Bingeworthy Netflix series “Ratched” twists viewers’ stomachs

Sydni Bratthauar, Staff Reporter

Angel of mercy, master manipulator, ominous enigma and seriously stylish: nurse Mildred Ratched lives up to the hype.

On Sept. 18, Netflix released an original series called “Ratched,” which is rated TV-MA for being ominous, dark and suspenseful. Ratched starts working at Lucia State Hospital, a psychiatric institution, just as Edmund Tolleson, a new and dangerous patient, is admitted. Secrets, betrayal and manipulation consume Ratched’s life as she tries to work her way up to head nurse and navigate through a twisted world.

The show is based on the famous book “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” by Ken Kesey. One of the iconic characters in the book and in the literary world, is Ratched. It’s not surprising that this fictional character evolved into her very own show. The Netflix series is about the nurse’s origin story, which Kesey’s book never revealed, leaving room for creative license.

The show was brought to Netflix by creator Evan Romansky and developers Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. Given that “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” didn’t expand on the nurse’s background story, the creators had interpretive liberty with her story, as long as it still supported the original character.

Ratched is played by Sarah Paulson, who has won several different awards, including a Golden Globes Award and an Emmy Award for her role in “American Horror Story.” Paulson brings the character of Ratched to life in this Netflix series. Other cast members include Finn Wittrock, Judy Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Sharon Stone, Charlie Carver and Jon Jon Briones.

Ratched has been on Netflix’s Top 10 list in the U.S. since its release. It was No. 1 until Sept. 26, where it sat at No. 2 on the list. The show has recently been moved to No. 4 on the list. The series has already been renewed for a second season and will likely push the audience even further down the rabbit hole.