Ratched

Ratched reimagines the infamous nurse as a calculating young woman who steps into a brutal 1947 hospital landscape. Through a coldly stylish tapestry of noir and psychological suspense, the series traces how a seemingly poised caregiver evolves into a formidable authority within the psychiatric system. The show follows Mildred Ratched played by Sarah Paulson as she negotiates power, secrets, and the murky ethics of care in a world where patients are patients and rules are made to be bent. The early chapters establish a tense network of doctors, nurses, and administrators, each with their own dark motives and loyalties. The tone blends meticulous period detail with sharp, unsettling mood.

Released on Netflix in 2020, the series was created by Evan Romansky and produced with Ryan Murphy at the helm as executive producer; it draws inspiration from the original Nurse Ratched character from classic cinema and literature.

Ratched sparked chatter about female power inside mid century institutions and drew praise for Paulson's icy take on a legendary villain. Its lush production design and provocative framing helped spark conversations about toxic care, moral authority, and the limits of institutional control.

Critics broadly acknowledged its design and performances while noting a tonal shift from the source material. The show grapples with ambition, manipulation, and the cost of ambition in a system that claims to heal yet preserves harm, creating a tense meditation on power and gender dynamics.