Doctor Foster spin-off Life impresses fans with big twists
Doctor Foster spin-off Life made its debut tonight (September 29) and viewers were very excited to see a brand new story set in the same world.
The drama follows the lives of the tenants of a house in Manchester which is divided into four flats and how their stories intertwine with each other.
Doctor Foster fans will recognise Belle (Victoria Hamilton) – who went by the name Anna in Doctor Foster – and she's been trying to get her life in order. But when her sister suffers a breakdown, Belle is forced to take in her unhappy teenage niece Maya (Erin Kellyman) and face up to responsibility.
Related: Doctor Foster's Victoria Hamilton was "slow" realising she was playing her character again in Life
Gail (Alison Steadman), while rushing to pick up her husband Henry (Peter Davison) from the hospital, almost runs over an old school friend, Dawn (Buffy Davis). While the three catch up, Dawn makes the observation that Henry belittles Gail and Gail soon comes to realise that she is right.
After Henry continues to interrupt her and make jokes at her expense while Gail rediscovers the passion she used to have for music, she decides to leave her husband – but as she's making her exit from the pair's flat, Henry arrives home and reveals he's received his hospital test results and he's not got long to live.
English lecturer David (Adrian Lester) goes on holiday alone, taking his wife's place at a holiday home, and encounters confident Saira (Saira Choudhry), who makes a pass at David after he tells her that he and his wife are on a break. Rattled David returns home immediately but is shocked to find when he returns to work that Saira is in his new class.
There's another big twist in store in this story, as David reveals that his wife actually died five weeks ago – and the glimpses we've seen of her were all in his imagination.
Related: Doctor Foster star responds to Us season 2 rumours
Finally, heavily pregnant Hannah (Melissa Johns) reconnects with Andy (Calvin Demba), a man she had a one-night stand with nine months earlier and the father of her baby. Andy is disappointed when he realises that Hannah's new boyfriend Liam (Joshua James) is going to be taking on dad duties, but does his best to put a brave face on things.
When Hannah unexpectedly goes into labour early, Andy is there for the birth – alongside Maya, who breaks the door down to reach Hannah after hearing her screams – and he's ecstatic when baby Evie arrives. But when Liam arrives home, Andy feels pushed out again.
The drama's first episode attracted a great deal of praise for its talented cast:
Alison Steadman is a national treasure. #Life
— Andy Gibson of AndyGibsonTV.com (@AndyGibsonTV) September 29, 2020
Tuning into #Life on @BBCOne and I’m so excited! Then Peter Davison pops up and makes my evening! It’s so good to hear his voice and see his face! 🥰 #peterdavison pic.twitter.com/972NrK4Z29
— Laura Jayne Hunt (The Wanderer) (@LauraInATARDIS) September 29, 2020
I LOVE Alison Steadman #life #lifebbc 👏👏👏👏👏
— Ruth Drake (@Lemonade_maker_) September 29, 2020
Alison Steadman is so bloody brilliant. #Life
— Corey Terrett (@terrettcorey) September 29, 2020
Time to make the outstanding Alison Steadman a dame #life
— Karen Perrin (@KazP19) September 29, 2020
And the twists and turns have already got plenty of you hooked:
Absolutely loved #Life on @BBCOne. What a superb line up. Enjoyed all the twists. Instantly empathised with some. Thanks!
— *Miss T* (@WessieDoo) September 29, 2020
Totally addicted to #Life on #BBC wonderful
— maggie cooper (@maggiecooper12) September 29, 2020
Perfect start to #Life on @BBCOne Hooked. Intrigued. Going to take this one week by week ... pic.twitter.com/Vvoj2T5Dr1
— David Teatro (@bfs_boy) September 29, 2020
Well I enjoyed that. Lots of different things going on and storylines to explore. Looking forward to the next one #life
— Lynne Latte ☕📚 (@LynneMcHugh) September 29, 2020
Loving #Life! Very clever, fascinating stories ready to be told and all the people connected in some way. Should be a great series.
— Telly Lad (@TellyLad) September 29, 2020
Mini #DoctorFoster reference there. Love that! #Life @BBCOne
— Tom Gardiner (@TomGardinerUK) September 29, 2020
Life continues next Tuesday (October 6) at 9pm on BBC One.
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