This Life - C/D? (now contains probable spoiler)

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Should I bother watching this? I avoided it like the plague when it first came out - my contrary nature forced me to go to bed early. Now I'm a bit younger, I'm kinda interested. Any thoughts?

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Now I'm a bit younger?

― Jaunty Alan (Alan), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I was so much older then . . . geddit?

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:32 (twenty-two years ago)

are you that giant baby from Mork and Mindy?

― Jaunty Alan (Alan), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:34 (twenty-two years ago)

This Life = classic.
Almost everything it influenced = monstrous dud.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:34 (twenty-two years ago)

This Life = utter and complete bollox

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked it, but the quirky camera angles used to piss me off!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

absolute tedious garbage about people i wouldn't waste spit on in real life

― the surface noise (electricsound), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:35 (twenty-two years ago)

even worse than teachers

― gareth (gareth), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Surely that's impossible Gareth!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I have a feeling watching it nowadays would be too close to home for comfort though*, but for a 17 year old living with parents and about to go to university it seemd kinda cool.

*Either that or like watching a protrated whiney ILE thread.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:37 (twenty-two years ago)

I met that guy who was in This Life and Teachers once, Andrew Lincoln? In a boozer. Seemed like a nice fellow, we talked about "Ulysses".

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:38 (twenty-two years ago)

What, you didn't punch him for 'teachers'?

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic.

Like Teachers with man sex. Like Queer as Folk without teachers and a crap ending.

― Autumn Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 10:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic when I was 15, still classic now.

― Barima (Barima), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Absolutely revolting. Same goes for 'Teachers'. *spit*

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Matt DC OTM. it seemed quite romantic at the time. but I guess when I was watching it, I hadn't yet met anyone much like any of the main characters, who in retrospect were all of course complete pricks - 'people i wouldn't waste spit on' indeed. either way, it's still great tv.

― pete b. (pete b.), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Gareth has never seen This Life of Teachers

Adam & Joe's pastiche of This Life was best, using an egg as Egg etc.

― stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic.

Careful viewing shows that Rachel never actually does anything wrong and Milly is the evil one.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:20 (twenty-two years ago)

18 posts without a single mention of Ferdie's knob? Shame on you all.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Remember reading a critic saying that the show seemed to consist entirely of "dark haired scumbags"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

As I say, never seen it, but quirky angles + dark haired scumbags = classic, surely?

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Have we all forgotten the majesty that was Anna?

http://www.positivenation.co.uk/issue90/pics/artsspec1.jpg

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember everyone i knew loving it when it was first on. i *hated* it. i just thought, god, the characters are all so hateful and bitchy and unpleasant. i didn't wanna spend any time with them at *all*...

― stevie (stevie), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Egg was the only one of the main housemates not to be hateful and bitchy and unpleasant (obviously he was the tragic fall-guy in the end though).

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Anna = that woman with the sophisticated sexy Scots accent

[O/T Why did Dastoor move to Jock-Land?]

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Good grief! Are we expected to like people in drama?! Bang goes half of western culture!

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Ah, but were they hateful and bitchy and unpleasant and interesting, or just hateful and bitchy and unpleasant?

And sexy scots accent = classic^classic

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:40 (twenty-two years ago)

The majesty of Anna? The majesty of a hatchet faced boot with an annoying middle class whine of a Scottish accent?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Yes.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:42 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember the odd attempt to humanise Anna every so often. Usually failed. Her majesty was her masterful ability to go "up middle finger"
to everything that stood in her path.

Warren was OK, though he helped himself a lot in this regard by fucking off on holiday. Kira reminds me a lot of a couple girls I've worked with in the past - great on TV, not so great IRL. The ep with Egg's brother was funny - "It's OK, I'm a virgin too". Classique.

― Barima (Barima), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Good grief! Are we expected to like people in drama?! Bang goes half of western culture!

Point taken. But the show was like a really really awful party, full of cunts - why would i spend my time there??

― stevie (stevie), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha ha, good answer JtN

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

when was the first series? early Spring 1996?

