Lip Service - Series 1 [DVD]

'Lip Service' is a great relationships drama in the mould of 'This Life' and 'Mistresses', although rather more steamy than either. The series follows the lives & loves of three young lesbians against the backdrop of an autumnal Glasgow. Cat (Laura Fraser) is just getting her emotional life back on track when former lover Frankie (Ruda Gedmintas) returns from New York. Meanwhile, struggling actress Tess (Fiona Button) endures a comic succession of disastrous temporary jobs. All three meet new lovers in the opening episodes while writer Harriet Braun cleverly develops the central simmering relationship of the series.

The three female leads give equally strong performances and I quickly developed a keen interest in their characters, all of whom display an engaging vulnerability. Heather Pearce, Roxanne McKee and Natasha O'Keeffe are similarly good in their supporting roles, as are the two straight male characters - played by Emun Elliott and James Anthony Pearson Much has been made of the sex scenes, some of which are fairly explicit by BBC standards. However, they don't form an overly long part of the whole and are important, in that they admirably frame the different relationships.

The earlier reviewer's comparison with `This Life' is a good one - `Lip Service' is superb and deserves a much wider audience than its subject matter might suggest. Yes, it's glamorous and sexy - it's also a passionate, gripping drama with very absorbing characters. I'd love to see a second series: my only fear is that it wouldn't be as good as the first. Do see it.

Before you've seen Lip Service for yourself, keep an open mind. I was told that it is closely modelled on the L Word, and having now watched the first series, I don't agree. Yes, there are similarities. The main characters are a group of friends including three lesbian and bisexual women. There's a striking, androgynous central character, Frankie, who is highly promiscuous and emotionally damaged - obviously some bells will ring there, recalling the L Word's Shane. There's also a lot of sex scenes, and wry humour. And the actors are, without exception, gorgeous. However, that's as far as the comparison goes. There is a big difference between the streets of Glasgow, where Lip Service is set, and the L Word film sets in Vancouver, masquerading as West Hollywood. Lip Service is made by Kudos, who also make Spooks for the BBC, which should give you a feeling for its production values. It has a great sound track of well chosen indie music. Lip Service doesn't engage with sensationalist topics and themes like the L Word - it focuses mainly on relationships and personal demons, and it is grittier and darker than the L Word. Frankie is far more damaged and self destructive than Shane; throughout much of this series she's right on the edge. The gloss and glamour is restrained, and the social milieu is different. Two of the main characters are straight men, wrestling with their own life problems. In fact, if I was going to draw a parallel between Lip Service and another drama series, the one that most strongly comes to mind is This Life. Yes, I really do think Lip Service is that good. There's room for improvement, but I like this programme a lot. I don't know whether a second series has been commissioned, but I hope so. I cared about these characters increasingly as the series progressed, and I want to see them again. So this is a strong recommendation. If you enjoy well made, edgy, modern urban relationship dramas, with excellent acting and engaging characters, then buy this DVD.

After the L Word comes Lip Service, the difference, the first is set in the US and latter in Glasgow. It follows the loves, losses and dramas of a group of women and has a closer bearing to reality than the wonderful LA world of the L Word. The women are sexy, funny and the storyline, although a little predictable, still gets you hooked. Highly enjoyable TV and I am looking forward to the next series.