This Life 復活確定！

The Observer | UK News | Outstanding! This Life is set to be born again

Outstanding! This Life is set to be born again

It helped to define a decade. Now the classic Nineties drama is returning to our screens

David Smith
Sunday September 11, 2005
The Observer

It began with the line, 'Out there is chaos', told to a therapist. It ended with a punch thrown on the dancefloor and the simple commentary, 'Outstanding!' In-between was a groundbreaking drama about a group of twentysomething lawyers whose stormy lives and loves reflected their decade, the Nineties. But how will they fare in the Noughties?

This Life, the still lamented cult television series, is set for a comeback. Its creator and principal writer, Amy Jenkins, has met members of the cast to discuss a one-off special to mark the BBC show's 10th anniversary next year. For nostalgic fans, many of whom have themselves left their twenties behind, the prospect raises tantalising questions about the fates of Anna, Miles, Milly, Egg and Warren, who shared a house in London. Audiences will be eager to learn not only whether Miles's marriage to Francesca has lasted against the odds but who among the other characters - gay or straight - has found domestic bliss and who has been left on the shelf.

Jenkins, now 38, is hopeful that all the actors will be available to reprise their roles despite the success This Life brought them. They were comparative unknowns when the 32 episodes were shown on BBC2 in 1996 and 1997. But Jack Davenport (who played Miles) has since appeared in the TV comedy Coupling and had roles in The Talented Mr Ripley and Pirates of the Caribbean. Andrew Lincoln's (Egg) career has blossomed in the TV series Teachers and the film Love Actually. Daniela Nardini (Anna) has starred in various TV dramas and the recent film Festival. Amita Dhiri (Milly) has featured in TV dramas such as Happiness and Second Generation, while Jason Hughes (Warren) has appeared in a number of films.

Jenkins was approached to write the comeback special by Tony Garnett of World Productions, which made the original series, after the idea was put to him by the BBC. She said: 'I met the cast a few weeks ago and it was like a school reunion. They all looked the same. If we make it we'll have to draw lines on their faces to age them."

The writer said negotiations were still in the very early stages and she had not yet decided what lies in store for her creations. 'As far as I know it's not a done deal, and I haven't started writing yet. But it would be fun to see what has happened to the characters. My one idea so far is that Warren has been on a reality TV show. It looks as if all the actors will come back; if not, saying one of the characters had died would have been a possibility.'

When she created This Life, Jenkins set out to chronicle a generation which was the first who could not expect to do better than their parents, could not afford to buy property, found it very hard to get a job and were unabashed about casual drug use. She wished to reflect a new cynicism about relationships because so many had seen their parents split up. Her flawed heroes were 'not afraid to swear, take drugs, have lots of sex and watch lots of football'.

The series thrived on the high drama and emotion of these young professionals' personal lives. It hooked audiences like a soap and shocked conservative critics with its bad language and candid depictions of drug taking, drunkenness and explicit sex, including taboo-breaking gay sex. The Daily Mail pronounced itself 'appalled at the drugs, booze and, worst of all, simulated sex between homosexuals'.

It was also made in a groundbreaking style, popularised by American shows such as NYPD Blue, of multiple camera cuts, jerky movements and tight editing with pithy dialogue. This Life had begun without fanfare but gradually become a cult hit with final viewing figures of more than four million. When it was taken off air after just two series, many were left wanting more. Jenkins added: 'Tony Garnett always said it should be something people discover for themselves, which can be risky in case they never do, but in this case it worked. People felt it wasn't shoved down their throats.

'It was quite different at the time and we've sort of forgotten about that. I don't claim credit for being original, I just stole it from American TV. There has been a change in our TV drama since, for example series like Shameless.'

A spokeswoman for the BBC said last night: 'It's in the very early stages of development. The script would have to be right and we need to get the actors together. Everyone is very excited and there's an extraordinary amount of interest already.'

Ten years on...what's the plot?

Has Miles (Jack Davenport), the selfish, good-looking and privileged one, married the wrong woman? Will he ever get over his love-hate relationship with Anna (Daniela Nardini), the sharp-tongued, sassy Scot who is determined to become a barrister and escape her impoverished past at any cost?

Has Egg (Andrew Lincoln), the Manchester United-obsessed beer drinker, found his true vocation? Will he and Milly (Amita Dhiri), his ambitious solicitor girlfriend (the uptight one who takes lots of baths) ever be reconciled, now that the manipulative Rachel revealed to Egg her suspicions of Milly's infidelities with boss O'Donnell

Has Warren (Jason Hughes), the gay refugee from a small town in Wales, come out to his parents? We must be told.
Isabelle Chevallot