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Anna was by far the best of the unsympathetic characters - both Miles and Millie were kind of embodiments of every man-woman's worst prejudices about the opposite sex (him - self-centred arrogant arsehole, walking hardon, largely untrustworthy and casually mysognistic) (her - insecure, bitchy, prone to hateful jealous fits, chooses the older bloke money with the money over the nice guy following his dream).

Anna had this glorious mix of defiance coupled with the fact you thought she could completely collapse at any moment.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

remember Miles picking up an older woman, went back to her place - only to find hubby waiting for a 3some - sharp exit ! classic

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:52 (twenty-two years ago)

I think my animosity towards Anna has to do with the fact that she was supposed to be sexy when she wasn't and her accent

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:53 (twenty-two years ago)

I liked it when it were on t'telly, but I'm not sure if I'd watch it again.

"What, you didn't punch him for 'teachers'?
-- Pinkpanther"

B-b-but Pinkp, the little people and the donkeys and the scary squinty eyed burd and and and...

― smee (smee), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

All this and the show benefitted greatly from not returning, not even for a measly couple of Christmas specials.

― Barima (Barima), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 14:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Classic. It enabled me to live a vacrious existence in trendified London whilst, er not living anywhere near London. Classic generational show (ie, I felt it spoke to me). I said in another thread that Spaced was the show me and my mates would have made had we the talent. This Life was the first aspirational lifestyle based drama I ever watched and identified with; it's what I imagine I'd have made had I been 5 years older and had talent. The whole graduates coming to terms that they are free from institutional supports and are essentially on their own now in the big wide world was really relevant.

Observation -Egg was a fucking great wet bloody lettuce. Millie was irritating, but I can imagine why she went off Egg. Miles was a grinning wally public school bozo. Anna's hearting of Miles but inability to say it was the tragedy (DYS!) as beneath the ballbusting she wanted wuv. My favourite character was Keira. And Jo as well.

― Dave B (daveb), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)

good series and only two series of it, it was ended at the right time.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 15:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps unusually, I read the book. I often wonder how they're getting on with that sandwich shop or whatever it was.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 15:18 (twenty-two years ago)

ha didn't spot this thread. v.v.fond memories of this not least because my bettah half was in series 2. Seems like yesterday..... 7 years gone!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 15:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Ooh! Who did Mrs Dr C play?!

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 15:42 (twenty-two years ago)

There was a 2nd series?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I think my animosity towards Anna has to do with the fact that she was supposed to be sexy when she wasn't and her accent

God I thought she was hot.

I loved the humiliating fringe they gave Jack Davenport. Still makes me laugh.

― Michael White (Hereward), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Not Anna, JtN! Sorry.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 21 April 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

i can understand the Anna luv, but for me Milly was the ideal combination of sexy/stern... I realise that this is warped.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 22 April 2004 06:53 (twenty-two years ago)

This Life was just like Teachers with man sex. Queer as Folk was just like This Life without teachers. Or a crap ending.

― Autumn Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 22 April 2004 06:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Okay, that made sense before I wrote it.

― Autumn Almanac (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 22 April 2004 06:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 145 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I seem to differ with most people over 'This Life'. For example, most people I know cheered when Milly hit Rachel.

My reading of it though is that Rachel's alleged two-sidedness was totally in Milly's head. It's is at least ambiguous if you watch it closely.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

Rachel >>>>>>>> Milly

― 2 american 4 u (blueski), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

I thought it was the inedible in pursuit of the unspeakable, or something like that, and recall being quite pleased when the two Miss Prims were pulling each other's hair.

I watched a bit of "This Life", last night. Two things surprised me:

(1) how little I remember, despite having watched the entire series at least three times
(2) how bad it is. I suppose it's at that difficult age, hasn't yet matured into a period piece (cf "The History Man").

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

The first few eps are a bit rubbish. I'm convinced, perhaps through wishful thinking, that it gets better once the whole exposition thing is out of the way and it's just about the characters. I may well be wrong.

Milly was appalling, and Rachel was a bitch. However, shagging your boss behind your boyfriend's back is worse than being a stuck-up interfering cow, therefore I agree Rachel >>> Milly. But it was still excellent to see her getting hit because she had been somewhat asking for it (even though Milly was completely in the wrong).

