Operation Ouch! is a British comedy children's television series on the human body, showing what happens in Accident & Emergency, what doctors sometimes have problems with, and experiments to show how the human body works. The show is hosted by twin brothers and doctors Dr Chris and Dr Xand van Tulleken and in 2019 a new doctor, Dr Ronx was introduced.
In order to educate children about medicine and biology, Doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken perform experiments on the human body to see how they work and investigate medical treatments and technology. The doctors also offer "try this at home" experiments for viewers to participate in. In addition, the doctors follow pediatric accident and emergency personnel and patients at Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital and the Liverpool hospital. The doctors also join West Midlands Ambulance Service and Midlands Air Ambulance rapid response teams on the road and in patients' homes as they assist with medical emergencies. Other segments have included 'Ouch Patients', where they follow children with chronic conditions who require regular outpatient treatment; 'Ouch and About'; where the doctors set up a mobile clinic in a public place and children can come and ask them questions; and 'Operation Takeover' where Chris and Xand competed in performing various non-medical jobs in a hospital and were judged by the people who actually perform those jobs on how well they did.
Tropes:
- Alliterative Title: Operation Ouch!
- Chainsaw Good: When Chris and Xand go to cut a pig's femur to show bone marrow. Xand comes in wielding a chainsaw. Chris stops him and suggests they use a medical femur saw; the only implement doctors ever use to cut a femur. Xand reluctantly agrees.
- Curtain Camouflage: During an 'Operation Time Travel' segment, Xand finds himself inside the home if Dr. John Mudge—inventor of the medical inhaler—when Mudge returns home, and hides behind the curtains.
- Death by Ambulance: During an 'Operation Takeover' segment, Chris and Xand simulated the job of an air ambulance by attempting to land a remote control helicopter next a patient doll in a model city. Xand lost control of his helicopter and it vanished out over the river. Chris attempted to land as close to patient as possible (ignoring a larger landing space further away) and ended up landing on top of the patient. The pilot who was judging them said he had to give the victory to the one who didn't damage the patient further and declared Xand the winner.
- Eating Pet Food: While doing a story about a medical detection dog named Daisy, Dr. Chris comments that Dr. Xand's breath smells like doggy snacks. Xand comments that he hasn't had any doggy snacks, but he did have some delicious biscuits he found on the floor on the way in. In a bowl. Marked 'Daisy'.
- Formally-Named Pet: There was a segment on a comfort dog who works at Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Although her real name is Nala, staff and patients have dubbed her 'Dr. Dog', and she even has a hospital nametag reading this.
- I Ate WHAT?!: During a segment on diarrhea, Xand takes a swig from what he thinks is a chocolate milkshake. Chris then asks him what he's doing with his spare diarrhea sample. Cue Oh, Crap! expression on Xand's face.
- In One Ear, Out The Other: Invoked when one of the doctors is looking in his brother's ear and claims to be able to see daylight on the other side. His brother then tries to look for himself.
- It's Been Done: While explaining the structure of the human ribcage, Doctors Chris and Xand demonstrate a couple of alternate designs and point out the flaws. Then Xand announces his third design 'Ribcage 3.0' and demonstrates how perfect it is, only for Chhris to point out that his 'new' design is identical to the existing human ribcage.
- "Mission: Impossible" Cable Drop: In the 10th anniversary episode, Mini-Xand drops from the ceiling on a cable in an attempt to reach the cake.
- Something Itis: Exaggerated, during the Ouch and About segments, children would come into the Ouchmobile, and ask a question about their body. Chris or Xand would then say "looks like a case of (child's description) - itis!
- Spit Take: In the introduction to a segment explaining how the kidneys work, Xand hands Chris a glass of orange juice. Chris takes a sip and then immediately spits it in Xand's face on discovering it has pulpy bits in it.
- Stripping Snag: In the closing sequence to one episode, Xand is wearing a space blanket as his 'space cape'. Chris closes the door of the ambulance on it and the ambulance drives away; ripping the cape off.
