The series will follow the nurse’s first days navigating the mental healthcare system and her journey to head nurse in Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
For fans of the novel, or the accompanying 1975 film starring Jack Nicholson, you may remember the harrowing likes of Nurse Ratched. And if you don't, then you certainly will now.
Intrigued? Keep reading for everything you need to know from the series plot and cast members to where you can stream it in Australia.
What Is The Plot Of Ratched?
Murphy and Romansky’s Netflix series serves as a prequel to the Louise Fletcher's 1975 version of the nurse. This rendition is set to trace her history, about a decade and a half before the events depicted in the classic film.
According to Vanity Fair, Murphy describes the series as “an imagining of how this monster was created”, and is set to explore the institutional abuse of power and flaws of America’s healthcare system, saying:
“I feel like Nurse Ratched is sort of a shorthand for barbarism. She became almost like a catchphrase for any sort of institutional abuse of power. What was interesting was trying to create an emotional character from a reputation that’s very cold…trying to figure out every little detail about her childhood, her relationships, her sexuality. Because when people think of Ratched, they think of her as shutoff and cruel and uncaring.”
Ratched will follow the nurse as she embarks on a “clandestine mission” to infiltrate the mental health care system and experiment with its patients, all under the guise of a dedicated, well-meaning, and notably stylish healthcare worker.
However, the series will explore the nurse’s seemingly nonexistent humanity, by delving into her childhood, relationships, and sexuality.
But don't take our word for it, check out the trailer below to see for yourself.
WATCH BELOW: Ratched Trailer
Who Is Cast In Ratched?
As per every Ryan Murphy creation, the cast list is riddled with star power, including American Horror Story alum Sarah Paulson starring in the series, as Nurse Ratched herself. Joining Paulson is Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story) playing mass murderer Edmund Tolleson, plus Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct) playing eccentric heiress Lenore Osgood, who apparently owns a very chic pet monkey.
And the supporting cast is just as star-studded, featuring Corey Stoll (Ant-Man, Midnight In Paris) as private investigator Charles Wainwright, Amanda Plummer (Pulp Fiction) as motel manager Louise, Vincent D'Onofrio (Jurassic World) as leering politician Governor George Wilburn and Cynthia Nixon (Sex and The City) as his campaign manager, Gwendolyn Briggs.
When Can We Watch Ratched In Australia?
Looking for your next binge-watch? Ratched will officially land on Netfilx, on September 18.
