Holby City fans wondered if they’d tuned into the right show last night, when the BBC medical drama broke from convention and featured some seriously “trippy” scenes.
Viewers asked if the writers “were on drugs” and accused the show of being “rubbish”, while others said the dreamlike scenes were “magnificent”.
Read more: Holby City star David Ames looks unrecognisable in throwback pictures
Viewers know that popular character Ric Griffin recently discovered why his behaviour had become so changed.
After weeks of flying into sudden rages, forgetting patients’ names, struggling with his passwords and prepping people for operations they didn’t actually need, Ric discovered he had a brain tumour.
Agreeing to undergo the surgery, Tuesday’s scenes (22 October) saw Ric endure the operation – and the episode seemed to follow his internal dreams in surreal scenes.
Read more: Ex-Corrie star Charlie Condou gives fans first glimpse of new Holby character
Whilst under anaesthetic, Ric met some ghosts from his past in the form of the late Diane Lloyd (Patricia Potter) and his son Leo (Daon Broni), who died from a drugs overdose back in 2010.
The beginning of the episode saw worried Serena asking Ric to promise her that he would come back from the surgery.
She told him: “Your life is not just your work. Promise me you’ll come back. You have to come back because you have a granddaughter, and a great-granddaughter who’ll need you, and people who love you.”
Ric promised he’d “be back” before apparently falling into a deep sleep, because the next scene saw Ric in an empty surgery room, while hearing Serena and Max’s voices.
Wandering the corriders of the hospital, Ric then bumped into Leo.
Expressing his surprise at seeing his dead son, Leo said: “I hate to break that to you, but so are you.”
The surreal episode continued as Vic discovered he was in Holby City paradise, run by big boss Diane.
As he lay fighting for life, his ‘dream character’ also had his own obstacles to overcome.
Some fans LOVED the episode, while others HATED it.
Were the writers on drugs this week? Holby isn’t science fiction! Really made a mockery of a great series. Not artistic, not great….just poor! #HolbyCity
— Pol Connolly (@Pol_anne) October 22, 2019
Omg ridiculous tonight #HolbyCity
— claire.ashton68 (@clairea82151971) October 22, 2019
#HolbyCity this is just too weird.
— dave robertson (@daverobertson5) October 22, 2019
What a rubbish episode of #holby. Hate flash back episodes. Whole point of #holby is that’s is supposed to be real!!
— MissyR (@381missy) October 22, 2019
Holby is on acid this evening. Might have a beer. It might make sense.
— Podders (@Morris_Oxford) October 22, 2019
One seethed: “Were the writers on drugs this week? Holby isn’t science fiction! Really made a mockery of a great series. Not artistic, not great… Just poor!”
Another agreed, typing: “OMG ridiculous tonight.”
A third added: “This is just too weird.”
“What a rubbish episode of Holby,” blasted one. “Hate flashback episodes. Whole point of Holby is that it is supposed to be real!”
This episode is trippy but fantastic! #HolbyCity
— Lauren (@lozzyjane) October 22, 2019
https://twitter.com/Zoei31/status/1186728875444723713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1186728875444723713&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalspy.com%2Fsoaps%2Fholby-city%2Fa29552519%2Fholby-city-ric-griffin-episode-brain-surgery%2F
I’m a Yank new to the Holby clan. It was strange, but not bad. Just a departure! Kudos on the creative way of exploring this subject.
— Steven (@somedayboy) October 23, 2019
@BBCHolbyCity I feel like I am pretty much saying this every single week lately, but wow, what an episode!! @HughQuarshie @catherinerusse2 simply magnificent. Holby is seriously delivering right now!!! Well done to all involved
— Jon Phillips (@JonPhil81081632) October 22, 2019
However there were just as many fans who had enjoyed the episode, with one saying: “This episode is trippy but fantastic!”
“This is creepy, but I like it,” said one more, while another wrote: “I’m a Yank to the Holby clan. It was strange, but not bad. Just a departure! Kudos on the creative way of exploring this subject.”
Another typed: “I feel like I am pretty much saying this every single week lately, but wow, what an episode! Hugh Quarshie and Catherine Russell were simply magnificent. Holby is seriously delivering right now! Well done to all involved.”
The end of the episode saw Ric wake up, with Serena by his side.
She said: “Thought we’d lost you.”
“For a while I think you had. [But] I made a promise,” he replied.
Rubbish or magnificent? What did you think of Holby’s latest epiosde? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!