Love My Way

My wife and I chanced on this. I don't watch "chick" shows and we both think this is "chick series" but out of desperation we picked it up as a. Next to "Keeping Faith" and "New Tricks," both on Acorn TV this is the most riveting series we have watched on any network in years.

Talk about "Dysfunction." Rarely is anyone in this series actually balanced and happy. There are a few characters who manage sanity and happiness. Two women cannot avoid chasing horrible relationships. Several men cannot keep their zippers up and, again, rarely is anyone really happy. Frankly, there are moments of true misery including a genuinely miserable teenager who cannot cope with anything at all. Makes this series bad? On the contrary, as I already wrote, "riveting." We only watch 2 or 3 episodes a day because it is exhausting.

Superior acting; diverse cast (no, not as in "racially diverse") all with very different characters. Beautiful scenery in places. A horrible tragedy which I will not disclose here, draws on the depth of the characters.

Three features of this series that surprised me though I have no judgment about them: The drinking (whisky) is non-stop. That does run through many of the UK/NZ/AU productions. Are "these people" really like that? The gratuitous swearing? Huh? (I live in the U. S.)

The disrespect even the "committed" couples show each other is nothing either my wife or I would tolerate in our marriage.

Pardon the rambling; to sum it up. We both believe this is a "must watch" but make sure to take your Xanax before you sit down; you are going to need it.

I watched Love My Way when it came out and I was 16/17. I remember being so affected by it. So enthralled by these amazing characters and their stories, longing for my own adulthood that I was so close to entering. I've just rewatched the series and am so nostalgic for who I was at the time I originally watched it, equally as moved, and reflecting that I am somehow now the same age as Frankie during the series. It has a lasting effect.

Firstly, Sydney is the amazing backdrop, it so brilliantly glimmers throughout each episode (even The Cross). It's the jewel in the crown.

Frankie is the heartwarming protagonist. She is a brilliant woman despite everything that's thrown at her. Her patience is admirable. She's surrounded by a mostly selfish bunch, if I am being honest; including her mother who really floored me with her inconsideration at times. Poor Frankie. Really.

Tom (Frankie's housemate, Charlie's brother) aggravated me off a lot. He is so troubled, out of control and frightening at times. He did some of the most selfish and arrogant things I've witnessed (equal to Lewis), like when he pined over and fought for his girlfriend Katie for such a long time, went overseas, asked her to meet him in 6 months then returns back to Sydney suddenly/unexpectedly and runs into her. She asks if he was going call.... My gosh he was a prick in that scene, there was just no explanation for it. His only redeeming quality was that he was great in a crisis that didn't involve him.

Charlie (Frankie's ex/Tom's brother/Julia's husband) was so lovable. Despite his flaws, he was a good man and father. I can't quite picture him and Frankie together as a couple but as they said, they were young when they had Lou, their daughter, and, thankfully they did.

Julia (Charlie's wife, Tom's sister-in-law, friend to Frankie) was such a juxtaposition; prim and proper, and yet, just as lost as the rest. I related to her the most and thoroughly enjoyed the romance and dynamic between Julia and Charlie.

Lewis (and his teenage son Dylan) enters as Frankies love interest in the second season. I can see Lewis as a fling but as her life partner, Frankie could do (and deserves) SO much better! Like Tom, his arrogance was baffling at times. There's nothing "charming" about him at all. And, to top it off he has a son leading by his example that Frankie has to put up with.

Despite my disdain for some of the characters, it never made me switch off. There's also some amazing secondary characters, like Frankie's colleagues George and Eileen - they were fantastic - I wish George was in the third season. I missed him. Tom and Charlie's parents, each love interest, ex, family member and friend that popped up was SO perfectly acted. As others have said, this is without a doubt the best drama series I have ever watched. If you watch, I guarantee it will leave a lasting impression on you. It is heavy, dealing with grief, loss, drugs, addiction, suicide, sexuality, mental health issues. All of it. But, threaded throughout is heart, humour and grit.

I would absolutely LOVE a "present day" follow up season. With so many in production these days, this series is deserving of one. I believe with the same team involved, it would be a winner. I can't help but wonder if Frankie and Lewis would have lasted the distance (personally I don't think so). Did Frankie have another baby? What's Tom up to? Julia? Charlie? Toby (Julia and Charlie's child) would be 18 or so by now? I would pay a mint to watch it and I'm sure many others would too. Please make it happen xx.

Love My Way made getting cable totally worthwhile. When I first heard of yet another Australian TV drama, I expected a very ordinary predictable show which I'm sorry to say, so many Australian dramas can be. There is nothing ordinary or predictable about this show. It just came out of the blue. I'm so glad I gave it a chance. I place it in the same class as "The Sopranos" and "Six Feet Under".

It is truly an emotional roller-coaster which takes you into the lives of some very ordinary and some very damaged individuals. Its keeps its Australian flavour without shoving it on the viewer which can sometimes happen in Australian dramas. The direction is fantastic. Its almost European in some of its scenes as they don't overuse dialogue or spell everything out.

Claudia Karvan and Asher Keddie are particularly fantastic but the whole cast is an incredible ensemble. I hope to see more wonderful drama series like this in the future.

I look forward to seeing more of Love My Way in 2007.

I have only seen 2 episodes from season 1 so far- but I do like this series & will continue with it.

I have subscriptions to Acorn & Britbox because I am fed up with all the commercials & over the top blood & violence in US made tv programs & US made movies. If I could find a way to get a BBC subscription-I would do it- please note- I do live in the US. TV programs here are no longer 55minutes- you get 40 minutes of storyline & 20 minutes of very LOUD commercials.

I would like to respond to: jk-692-23639422 May 2013...this review mentioned seeing more nudity in NZ/AU programs- well that doesn't bother me--at least somebody isn't beaten up or shot or stabbed at least 3 times in a 40 minute program.

Also the review mentioned seeing the same people over & over in so many programs...well this is Australia- not the US/Hollywood lineup of actors. In Australia, they have a much smaller actor base to pull from. I think those actors do a wonderful job & I enjoy seeing all the different characters in all the different programs.

I also enjoy TV & movie programs out of the Scandinavian countries. I watch less of them because I have to read most of the dialogue. I am hoping in the future that some sort of AI can be invented that will automatically put those programs in whatever local language the viewer has.

Not all of my review is sour grapes...I do still catch some NBC & CBS shows on another subscription here in the US. That allows me to not have to watch the commercials-I just watch them all 1 day after they are on tv.

Just so you know, Chicago Fire is my favorite & I really enjoy it when the Severide character runs around in his boxers!!

As I don't have Foxtel, I decided to rent the first series of Love My Way on DVD one weekend. (All 10 hours) Anyway I wasn't disappointed, this Aussie drama is fantastic. I have tried to get Foxtel just so as I can see the second series, but as I can't get this will have to wait for the second series to come out on DVD.

The acting is amazing and so convincing, you actually feel like you are watching people in their real lives. I love the acting between Dan Wylie and Asher Keddie, and one particular episode was so amazing I watched it again. I have never cried so much watching television as I watched this episode unfold, and this was a tear jerker. Claudia Karvan's acting abilities blew me away in this episode.

Definitely a must see if you have Foxtel and if not then rent or buy it on DVD. I can't wait to see the second series, and look forward to the third which has recently been announced as being produced shortly. I give this drama 10 out of 10 and 5 stars!