{{Short description|British TV sitcom (BBC1, 1991)}} {{for|the television franchise|Doctor in the House (franchise)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox television | image = Doctor_at_the_Top.jpg | caption = | runtime = 30 minutes | creator = | starring = {{plainlist| * [[Robin Nedwell]] * [[George Layton]] * [[Geoffrey Davies]] * [[Ernest Clark]] }} | country = United Kingdom | num_series = 1 | network = [[BBC1]] | language = English | first_aired = {{start date|1991|2|21|df=y}} | last_aired = {{end date|1991|4|4|df=y}} | num_episodes = 7 | related = {{Plainlist| * ''[[Doctor Down Under (TV series)|Doctor Down Under]]'' }} }} '''''Doctor at the Top''''' is a British television comedy series, the last of seven series in a [[Doctor in the House (franchise)|franchise]] that began with ''[[Doctor in the House (TV series)|Doctor in the House]]'' and was inspired by the [[Doctor (novel series)|"Doctor" books]] by [[Richard Gordon (English author)|Richard Gordon]]. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/15/richard-gordon-obituary|title=Richard Gordon obituary|first=Dennis|last=Barker|date=15 August 2017|work=The Guardian}}</ref> It was produced by the [[BBC]] and broadcast on [[BBC1]] in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/doctor-at-the-top|title=Doctor at the Top|date=16 March 2019}}</ref> Four of the seven episodes were written by [[George Layton]], who is also credited as series creator and who reprised his Paul Collier character for the series; the other three episodes were written by [[Bill Oddie]].
The series is set 25 years after the medical students from ''[[Doctor in the House (TV series)|Doctor in the House]]'' graduated from St. Swithin's hospital, and follows the later careers of three of those characters. Duncan Waring ([[Robin Nedwell]]) is now married with five daughters, and remains a staff doctor with a modest income. Paul Collier ([[George Layton]]) is thrice divorced and is earning well through private patients and television appearances; he dresses expensively and drives a posh car. The most surprising transformation is Dick Stuart-Clark ([[Geoffrey Davies]]). The former ne'er-do-well has married into a wealthy, well-connected family, and as a result now holds the coveted head of surgery job at St. Swithin's, the position formerly held by the retired Professor Sir Geoffrey Loftus ([[Ernest Clark]]), who also appears in four of the episodes. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/doctor6/|title=Doctor at the Top (Summary)|website=phill.co.uk}}</ref>
The series was not as well received as its predecessors and was cancelled after one seven episode series. According to Layton, it "depressed the whole nation" with its depiction of the formerly fun-loving characters experiencing late middle-aged angst. Oddie dubbed it "Doctor Down The Drain".<ref>''This Is Your Life: Bill Oddie'', BBC 2002</ref>
==Cast== * [[Robin Nedwell]] - Mr Duncan Waring * [[George Layton]] - Mr Paul Collier * [[Geoffrey Davies]] - Professor Dick Stuart-Clark * [[Ernest Clark]] - Sir Geoffrey Loftus * [[Roger Sloman]] - Dr Lionel Snell * Georgina Melville - Geraldine Waring * [[Chloë Annett]] - Rebecca Stuart-Clark * Jill Benedict - Emma Stuart-Clark *[[Andrew Powell]] - Crabtree *[[Ben Onwukwe]] - Jonathan Asante *[[Laura Bickford]] - Pushpinda *[[Maria Collett]] - Margaret *[[Paul Courtenay Hyu]] - Lee *[[John Clegg (actor)|John Clegg]] - Dinner Guest *Linda James - Angela *[[Angus Deayton]] - Adrian Quint *[[Jayne Irving]] - TV Presenter
==Episodes== # "Sins of the Father" # "Happy Birthday, Sir Geoffrey" # "The V.I.P." # "The Kindest Cut" # "Bye Bye, Bickerstaff" # "It's All Right, I'm a Doctor"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7b22781f|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221110164229/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7b22781f|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 November 2022|title=It's Alright I'm a Doctor (1991)|website=BFI}}</ref> # "Waring Goes Private?"
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/doctor6 ''Doctor at the Top''] at British TV Comedy Guide *{{IMDb title|0101083|Doctor at the Top}} *{{British Comedy Guide|doctor_at_the_top}}
{{Gordon Doctor}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Doctor at the Top)}} [[Category:1991 British television series debuts]] [[Category:1991 British television series endings]] [[Category:1990s British medical television series]] [[Category:1990s British sitcoms]] [[Category:BBC television sitcoms]] [[Category:Doctor in the House]] [[Category:English-language British television shows]] [[Category:Television shows set in London]]