Thirty years after its debut, the groundbreaking British series This Life returns to BBC Four, introducing the 90s cult classic to a new audience.
Cast and Storyline
Amy Jenkins created the era-defining drama, which features an early-career Andrew Lincoln alongside Daniela Nardini, Jack Davenport, Amita Dhiri, and Jason Hughes. The ensemble portrays five aspiring lawyers in their twenties sharing a house in south London as they tackle friendship, ambition, and the challenges of young adulthood.
The synopsis describes it as “the 90s’ most famous houseshare,” where high-achieving professionals unravel amid love, drugs, and excess. Viewers witness raw, unfiltered performances that capture the messiness of private lives.
Behind-the-Scenes Influence
The production served as a launchpad for emerging directors, including Sam Miller of I May Destroy You and Harry Bradbeer, known for Fleabag and Enola Holmes.
Cultural Legacy and Acclaim
Celebrated as a landmark series, This Life encapsulates London life in the 90s and remains a defining television milestone. It features diverse narratives, including gay character Warren’s identity struggles and interracial relationships.
A 2021 Guardian review notes: “It was the sort of television where you wanted to contact all your friends immediately after watching an episode to recap it. It was funny but it also broke your heart. It felt freakishly true to life. It depicted all the messiness and glory of being in your 20s in a way that you never usually see on commercial television.”
The Independent‘s 1996 critique highlights: “What keeps you watching… is a quality of observation – the dialogue… continues to have an eavesdropped quality.”
Fans echo this praise. One viewer describes it as “a near-perfect study of life’s transitional period between careless partying and responsible adulthood,” while another calls it “one of the truly great British TV shows” that holds up remarkably well.
Jack Davenport, who played Miles, explained its appeal: “The writing was really different from most television. If you took a load of drugs, you didn’t necessarily die immediately. If you had unprotected sex, you didn’t automatically become HIV positive. People liked it because there was no moralising. If you’re 22, you’re going to make some really bad decisions, but that’s OK. Relax.”
Viewing Schedule
Daniela Nardini introduces the 32-episode rerun starting Wednesday, March 18, at 10pm on BBC Four. Seasons one and two, plus the 10-year reunion special, stream on iPlayer from 6am.
