This Life: Complete BBC Series 1 & 2 [DVD]

A real highlight of BBC2’s output in the 1990s, This Life works on a simple premise of following the lives of five young lawyers who each share the same London home. Yet that simplicity shields what was, and remains, a groundbreaking series, one that never shirked away from any of the issues it chose to touch on.

Across the two series that make up this unmissable boxset, we get to meet the full-of-himself Miles, the loud but troubled Anna, Milly the control-freak and the unsure Egg. Add in the upbeat Warren, whose gay but doesn’t want his parents to know, and the confused and bisexual Ferdy, and you have a melting pot of emotions and stories that are as captivating to watch as they were when the show was first broadcast.

At the core of This Life’s success though are some wonderful, career-making performances. The likes of Andrew Lincoln (Teachers, Love Actually) and Jack Davenport (Pirates of the Caribbean, The Talented Mr Ripley) have certainly used it as a springboard to launch their careers, and we can only hope to see more of the excellent Daniela Nardini and Amita Dhiri in the future.

But for now, savour just what this is. It’s astonishingly confident, moving, at times flat out hilarious but always unmissable. And it’s taken far too long to bring it all to DVD. Make the most of it now it’s here.--Simon Brew END

SERIES 1

This multi-award-winning cult series eavesdrops on the lives of a group of young lawyers sharing a London house. Wild child Anna has trouble with men. Arrogant Miles is torn between two women. Control-freak Milly is torn between two men. Egg can't decide what to do with his life. Ferdy is bisexual and confused. And Warren is proud to be gay, as long as it doesn't mean telling his family.

SERIES 2

Wild child Anna has trouble with men. Arrogant Miles is torn between two women. Control-freak Milly is torn between two men. Egg can't decide what to do with his life. Ferdy is bisexual and confused. And Warren is proud to be gay, as long as it doesn't mean telling his family. This BAFTA award-winning cult series eavesdrops on the lives of a group of young lawyers sharing a London house. Starring Daniella Nardini, Jack Davenport, Andrew Lincoln, Amita Dhiri, Jason Hughes and Ramon Tikaram. END

United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2.4 DVD: LANGUAGES: English ( Dolby Digital Stereo ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.78:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Box Set, Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: First aired on British television in 1996, This Life chronicles the lives of a group of house-sharing twentysomething professionals as they try to make sense of life, love and each other. This Life - Series 1: Providing a timely shake-up of TV drama conventions, This Life's refusal to conform was its key to success. While critics deemed it 'immoral', for its graphic depictions of homosexuality and blasé attitude to drug-taking, fans revelled in its honest and objective portrayal of contemporary life. It quickly became blatantly obvious that the friends of the series vastly outnumbered the foes; when production of This Life ended, national outcry for its continuation ensued. The series follows the burgeoning careers of five newly qualified solicitors, who share a house in South London. Anna and Miles can't ignore the attraction between them but the problem is neither will admit to it and seem intent on winding each other up as much as they can. Milly and Egg are deeply in love but their relationship is put under stress as Egg realises that he doesn't want to be a solicitor and Milly begins an affair with her boss. Warren is gay and in therapy to help him come to terms with his sexuality. He is terrified of letting his family know, as they wouldn't understand. This Life - Series 2: This time around, life is even more complicated: Egg is having serious problems with money and direction; Milly enters an affair with her boss, O'Donnell; Anna is still in love with Miles, but having a hard time accepting it; meanwhile, Miles gets engaged, despite his feelings for Anna; Warren gets arrested for 'cruising' in the loc...This Life - Complete Series 1 & 2 - 8-DVD Box Set ( This Life - Entire Series One & Two )