs that are adequate for every moment. I would like to take a moment to congratulate the author of the soundtrack.
The premise is good and from the first moment the series can get you hooked.
However, one would think that before recording a series to be seen by thousands of people you would verify the details of their illnesses. Roc is in a coma, but doesn't have any IVs, nutrition, catheter nor monitorization? Ignasi is told that he could have a problem in his "aortic vein" (it doesn't exist)? Ignasi remains unmonitorized for his heart during several episodes, oh my! What is Toni doing at the hospital? And the way they are solving Ignasi's heart attacks (or does his heart stop? it is never quite clear) is frankly mistaken.
Perhaps the author of the series, Albert Espinosa, thought that after spending so many years at a hospital with his cancer (experiences that led to the writing of the series) he didn't need to do any research for the script.
Nevertheless, Polseres Vermelles doesn't get it all wrong. From a humanistic point of view, it leads to a lot of thinking. Many of the things that characters say can leave you with chills. All of the medical mistakes haven't led me to stop watching the series because I still want to see if Roc wakes up, I still want to find out if Lleó is ever going to think about someone other than himself (I'm sorry, he's my least favorite Polsera Vermella), or if Cristina ever gets cured, and so on.
Unfortunately, though, I cannot watch it with the same "can't wait" feeling as I did at first. All the mistakes have made me realize that it is just a TV series and not reality. Perhaps this is not so terrible, as I won't care as much about the characters.
To sum up: Don't believe anything the nurses or doctors say.
Enjoy the lines and scenes that make you laugh (for instance, Toni's poker game) Cry and allow yourself to be overcome by emotion when the polseres are in their worst moments and show their vulnerability.
Enjoy the main message of the series, CARPE DIEM for everyone, and particularly for those facing serious and/or long diseases.
Also, make sure to take note of the incredible soundtrack, perfectly chosen with songs that are adequate for every moment. I would like to take a moment to congratulate the author of the soundtrack.
Dull as hell
juanpgarmo11 January 2024
Boring and formulaic story. The dialogues are plain and very poorly written, whilst the relationships between the main characters lack any kind of chemistry. That makes actually caring for the characters very difficult, and the perfomances do not help either.
The show's popularity that made it cross frontiers with several remakes is a vivid proof of how audiences are so easily trapped with cheap dramas, and it can't get any cheaper than a story about kids with cancer.
With some wit, you could even use this overused plotline to tell an interesting story about growing with a difficult medical condition and learning to overcome these circunstances, however the lack of charisma from the characters can't help but to make this another formulaic story about cancer that is not worth your time. Visiting actual children hospitals would be a better and more gratifying experience than watching this.
The show's popularity that made it cross frontiers with several remakes is a vivid proof of how audiences are so easily trapped with cheap dramas, and it can't get any cheaper than a story about kids with cancer.
With some wit, you could even use this overused plotline to tell an interesting story about growing with a difficult medical condition and learning to overcome these circunstances, however the lack of charisma from the characters can't help but to make this another formulaic story about cancer that is not worth your time. Visiting actual children hospitals would be a better and more gratifying experience than watching this.
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