This Life

This Life

1996
This Life
This Life

This Life

8.5 | en | Drama

Five aspiring lawyers are aiming for the top - but behind the scenes they're a mess of love, drugs and excess.

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Seasons & Episodes

2
1
0
EP1  Last Tango In Southwark
Mar. 17,1997
Last Tango In Southwark

Anna and Miles have doubts about each other after finally getting together at a party. Egg says goodbye to both his father and his writing career. Milly is taken aback by the arrival of an attractive new trainee at the firm.

EP2  Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
Mar. 24,1997
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

Anna throws herself into her work, only to find herself up against Miles on a case, while Milly loses her cool. Kira's career suffers a setback. A dinner party is interrupted by Warren's ex-lover Ferdy.

EP3  The Bi Who Came In From The Cold
Mar. 31,1997
The Bi Who Came In From The Cold

Ferdy's mixed signals are causing problems for Warren. Anna blames Miles for spreading rumours at work. And Milly loses patience when Egg goes on a gambling spree.

EP4  How to Get in Bed by Advertising
Apr. 07,1997
How to Get in Bed by Advertising

Warren begins losing patience with Ferdy, and his efforts to relieve his stress get him into trouble. Miles finds there is no such thing as uncomplicated sex after he resorts to the lonely hearts pages. Egg starts a new job, while Milly finds it difficult being the boss.

EP5  Small Town Boyo
Apr. 14,1997
Small Town Boyo

Warren's arrest has become common knowledge, and threatens to destroy a promising career. Ferdy is tempted to go back to his ex.

EP6  Unusual Suspect
Apr. 21,1997
Unusual Suspect

Warren faces the indignity of having to be part of an identity parade and appear in court. When Milly's boss forbids her from representing him, Anna steps in. Egg is left in the lurch with Nicki after a misunderstanding at the cafe. Kira plays hard to get after a night out with Jo. Ferdy's attempts to win round Miles backfire.

EP7  He's Leaving Home
Apr. 28,1997
He's Leaving Home

Warren is planning a world tour, but is he ready to finish his therapy? Milly and Miles disagree about who should take his room. Egg learns something new about Nicki. And Ferdy's sexual confusion is heightened when he ends up on a date with Kira and Jo.

EP8  Room With a Queue
May. 08,1997
Room With a Queue

Miles takes matters into his own hands when the search for a new flatmate begins. Anna considers desperate measures to get work. Kira's strategy with Jo is starting to pay off.

EP9  Men Behaving Sadly
May. 15,1997
Men Behaving Sadly

Ferdy has an explosive encounter with his ex. Rachel finds a tactful way of letting Miles down gently. Nicki confides in Egg about the father of her child. And sexism at chambers sends Anna in search of sisterhood.

EP10  When the Dope Comes In
May. 22,1997
When the Dope Comes In

Milly agonises over whether or not to accompany O'Donnell on a business trip to Paris. Miles and Egg get an unexpected visit from the police. Jo has to beat a hasty retreat from Kelly.

EP11  She's Gotta Get It
May. 29,1997
She's Gotta Get It

The vote for Anna's tenancy is imminent, and Miles starts a whispering campaign against her. Kira arranges a date for Ferdy. Milly is brooding about Rachel and O'Donnell in Paris. And Egg has no luck getting on a catering course.

EP12  The Plumber Always Rings Twice
Jun. 05,1997
The Plumber Always Rings Twice

Milly is suspicious of Rachel and O'Donnell's new rapport since the trip to Paris. A visitor to the house arouses Ferdy's interest. Anna's celebration with Sarah does not quite go as planned. Miles still resists his father's invitation.

EP13  Wish You Were Queer
Jun. 12,1997
Wish You Were Queer

Miles and Anna become professional rivals. Nicki is upset by Egg's betrayal.

EP14  Who's That Girl?
Jun. 19,1997
Who's That Girl?

Will Miles make a hasty decision about his new girlfriend? Milly and Rachel's relationship comes to a head. And a lost condom sends Jo into a panic.

EP15  From Here to Maternity
Jun. 26,1997
From Here to Maternity

Milly throws caution to the wind when Egg accuses her of being boring. Anna gets some news from home. Ferdy needs some time on his own.

EP16  One Bedding and a Funeral
Jul. 03,1997
One Bedding and a Funeral

Egg's younger brother comes to stay and finds a friend in Anna. Milly's reckless behaviour nearly gives the game away. Anna settles on alternative plans for her mother's funeral. And Kira tells Jo where to go.

