"True Love" (2012) TV series 2012-

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

2012 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Five different improvised stories exploring the reality of love in the modern world.

Cast

Jo Woodcock	...	Lorraine (3 episodes, 2012)
Charlie Creed-Miles	...	David (2 episodes, 2012)
Kaya Scodelario	...	Karen (2 episodes, 2012)
Lacey Turner	...	Michelle / ... (2 episodes, 2012)

Series Directed by
Dominic Savage		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Writing credits
Dominic Savage		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	executive producer / executive producer: WTTV (5 episodes, 2012)
Eric Fellner	....	executive producer / executive producer: WTTV (5 episodes, 2012)
Guy Heeley	....	producer (5 episodes, 2012)
Juliette Howell	....	executive producer / executive producer: WTTV (5 episodes, 2012)
Jane Robertson	....	line producer (5 episodes, 2012)

Series Cinematography by
Ben Smithard		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Film Editing by
David Charap		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Casting by
Shaheen Baig		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Production Design by
Cristina Casali		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Art Direction by
Rebecca Milton		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Set Decoration by
Marshall Aver		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Costume Design by
Liza Bracey		(5 episodes, 2012)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Zoe Liang	....	second assistant director (5 episodes, 2012)
Charlie Reed	....	first assistant director (5 episodes, 2012)
Andy Young	....	third assistant director (5 episodes, 2012)

Series Art Department
Jack Berk	....	standby art director (5 episodes, 2012)
Anne-Marie Minty	....	art department assistant (5 episodes, 2012)

Series Sound Department
Tim Barker	....	sound mixer (5 episodes, 2012)
Will Chadwick	....	co-dubbing mixer / supervising sound editor (5 episodes, 2012)
Richard Davey	....	sound re-recording mixer (5 episodes, 2012)
Chinna Udenze	....	boom operator (5 episodes, 2012)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Matthew Budd	....	grip (5 episodes, 2012)
Adam Coles	....	focus puller (5 episodes, 2012)
Andy Duncan	....	gaffer (5 episodes, 2012)
Sashi Kissoon	....	second assistant camera (5 episodes, 2012)
Howard Mills	....	camera trainee (5 episodes, 2012)
Craig Shiels	....	grip assistant (5 episodes, 2012)
Natalie Theobald	....	digital imaging technician (5 episodes, 2012)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Philip O'Connor	....	costume supervisor (5 episodes, 2012)
Cara Stevens	....	costume trainee (5 episodes, 2012)

Series Editorial Department
Justin Eely	....	on-line editor (5 episodes, 2012)
Gareth Spensley	....	colorist (5 episodes, 2012)
Katelin Westwood	....	data transfer (5 episodes, 2012)

Series Music Department
Catherine Grieves	....	music supervisor (5 episodes, 2012)
Ellie Grimwood	....	additional music crew (5 episodes, 2012)

Series Other crew
Helen Bingham	....	assistant accountant (5 episodes, 2012)
Harry Bott	....	production runner (5 episodes, 2012)
Alison Carpenter	....	script editor (5 episodes, 2012)
Julia Chiavetta	....	script supervisor (5 episodes, 2012)
Matt Dalton	....	production accountant (5 episodes, 2012)
Fiona Harper	....	production secretary (5 episodes, 2012)
Nicholas Hatton	....	production coordinator: Working Title (5 episodes, 2012)
James R. Kipping	....	floor runner (5 episodes, 2012)
Sanjay Sharma	....	post production coordinator (5 episodes, 2012)
Charlie Somers	....	location manager (5 episodes, 2012)
Michael Stapleton	....	unit manager (5 episodes, 2012)
Alice Syed	....	production coordinator (5 episodes, 2012)
Natalie Theobald	....	digital imaging technician (5 episodes, 2012)

Production Companies

• Working Title Television

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2012) (UK) (all media)

Other Companies

• Hothouse Music  music supervisors

Also Known As:

Runtime:

UK:30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Margate, Kent, England, UK

Company:

Working Title Television

Trivia:

David Tennant (I) and Billie Piper, whose unconsummated love story made up the second series of "Doctor Who" (2005), both star in Love Life, but appear in different self-contained stories.

Two disappointing, three enjoyable.

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I watched all five episodes of this series and there were good and bad elements to all.

Episode one was Nick (David Tennant). Just as things in his marriage seem to be on a long simmer, along comes an old flame from 17 years ago, and out of the blue, tries to resurrect their past relationship. This first episode really was a casualty of the time limitation (each episode ran for approx. 25 minutes). David Tennant, Joanne Froggatt and Vicky McClure are all exceptional actors but it just didn't feel like they had room to breathe. Perhaps none took well to the unscripted format? Some actors need more direction and that's not a judgement on their acting skills. The story felt unbelievable and rushed and what little dialogue there was just filled with hollow words not delivered with any real conviction. Disappointing.

As was episode two. Now Paul (Ashley Walters) really DOES find himself in a broken down marriage. So what does he do? Pick up a girl he's been eyeing off at the bus stop. Wha...? He does kind of get his comeuppance though (I felt anyway). I thought Ashley Walters and Lacey Turner's acting in particular really floundered in the improv environs. The slight saving grace was Jaime Winstone? Again, disappointed but stuck with the series for hope of improvement.

Episode three was the first episode I actually quite enjoyed. Billie Piper in the role of Holly was wonderful. She took to the improv like a duck to water! Holly is a teacher who becomes the object of desire to one of her female students. She's already involved in a doormat affair with a married man. The relationship with student Karen sees not a little controversy for Holly. Kaya Scodelario is a real find for me. I've not seen her in anything before (although she has a body of work behind her already). She is definitely a young actress to watch! A much improved story and one a little less affected by the time constraint.

Episode four was Sandra. A knockout performance by Jane Horrocks as the world-weary Sandra whose life is altered by a chance encounter with Ismail (Alexander Siddig). Siddig was also wonderful as the slightly enigmatic Ismail (I'd not seen Siddig act in anything since Deep Space Nine when he played Dr Bashir). I got a bit confused when seeing a character from a previous episode in this. I felt I had his back story, but that didn't weave into the plot of this one, so I ended up perplexed by that. An episode that didn't really seem to suffer the time restraint though.

The final episode saw David Morrissey in the role of Adrian, a man who has found love via online dating but gets embroiled in a scandal with his daughter's friend. This one had a real sense of peril for me. I felt EVERY emotion that Adrian was going through. Wonderfully played out by Morrissey and Jo Woodcock as Lorraine. Perhaps another victim of the time restraint as the resolution in the plot resolved itself a little too quickly.

Some of the episodes really could have done with some more time. I think an extra 10 minutes could have made a difference to some. I'd say forget the first two but the final three are definitely worth a watch.