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

Replace Rachel's "It wasn't me!" squeal with "You got served, bitch!" and Milly would still come off worse.

― Badrock Example (Barima), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

I liked the way Milly's behaviour was understandable (especially when saddled with the increasingly immature Egg), even if not very moral.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

Had you been to the skronk night, Tim?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Understandable = dump the immature fucker rather than shagging around behind his back. Milly = bitch. I'm cheering on Rachel this time round.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:57 (nineteen years ago)

PJM, I had not. Skronk is on a Thursday.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

oh boy, 'the history man' looks hella bad now. i say that as if i'd seen it 'before'; i hadn't. i had read it, and it is less bad there. and this is from someone who doesn't like the kind of people it's meant to be satirizing.

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

**I think Dr C's wife is the boss's wife, the one who he's supposed to have left but hasn't. She's right posh.**

Creative thinking PJM.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

But THM looked oddly of its time, which gave it a certain charm*.

This Life still looks too much like now, but all wrong.

*my view on this may be affected by the fact that I have worked in the administration in the Uni where THM was filmed.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

THM has a slightly distasteful underlying right wing theme though, doesn't it?

A "people are only radicals and politically active for their own personal gain" type message.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

yep, but much more bluntly in the tv show than the book.

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Dr C, is your missus in the reunion one?

PJM, creative but presumably WRONG since not mentioned upthread.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

We had a PDF of the script. I wonder if we still have it. It might have Mrs Dr C's scrawled notes in the margin. That would give us a clue.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

you could sell spoilers to the tabloids.

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

they would have to re-film it.

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

'MY CHRISTMAS SPOILED -- TV Fan'

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

Yes PJM was creative but wrong. Wait...

"It might have Mrs Dr C's scrawled notes in the margin. That would give us a clue"

He's still being creative!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 17:13 (nineteen years ago)

It was the old script, Benrique, unfortunately, otherwise I'd be straight on the blower.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 17:30 (nineteen years ago)

In 1999 she was a finalist in the So You Think You're Funny Competition at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Is this Mrs Dr C?

Or is she the mysterious "Mrs Cochrane"?

Message Boards

Discuss this person with other users on IMDb message board for Mrs Dr C.

Or perhaps she has also appeared in Carrie and Barry as recently as 2004. This however, would mean that she had been in Angels in 1975, when Dr C was a mere slip of a lad.

Those are the people whose surnames begin with C.

I think I have exhausted this particular line of creative thinking.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

Stage names are sometimes different from yer real surname. Or sometimes you don't change name on getting hitched.

Who's Mrs. Cochrane?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

I know, I was joking about the C. Although what stage name could possibly be better than Mrs Dr C?

I don't know who Mrs Cochrane is. I think she might be some kind of landlady.

Skronk tonight, Tim!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 9 November 2006 08:25 (nineteen years ago)

lol at the way anna just ate that buttered bread

― 2 american 4 u (blueski), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 23:33 (nineteen years ago)

Mrs Cochrane is the person who owns the cafe that Egg and Nicky work in.

Has anyone casually invited Mrs Dr C out to a FAP so we can identify her? I'm slowly becoming obsessed with this.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 23:38 (nineteen years ago)

never mind Mrs Dr C, WE WANT BERYL

― 2 american 4 u (blueski), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 23:39 (nineteen years ago)

Beryl is surely destined for EastEnders.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 22 November 2006 23:46 (nineteen years ago)

New candidate for Mrs Dr C - Miles' dad's bit of stuff.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 23 November 2006 00:47 (nineteen years ago)

You guys!

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 23 November 2006 09:08 (nineteen years ago)

stevem been drinking?

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 23 November 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

i had 2 glasses of Leffe but that's not enough to get me drunk, just a little tired.

― 2 american 4 u (blueski), Thursday, 23 November 2006 12:45 (nineteen years ago)

I think Dr C is married to Southwark.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 23 November 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

**New candidate for Mrs Dr C - Miles' dad's bit of stuff.**

She was very nice.

