With the last year bringing issues of its own, and children and young people returning to school, the post-attack review is as important as ever. As we start to see a ‘new normal’, it seems even more important to embrace brilliant basics as the foundation to excellent asthma care for adults and children alike. This article explores the post-exacerbation review, with reference to a small-scale survey carried out pre-Covid, to put into context some common conceptions (and misconceptions) around the 48-hour review. It discusses how and why we carry out the review, as well as signposting to helpful resources and recommendations for practice.