‘Addictive’ 90s drama fans binge in days returns to BBC after 30 years

A “captivating” 90s BBC drama has returned to screens 30 years after it first aired

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‘Addictive’ 90s drama fans binge in days returns to BBC after 30 years(Image: BBC)

A classic 90s drama has made a comeback to the BBC after three decades, in celebration of a significant anniversary.

Originally aired in 1996, This Life centred on a group of young solicitors cohabiting in south London, as they navigated friendships, aspirations and the intricacies of their twenties.

Created by Amy Jenkins, the cherished series boasted a cast that included Daniela Nardini, Andrew Lincoln, Jack Davenport, Amita Dhiri and Jason Hughes. Their fresh, raw and unfiltered performances helped cement the drama as a cultural landmark and one of the defining series of the decade. Three decades later, its characters, energy and unapologetic honesty continue to be integral to the cultural recollection of the 1990s.

On Wednesday (March 18), This Life marked 30 years since its premiere, with lead actress Daniela commemorating the milestone on BBC Breakfast, reports the Mirror.

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This Life has marked its 30th anniversary(Image: BBC)

Speaking to presenters Sarah Campbell and Roger Johnson, the actress reflected on the show’s legacy, stating: “The reference [the bosses] used was NYPD Blue and ER, and that was [those] fast edits.”

She continued: “One of my [daughter’s] teachers said, ‘Oh my god, is your mumma Anna from This Life?’ And she kind of went, ‘Oh my god, mum’… [The show] was culturally really different, I think, and exposing.”

Discussing her thoughts on where the characters might be now, Daniela speculated: “I think Anna’s sober, I think Miles died because he had another divorce and he just couldn’t handle it. Oh yeah, Warren and Anna have a baby together, who’s now 20. He’s called Roger.”

Daniela subsequently disclosed that she remains Facebook friends with numerous former castmates, observing that connections “slowly fade” when face-to-face contact becomes less frequent.

“I’d love to have you back for a reunion,” Sarah noted, with Daniela joking: “Oh god, we’ll all have walking sticks!”

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Daniela Nardini appeared on BBC Breakfast(Image: BBC)

Fans have continued to express their affection for the “addictive” programme online, with one individual writing on IMDb: “One of the greatest series of all time. Move over Friends, this is more intelligent. A perfect picture of 90s London through the eyes of young professionals and ordinary blokes and girls.

“A few cheesy performances, but it sort of worked at the time, much like the Fonz worked in Happy Days at the time. Not a poor performance from a rich cast that all went on to achieve memorable careers. This is a collectors piece for those who lived through and experienced the era in London. Nostalgic and immersive TV.”

Another added: “Watching This Life almost 30 years after its release is an interesting experience. Although its format has been much copied since the late 90s, it still retains the same freshness and vitality that made it such a captivating watch first time round… This is one of the truly great British TV shows which I look forward to viewing again at some point in the future.”

A third commented: “I just binge-watched this over 5 days and brought great memories back,” with another viewer similarly expressing: “Part of what made This Life such a landmark television series was its uncompromising trendiness – its utter refusal to comply with standard dramatic devices.”

This Life will air on BBC Four at 10pm on Wednesday, March 18, and is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

SOURCE: liverpoolecho