If we start to talk about this show with half-hour episodes set in New York, with each documenting a new relationship woe of its pretty protagonist, you may well hear the high pitched, whiney scream of Carrie Bradshaw in the back of your head.
So we’ll start by saying, the set-up of HBO’s – and now BBC’s – new show Love Life is very similar to that of Sex and The City. This is an interesting choice in 2020 – following the likes of Fleabag and Normal People, this noughties style rom-com could be set to crumble quicker than Carrie and Mr Big’s marriage. Don’t get us wrong, the nostalgic (if slightly twee) vibe is comforting and familiar, and Anna Kendrick as the lost-in-love Darby Carter is likeable enough. However, it struggles to stand up against the new standard. Darby is annoyingly lacking in flaws – seriously, where are the daddy issues, and why hasn’t she slept with her mate’s boyfriend? – and we could do with a few more twists. Like maybe, a hot priest? Just an idea.
The Times’ Carol Midgley thinks Love Life should have learnt more from its predecessors, but does say “it really does get better as it progresses.” Anita Singh in The Telegraph thinks the show is “A fun watch, but it feels like a wasted opportunity.” However Benjamin Lee in The Guardian does say the show is “an easily binged watch,” but agrees “a few more risks could have been taken.”
As we reviewed Love Life we couldn’t help but wonder, are the days of easy rom-coms over?
First shown May 2020. You can watch the trailer by pressing play on the show image, or by clicking here.