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Thursday, 23 November 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

What amazing things google turns up! 'Dr.C' - is it really you, Dave? I don't know if u'll see this, do you still post at this place in 2008?
I'm so sorry that I'm crap at keepin g in touch and so scatty that I never have current email addys I'm still in Melbourne but maybe back to
ythe UK in 2009 with a new BBC job. It's been nearly 10 years and I only meant t stay for 18 months! I heard the news about you and Tash through Rich and I'm so happy for you both.LOveto you both. Liz. xxxx

― lizzie w, Thursday, 25 September 2008 11:09 (seventeen years ago)

Ah found it again! Forgot to say, Dave Get in touch if u see this here! (liz✧✧✧.surn✧✧✧@hotm✧✧✧.c✧.u✧) Liz xxx

― lizzie w, Sunday, 28 September 2008 16:40 (seventeen years ago)

― caek, Sunday, 28 September 2008 18:01 (seventeen years ago)

er, i think this bit:

What amazing things google turns up

explains everything?

― right, we all start when the drum machine starts, lads (grimly fiendish), Sunday, 28 September 2008 18:23 (seventeen years ago)

(the only problem is i've no idea if dr c is still posting here!)

― right, we all start when the drum machine starts, lads (grimly fiendish), Sunday, 28 September 2008 18:23 (seventeen years ago)

The good doctor was informed (and sends his best, he's been busy with a variety of things!).

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 September 2008 16:03 (seventeen years ago)

heh, i informed him too! and he sounded delighted. so hurrah all round, really.

― right, we all start when the drum machine starts, lads (grimly fiendish), Monday, 29 September 2008 20:37 (seventeen years ago)

Oh, I did as well, right after the first post. We're all looking out for Dr C :-)

― ailsa, Monday, 29 September 2008 21:30 (seventeen years ago)

I'm touched and surprised that anyone would bother - thanks all :)

― Dr.C, Tuesday, 30 September 2008 09:44 (seventeen years ago)

HE'S BACK!

― right, we all start when the drum machine starts, lads (grimly fiendish), Tuesday, 30 September 2008 09:50 (seventeen years ago)

one year passes...

what happened to Nardini, Dhiri, Little, Shepherd, Hughes, Bradshaw-White from this? great show, but a career-killer?

― plebby, Thursday, 16 September 2010 17:43 (fifteen years ago)

They've all been in stuff.

― ailsa, Thursday, 16 September 2010 17:52 (fifteen years ago)

This Life brilliantly defined what it meant to be ~~young~~ a tosser in the nineties and captured the imagination of a whole generation of viewers.
Fixed.
― Everything Is Ill-Educated (noodle vague), Thursday, 21 September 2006 09:33 (3 years ago)

saw a few of the repeats of dis ting and was surprised how bad it was

1996 and 1997 should have their few worthwhile cultural products snatched from them before being reallocated to some obscure and terrible epoch in the sixth century

― Chinedu "Edu" Obasi Ogbuke (nakhchivan), Thursday, 16 September 2010 17:58 (fifteen years ago)

oh. well i've been enjoying it anyway via a charity shop boxset. it was worth £2.

i must've not been watching enough tv cos I can't think of anything I've seen them in, not even holby or eastenders

― plebby, Thursday, 16 September 2010 18:04 (fifteen years ago)

Where once I'd break out the vitriol now I just shrug and move on to something interesting. That's progress.

― Eejit Piaf (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 16 September 2010 18:07 (fifteen years ago)

I can't think of anything I've seen them in, not even holby or eastenders

Luisa Bradshaw-White was in Holby, you're not watching hard enough! Also Amita Dhiri was in The Bill.

Jason Hughes was the Lewis in Midsomer Murders, Shepherd geezer was in that shit Duncan-from-Blue sitcom, Natasha Little was in Spooks for a while and has been in some other stuff that I can't remember right now. Daniela Nardini has been in some films and does some voiceovers for adverts and also theatre. I'm sure I read an interview where she said she was happy being more Scotland-based since she had her child(ren).

They've hardly had the careers that Andrew Lincoln and Jack Davenport have had, but have hardly disappeared either.

(this is all from my brain, btw, there may be more, but this is stuff I've seen/am aware of)

― ailsa, Thursday, 16 September 2010 20:14 (fifteen years ago)

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