Offspring

So, one day my friend makes a comment about Offspring and how she loves it. I then say, I love them too-wish I could see them in concert. She says no, it's a t.v. show we have here (in Australia) and here's a link to "Six at best" on Youtube. And just like that I was hooked . . .I've had to download an i-tunes version to watch season one and was forced to watch season 2 segment by segment on Youtube.Why? Because is it freaking amazing. Imagine Allie McBeal meets Grays Anatomy. The show follows one woman specifically, but branches out to follow her family as well as co-workers as well (who have some how ended up kin of like her family as well). It is the perfect balance of hilarious, endearing, heart wrenching, and wonderful. I can't say enough about this TV show. PLEASE RELEASE THE DVDS IN THE U.S.A. AND PUT THIS ON A CABLE CHANNEL I CAN GET!!!

This is a spectacular series - about relations in a core(?)family, whose members fill almost all existing niches of personalities and characters in human relationships. It is unique that the lead role, this time, is from the perspective of the person who is more introvert and introspective, less self-assured in her own place in the micro-macro-cosmos, concerned character, harassed and needy at the same time for the extrovert, bold, ego-centered, impulsive characters around her - who usually create endless drama. It makes cry, laugh, love, hate, feel empathy or frustrated - but mainly evokes introspect on human relations and our always unique role in them. Each season presents much sincerity, clear and sharp understanding of the writers and producers. Exquisite!

I have just finished watching the first season on DVD, and am glad I resisted it on TV, broken up by adverts, this would not shine the way it does uninterrupted. The characters are brilliantly played, each a caricature, and thoroughly enjoyable. The background music is terrific, and I don't usually enjoy back ground music, if I even notice it. The parts of Melbourne shown to us in this series, are tempting and alluring. i don't see the problem with babies being born (although some are a little on the large size) as it's an obstetric ward in a hospital, so that makes sense. Maybe the story-line is a little over the top, but this is entertainment as the Australians do so well. As a previous reviewer has said, I've laughed and cried at this first series, and I see there are five more. Can't wait.

While this show might not be everyone's cup of tea, I truly have loved watching it. I adore every character (at least until season 6 & 7) and spend every episode laughing out loud or tearing up a bit. Nina's neurotic inner voice is very much how a lot of women over think everything (of course, in the extreme) and the love and troubles of all of the characters draw you in. You really care about every up and down.

And ohhh... Patrick. Need I say more?

Offspring is such a good watch. Discovered by accident on Netflix I've watched all 7 seasons twice. The show manages to combine comedy, with romance and heavy tragedy so well. Absolutely none of the characters are miscast and do work plausibly as an extended family - which is what the majority of the main characters are. Asher Keddie as main character Nina is just brilliant, as is Kat Stewart who plays her sister Billie. My absolute favourite character I think is actually their mother, Geraldine who can quite often steal a scene with just a look or a cutting one liner.

Series 1-5 are probably Offspring at its best, with some incredibly moving scenes around a death of a major character later on. Series 6 is possibly where the show does start to feel a little tired. It's still good, but you do feel like you've begun to have seen all of this before. Series 7 is the final series and actually pulls the show back up to a satisfying conclusion. It wasn't an official series end as such, but no further series have been made and they could just leave it without a series 8 because everything kind of ties up. Everyone living their lives in scruffy/trendy inner suburban Melbourne.