This Is Not My Life

Another excellent Show sacrificed on the altar of quick buck is this one from New Zealand. While the core premise - one person finds himself in a surreal situation and uncovers the machinations behind it - is not new and was quite well presented in a couple older shows like the prisoner or nowhere man,this shows approach and storyline is as well thought out and written as the show invasion which tackled the stone old sf-theme of an attempted "alien" takeover. Which means the story is densely written,with interesting and believable characters and a down to earth sf-technology-approach that paints a very convincing picture of the near future. Like in invasion the writers avoid pointing fingers at an evil power behind the curtain that pulls all the strings. In fact it seems that individual ambitions in the management are tainting the middle class eden project here. Sadly we are literally left in the middle of nowhere with this show because it was not renewed for the second season and sold out to ABC - which is a known HQ-SF-Show killer btw.. "This is not my life" is easily the best SF that came out of New Zealand in decades. Kudos to all who were involved in making this show and shame on all who killed it.

This was a great show and much better than expected. Well done. I read in other reviews that ABC purchased the show, and let it die. Wow, another screw up by an American entertainment org. The shows on American tv are mostly bad, and I can say this because I'm an American. I'd recommend this show to anyone. Both my wife and I really enjoyed it.

I've only seen the first four episodes but if the remaining nine are similar then intelligent Sci-Fi lovers have finally found something to look forward to. Much better than the likable yet confusing 'Life On Mars.' More comprehensible than the silly melodramatic 'Heroes.' This TV series is from New Zealand so you'll have to be, erm... creative in how you get a hold of this series. I suspect that this will change, though, and world wide distribution will follow quickly.

This Is Not My Life is an absorbing sci fi drama featuring Charles Mesure, Tandi Wright, and Miriama McDowell. It is set in the future in a Utopian leafy suburb of Waimoana in New Zealand.

Don't let the fact that it's a TV program from NZ put you off. The production features some fine international heavyweights and UK viewers especially will enjoy this. The American fans of network TV are gonna be left wondering when the bombs and bullets are ever gonna start so they won't like this at all.

The script is top notch and you'll have to listen to every word because there is no exposition thrown out for an inattentive teenage crowd.

The clever placement of gadgets and gizmos are blended into the unfolding drama and not thrown in your face. The dialog is seductively menacing and at times chilling to listen to.

Pencils and paper are things of the past. The 'greenies' and tree huggers won! 'Carbon credits' for driving and flying are a privilege and you'll get a stern finger wagging if you go overdrawn.

The performances, direction and effects are universally solid. There was an annoying moment when the little girl was running down the hall away from her father and it was obvious to the dead that she was looking directly at someone and not where she was running, but maybe I'm quibbling.

I'll leave you to figure out the story for yourself... much like the lead in the story is having to do! If you are a fan of John Wyndham then you'll ease right into this.

My personal view is that if this standard of programming can sustain itself for the entire series then it will be as important for science fiction as the original series of Star Trek.

If it loses direction, gets sentimental or silly then it will be forgotten very quickly.

But for the moment I am for the first time in decades genuinely thrilled about watching science fiction on TV...

i've read reviews of this show by NZ viewers, and they seem surprised that such a show is produced in NZ. i hope that is because they are glad to see such good entertainment, and not because most of the NZ programming is rubbish.

now, this is a well written show, well thought out and well acted. as said before, it proves that good programming is not dependent on cash, but on good writing, good actors dedicated to the project, and a good production team which is dedicated to the quality and authenticity of the series.

it makes no matter where a series is made, if there is intelligent use of existing locations, then with a small budget one can create an alternate reality, especially if it is not too far removed from the present.

but the most important factor--just ask any competent actor--is the writing. in television, more so than film, the writing must be tight. a two-hour film allows for more fat in the dialog than a one hour show, but that being said, a TV series allows for more character development, but also invites--if poorly made--more filler without advancing the narrative and plot-line.

this show is a tight project. i recommend it to anyone of above average IQ, and those who are burned out on the recycled plot-lines most producers fob onto their mass audience.

most TV runs on the premise that cash is king, but not this one. somebody cared about this series, and thank goodness.

This show is brilliant! It's 3 plus movies all mixed into one brilliant TV series. It's The Trueman Show, Total Recall & The Matrix all mixed into one! Plus a bit of the movie Memento perhaps. Each episode gets better and better and you you learn more and more about where the heck they are. It's not annoying like Lost was eg 3 steps forward and 2 steps back! Truly brilliantly written show with surprisingly great actors! New Zealand has come a long way. I really hope this show has a season 2 and more story line permitting! Can't wait to find out who is good and who is bad Wont say any more as I don't want to spoil it. Watch this show it is brilliant! P.S. Writing 10 lines is kinda hard when all you want to write is one word. BRILLIANT!