Love My Way Season 1 Discs 3-5 (2004)

I've now plowed through the remainder of the discs of the first season of Love My Way. Well, I wouldn't call it plowing as that would indicate 12 episodes of 40 minutes each of television, when it is actually half that. Not sure why the discs were done like that, they do seem to have been done in a rush (good transfers but no extras), but surely they could have fit 4 episodes to a disc? Everyone else seems to do it. No way am I buying this set. Well, maybe not if I want friends to watch it.

You see, this show is just getting better and better. I'm now totally over my Six Feet Under fixation issues and am deeply involved with the characters now. I was a blubbering idiot on the sofa this arvo after watching disc 4.

These characters are extremely believable in their quirks and flaws. Charlie, as I've mentioned before is your typical Aussie male who just wants to go for a surf. Sure, he loves his wife and children, but his value system is simple. So when the scriptwriters throw a spanner in the works, he becomes a babbering, blubbering fool. And it works damned it. The scene with his injured father (he was bashed while working his job as a taxi driver) is beautiful as Charlie just can't provide the emotional support that his brother Tom can.

The show does occassionally fall into manipulative mode that most other shows excel at, but it is surprisingly rare. The character of Howard is a bit of a mess at first. He still likes his ex, Julia, then is all cool around Frankie. And then he becomes a bit of an idiot. And then he becomes ok.

The episode "My Family Up A Tree" would work as a nice introduction episode but comes quite late in the season (episode 7). Still, it uses the cute device of Lou having to do a family tree and explain it class - it summarises each character and their situation in a clever manner. Plus they turn everything upside down on the characters the following episode.

I also want to make mention of the brilliant contrasts between the two main houses. I initially declared this show designed for yuppies. Bullshit. Frankie is anything but a yuppie. I thought this because so much attention is initially placed on the Jackson household where everything (purchased or stolen) is very classy and upmarket. At one point Julia yells while in an Ikea like store: "I need more storage space". This contrasts nicely with Frankie's house which is almost bohemian in its presentation with the hippie like decorations and strange positioning on the water and chain link backyard.



In the end, you think the characters are all going to hell. Characters make really stupid decisions like sleeping around or reveal their brutal honesty about not being able to cope with a partner's grief. And just when you think it's all about to end, there's that glimmer of hope that makes the best drama so exicting. It's not out and out, "oh my god. i loves youse all" kind of bullshit. Just a glimmer. Just enough to make you go, "yeah".