Weekly Wednesday: A Netflix period piece proves entertaining

Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/MCT

Jay L. Clendenin/Los Angeles Times/MCT

Ross Pergande, Copy Editor

In a continuation of Daniel Radcliffe’s attempt to rid himself of his wizardly past, he has undertaken a role as  Dr. Vladmir Bomgard in “A Young Doctor’s Notebook.” The series is an adaptation of Russian author and playwright Mikhail Bulgakov’s autobiographical works.

“A Young Doctor’s Notebook,” which streams on Netflix, takes place from 1917 to 1918 in Russia. This time, as most would be able to recognize from how the series presents it, was one of revolutionary fervor in the country. A climate that Radcliffe’s character is distant from.

The story follows young Dr. Vladmir (Radcliffe), who recently graduated at the top of his medical school, in his attempt to take over the position of a beloved, now deceased local doctor in a rural town. Radcliffe’s character progressed through the disruption of chronology, in which the show flashes back and forth between his present self in the rural town, and his older self (played by Jon Hamm) 16 years into the future.

Radcliffe once again proves his theatrical abilities in a dark, yet comedic, performance. The plot explores Dr. Vladmir’s worsening addiction to morphine as a byproduct of his relocation to the rural setting and sudden load of responsibilities. The young doctor’s emotional and intellectual development due to the circumstances of his position in the hospital, as well as his internal struggle with loneliness and addiction, are subtle and accurately portrayed by Radcliffe.

Having not read the works of Mikhail Bulgakov, I am unable to form judgment on the accuracy of the interpretation made by the series. Nevertheless, I absolutely enjoyed the production; especially the peculiarity of seeing Radcliffe perform a role as extraordinary as a doctor/addict in early twentieth-century Russia. The short episodes make the series go quickly, and with that in mind, I would recommend this to anyone who enjoy Daniel Radcliffe or cynically dark humor and story.