Thirty years after its debut, the cult BBC drama This Life is returning to screens, celebrating its anniversary with a rerun introduced by actress Daniela Nardini. The show, known for its frank depiction of sex, drugs, and swearing among young lawyers, originally aired in 1996 and became a defining series of the Cool Britannia era.
Creator Amy Jenkins revealed that the show came about after BBC Two controller Michael Jackson wanted a cool drama for young people. Jenkins, a former lawyer, agreed to write it on condition that there were no courtroom scenes and that the focus was not on law but on the characters' chaotic lives, inspired by the rave scene.
The series followed a group of law graduates sharing a house in London, with storylines involving heavy drinking, drug use, and casual sex. Jenkins recalled BBC executives questioning why viewers should care about these 'privileged' characters, but the show resonated because it represented a generation that had not been seen on television before.
Key elements included the love-hate relationship between Miles and Anna, played by Jack Davenport and Daniela Nardini, which became a will-they-won't-they hook for audiences. Nardini won a Bafta for her role as Anna, a proto-Fleabag character who was both tough and vulnerable.
The show also featured groundbreaking scenes, such as therapy sessions for the character Warren, years before similar depictions in The Sopranos. Jenkins, who was in therapy herself, said it made for great drama. The rerun airs this Wednesday on BBC.
