Life (TV Mini Series 2020) Poster

(2020)

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9/10
Beautiful
Teenyweeny2335 October 2020
What an amazing series. Peter Davidson was phenomenal as was all the cast. Absolutely loved this. Fabulous story writing. If you haven't watched it yet, indulge yourself. It's sad, emotional yet funny in parts.
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8/10
Well written thought provoking drama
cworfell-5848317 October 2020
Life..... A lot of life shoehorned into this really enjoyable series. Binge watched the whole series and really enjoyed it. Great performances from all the cast. Some bleugh bits but more than made up by the bitter sweet twists and turns. Give this a watch. You won't regret it.
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9/10
It's great
fionacorfield2 October 2020
Better than US which is silly . Great acting and funny and sad at the same time . Message is stop being stiff and get the truth out . I enjoyed it
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10/10
An incredible series.
Sleepin_Dragon31 October 2020
Real life is like a jigsaw puzzle, a set of pieces all jumbled together, sometimes they fit, sometimes they don't. Life beautifully focuses on the loves of four families, the only link that they live in the same house.

I would class this drama overall as spellbinding, it's one of those you watch, and don't want to end, marvellous stories, which although independent all link at some point.

The characters feel very real, with real life problems, I'm sure everyone can relate to at least one person here.

The highlight for me, the acting, Alison Steadman, Peter Davison both deserve awards, unbelievable. If I'm totally honest the highlight for me was Victoria Hamilton, Belle was the most fascinating character, she held my attention throughout, her acting was off the scale.

I didn't want it to end. Isn't it wonderful that in this turbulent year, that we at least had something special to watch.

So much talk of a second series, I know many would love it, it would need to be special to top this one, or at least be on par.

Speechless after it, 10/10.
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10/10
Perfect drama- not high brow but doesn't intend to be!
rddowns30 September 2020
Great cast, plot and acting. A pleasure to watch. Just the sort of thing needed currently to switch off from the real drama of the world. Knockout cast and great writing.
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10/10
Breathtaking & Beautiful!!
CerridwenHawk13 October 2020
A juicy, Heartwarming, Inspiring story that makes you want to binge watch the 6 episodes in one electrifying sitting!! Brilliant, passionate acting by the ensemble cast!! If you enjoy stellar storytelling then you'll absolutely Love this!!
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10/10
Brilliant!
mhlloyd-918244 October 2020
Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! Brilliant script, brilliant characters, brilliant actors! My wife and I had to binge watch the series as we both enjoyed it so much!
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REAL LIFE!
suzpom20 June 2021
Fabulous series. I certainly did NOT want it to end. GREAT acting, interesting and absorbing story lines, exactly what I needed in this crazy world - to turn off and tune in to something lovely, heart-warming, thoughtful, and caring, even with all the twists and turns, that really are normal in REAL life!

Thanks for this. AND, well, it would be great to look forward to a Season Two! Hint hint.....
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7/10
Excellent TV
liamcheasty14 October 2020
So far I have viewed the first three episode and I would describe Life as faultless. Briliant script, superbly acted, this is top notch TV and is all the more enjoyable because the competition is so weak.
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10/10
WATCH IT.
stacyltrevett2 October 2020
Loved this. Is gorgeous, funny, sad, thought provoking. Brilliant acting, especially Alison Steadman & Victoria Hamilton, great younger cast too. Tears & laughter, what more do you need?
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7/10
A watchable but fairly bland offering, with some moments of Life.
simonsaysmaybe1 October 2020
Let's face it, we're all stuck in far more than usual at the moment and you probably could do worse than watching this mini series to soak up some of that downtime.

Once again, the fairly unexceptional staff at the BBC have unleashed yet another mini series about the emotional trials and tribulations of a group of uptight and generally depressed middle class, English people. This tired but safe formula is rolled out rather awkwardly, thanks to the plot having to link the lives of the inhabitants of four separate flats in one big, gravel-drived, predictably Farrow and Ball painted Victoria Villa. It does this with varying degrees of success.

The quality of acting is high - there are some big names here - and for me at least, there were some fairly touching moments. Then again, I'm the sort of person who cries watching the Waltons. There are some twists and turns in the story but most you either find yourself laughing at incredulously or you have already guessed (but maybe that's the fun of it). I did like the ease in including a level of diversity in the cast though - something which is sadly omitted in many of these type of dramas.

Call me a shallow sexist, but I was kept interested by the fact I did rather fancy Victoria Hamilton (and her new hair cut) . Her performance was certainly up there with the best of the cast too.