EP17  The Secret of My Excess
Jul. 10,1997
The Secret of My Excess

Miles offers Anna a shoulder to cry on. Milly begins to see the downside of her actions.

EP18  Diet Hard
Jul. 17,1997
Diet Hard

Egg's expectations for the opening night at the cafe prove to be slightly overambitious. Ferdy opts for a one-night stand. Kira and Kelly make plans for the future.

EP19  Milly Liar
Jul. 24,1997
Milly Liar

Miles wins his case, but Francesca has convinced herself that he does not want to go through with the wedding. Milly panics when a stupid lie backfires. Anna lets Miles in on an alarming secret, and Ferdy confesses all to Lenny.

EP20  Secrets and Wives
Jul. 31,1997
Secrets and Wives

Milly discovers the truth about O'Donnell's personal life. Miles becomes increasingly attracted to Anna on his stag night. Nicki puts her foot down at the cafe.

EP21  Apocalypse Wow!
Aug. 07,1997
Apocalypse Wow!

Can Miles go through with the wedding? Will Anna be able to deal with it if he does? Will Egg and Milly's new-found happiness last? Will Ferdy finally come to terms with his sexuality?

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8.5 | en | Drama | More Info
Released: 1996-03-18 | Released Producted By: BBC , World Productions Country: Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pft4t
info

Five aspiring lawyers are aiming for the top - but behind the scenes they're a mess of love, drugs and excess.

Genre

Drama

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This Life (1996) is currently not available on any services.

Cast

Jason Hughes , Andrew Lincoln , Daniela Nardini

Director

Tony Garnett

Producted By

BBC , World Productions

This Life Videos and Images

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This Life Audience Reviews

Tetrady not as good as all the hype
YouHeart I gave it a 7.5 out of 10
pointyfilippa The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.
Casey Duggan It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny
leslietwalters 'This Life' is truly as bad as it gets. Its cast of mercenary, lascivious, ruthless, duplicitous, shallow characters are intended as a reflection on its post-eighties setting and I have to admit in this regard it is an accurate creation. Unfortunately, it leaves me nothing to sympathise with or care about and I regard it as just another step toward the television premium-rate phone in scams; astonishingly bad, cheap, reality and 'celebrity' saturated television; and other cut and run attitudes that have destroyed this medium and, indeed, much of British society. Sounds exaggerated? I don't think it is. In this regard programs such as 'This Life' have indeed been as influential as they are often called.
Malc-3 I still hold firmly to the belief that the last episode of this landmark show is the best 40 mins of British TV drama ever. Any number of storylines coming sharply to a head, the terrific wedding reception with its toilet sex and terrible dancing, darkest secrets coming horrifyingly to light and the legendary punch. But how sad! If we'd known then that there would never be another series we would have stormed the BBC ourselves. But think positive. The show is endlessly rewatchable, and its influence has lived on in Queer as Folk, Attachments, Teachers, Metropolis, Tinsel Town and most contemporary drama since.Just please, please publish the damn scripts!
Britlaw This has just finished a repeat of the whole series in the UK, being shown late every week night during the summer. It is amazing it was first shown nearly five years ago and has been finished over three years now. This has brilliant and believable scripts, tight storylines told with economy, all played with great panache.Nearly every actor has gone on to better things, if there could be anything better than this, Jack Davenport to Hollywood films, Daniela Nardini into several very good homegrown dramas and Andrew Lincoln does the voiceovers for about 50% of British ads.The final episode has to be the most satisfying piece of television ever and the final scene of that episode made it into the top 100 TV moments of the Millennium as voted by the UK's Channel 4 viewers.As a piece of British life in the mid-Nineties it will probably become an icon of the period. As a lawyer myself, the legal scenes were spot on, as befits the author's origins. They left this at the top, and rightly so as anywhere from that final scene would have been down hill.
Cat-41 This must be, by far, the best television show ever to have been made...it's 'hand held camera' approach makes it more realistic, and the storylines are very believeable. The writers are not afraid of trying anything, from homosexuality, to bulemia, to alcoholics. Everybody has a favourite character, mine being Warren and you feel like you know the cast. I was devastated when I heard that they were not going to make a third series, but in a way, I am glad that they finished where they did. Other shows run out of ideas, but keep on going, creating ridiculous storylines, and that is what they are remembered for, but This Life stopped while it was ahead. It will be remembered for its genuine plots, and not for going downhill taking its reputation with it. I would recommend everybody to watch This Life as it's brilliant!