If you like things like Cold Feet, etc. then open a bottle of red wine you bought in Waitrose, or whatever it is middle class people do, and give this a try. It will probably beat going down the pub in a group of six or less and having to download Serco's track and trace app.
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10/10
Excellent
Rach-golder7 October 2020
Only intended to watch one episode tonight... well I was hooked and now 6 hours later I've binge watched the lot! Absolutely brilliant, great acting from a perfect cast. Was poignant, sad, happy and uplifting in equal measure. The linking of the characters and the impact they had on each other's lives was really well written. We need more shows like this
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7/10
Robust drama detailing the interweaving lives of the principal characters
bgsmall24 October 2020
A robust drama, with great characterization and storytelling. Filmed largely in and around (Greater) South Manchester.
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3/10
Even Alison Steadman couldn't save this
kezzypipkin14 October 2020
When even the amazing Alison Steadman can't rescue it, you know you have problems with a "drama". The writers couldn't have shoe horned another politically correct woke character into this with a battering ram. Disability, mental illness, addiction, domestic abuse, relationship problems, unacceptance of grief, stalking, racism, single parenthood - I began to lose count (and track). All of which wouldn't have been so bad if the storylines had been well plotted and engaging - they weren't. The characters were one dimensional and, for the most part unsympathetic. With a cast like this has, it should have been exceptional, not barely acceptable. There were a whole plethora of glaring continuity and plot errors too, which did nothing to improve it. A really good cast wasted on really poor storyline.
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10/10
Enjoyable
suziew-181499 October 2020
Loved it! simple drama great characters. Had me hooked after one episode. Well done to all
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10/10
A joy. A real pleasure.
sarah_hayward-808371 October 2020
This 6 part series features 'Love Actually'- esque linkage of the characters. The cast are all incredible, especially Alison Steadman in her performance of a 70 year old woman, full of life - yet lives like a beautiful, colourful bird who's had her wings clipped over time by her larger-than-life husband.

This is a thought-provoking, moving, funny, warming bit of drama and I'm grateful for the recommendation from my mum to watch it.
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10/10
BBC Drama at its best
pauly_c8 November 2020
Great script with no waste, great acting (especially by 'Bell' - Victoria Hamilton), and great direction.
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10/10
Enjoyable drama
wrlennie8 October 2020
Was attracted by the cast initially, but got hooked by end of 1st episode. I watched all episodes on i player, wonderful acting by everyone, story was engaging and touched me at times, very emotive and funny. Well done to all concerned.
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6/10
Sorry,Mrs Gump',Life'is not like a box of chocolates we know exactly what we're
ianlouisiana7 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Going to get from preachy woke BBC ; Women empowered,men weak,bullying and pretty useless,those women who appear troubled are in that position because men ill - treated them in the first place...'Men and bloody Tories' moans a self - harming person who menstruates before handing over her 'challenging' daughter to a sister who is barely coping with her own problems. But we are a sisterhood - right? 'Life ' is saved from banality by the performances which deserve a better fate than this. As an 80 year old white working class man I looked in vain for anybody on the screen that looked or spoke like me. Not only are the BBC stealing my licence money back they are totally failing to give people like me representation in their drama dept. This may well be up there or thereabouts if Baftas ever come round again but don't deceive yourself that 'Life' is anything like life for most of us who don't live in the bubble.
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10/10
Brilliant series!
wfransella16 October 2020
Beautiful drama exploring the lives of people sharing flats in a house in Manchester. All of life is here explored -birth, death, marriage, mental health. Sensitively directed it is a tour de force for all the actors new and old wound around a fantastic performance by Alison Steadman.
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6/10
Easy watching
malloriengoodwin10 October 2020
This wasn't the best, I was a little disappointed. It was rather cheesy and quite predictable, which is fine if you want an easy watch drama without thinking. It wasn't exciting enough. Rather more like a soap than a drama. Some of it was a bit like watching a scene from a play on stage, you could tell it was acting. So for me I only have it 6/10 The writer from Doctor Foster unfortunately did not do as well on this occasion for me.y husband said 'it was crap' and he was put off after watching it for 20 minutes.....
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9/10
Compelling, intriguing series.
zettelouise15 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
What a wonderful series. Fantastic acting and writing. Alison Steadman, Peter Davison and Victoria Hamilton absolutely tops!

Loved how developed characters Henry, Gail, Belle, in particular, were. I felt Belle's pain, especially since she was forced to be the rock for her unsympathetic sister. Horrific how she was abused by the hedonistic self-centered Ruth.

Henry, too, was so stuck in his self-absorption. So great to see his catharsis. Sure, not the best time for Gail to have an awakening, but, at least she realized her needs were not being met and was strong enough to do something about it.

The longing between Andy and Hannah was well portrayed.

Highly recommend this series. Well done!
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What was this?
cleoburyp25 October 2020
2/3 way into first episode, agreed with the wife, what is this another soap! can't watch any further as nothing was happening ie no plot - I thought is was going to be better with the list of actor in the cast
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7/10
One improbable scene after another
geoffreyawhite9 September 2021
Alison, Peter, Adam and Victoria shine in their scenes, the other actors are just fillers.
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5/10
Annoying but watchable
grahamf-555421 November 2020
Characters playing real-life drama but they were totally unreal. A contrived plot that didn't hold true at all. I was pleased I persisted to see the ending though and the acting was pretty good with Alison Steadman and Peter Davison outstanding.
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