First Review: Love My Way

By David Knox on February 24, 2007 / Filed Under News 40

You’d have to be living under a rock not to have heard of the string of awards lauded upon Love My Way.

Now three series old, new episodes screen on Foxtel from Monday night.

Famously co-produced by Claudia Karvan and John Edwards (both from Secret Life of Us), the new series picks up with Frankie (Karvan) and new husband Lewis Feingold (Ben Mendelsohn) setting up house, together with his teenage son Dylan (Sam Parsonson). Frankie has swapped her ocean views for a backdrop of the Sydney suburbs.

As part of the extended LMW family, Julia (Asher Keddie) and Charlie (Dan Wyllie) return, with their eye on an adjacent property. But it’s a little too close for comfort. Lewis isn’t sure he wants familiar friends quite so familiar.

Meanwhile gay son Dylan fends off admiration from his close female friend, who is the apple of his best mate’s eye. Circling above him is a custody tussle between his father and estranged wife, now living in a gay relationship herself.

Once again, the relationships of LMW are the heartbeat of the series. They rise and fall between joy, honesty and tension. Steeped in subtext, the emotions of the central characters are frequently suppressed by what each thinks they should say, rather than by a resolute directness. And then they blurt out their feelings, fuelled in anger or the heat of the moment. It’s a behavioural observation that is entirely believeable, and entirely Australian.

As with previous seasons of LMW the performances are roundly excellent. Mendelsohn shines in a role that reminds us he is all too rarely seen. Keddie’s Julia teeters on the brink of vulnerability and anal-retentiveness that shows she is no one-dimensional performer.

Joining this series is Justine Clarke as Julia’s ignored sister, who worked so wonderfully in Edwards’ The Surgeon.

Foxtel has been criticised for moving LMW to the Showtime Channel, not readily available in basic Foxtel packages. Slated in 2 hour double episodes, the upside is that this series has a filmic throughline not pandering to commercial breaks.

This shows every sign of maintaining the quality achieved by the first two series. If you have cable, don’t miss it.

Love My Way screens Mondays 8:30 on Showtime.

40 Comments »

  1. Nicky October 22, 2010 at 6:48 pm -

    Oh my Gosh.. Love My Way is the best series ever! I loved it more than Buffy and Sex in the city! It was so real and I fell in love with all the characters.. so many unanswered questions, do you think they will suprise us in a few years time and bring out series 4? I live in Sydney and loved seeing all the streets that I knew! Asher (Julia) is playing in the great series of Offspring now.. which I love watching weekly (except when commonwealth games were on and stole channel 10 for 2 whole weeks!!)
    Lets bring on LMW 4!!

  2. John McGill March 6, 2009 at 6:27 am -

    P.S – Just needed to say how great Dan Wylie was in this also.
    Been a fan since seeing him in Chopper & Stomper.
    He is amazing. Such a funny, deep plus light, passionate and always believable actor.

  3. John McGill March 6, 2009 at 6:16 am -

    Hi. John from Scotland here (Edinburgh).
    My little sister Charlene turned me on to LMW years back (she was a SLOU fan, you see) and we just managed to, at last, get the final & 3rd series on d.v.d last week and finished watching it a few days ago. Brilliant stuff again (give us some more?)

    I want to say how much I am happy that, although it ended too soon for us also, thankfully the producers wrapped up the last episode in a nice, semi-closured manner which was not too insulting to its loyal fans (ie; I loved Deadwood & Carnivale but the producers of those shows needed hung for how open ended & disrespectfully they killed those shows off). Carvan & Edwards, at least left me and my Sis, at the end of series 3, optimistic for imagining how the characters would develope if they were real people rather than leave us depressed or let down or guessing too much, by the cruel axe chop by the circle jerk, profit driven network heads that we are all too used to, as the mere peasant, not worthy passionate viewers. If Love My Way ever was made into a 4th series I think it would be like being re-united with a once lost but now found loved one.

    Love My Way actually changed me as a person and helped me bond with my loved ones realistically and better (and no, not in that saccharin nieve cheesy way but because it is the best show about family I have ever known to exist).
    Thank You Love My Way

  4. David Knox February 19, 2009 at 2:55 pm -

    No prob.

  5. Emma February 19, 2009 at 2:54 pm -

    My sinceres David. I am sorry there was ever tone with you. I am just grieving as I immersed myself in the life of ‘Love My Way’, it was everything to me, my world, I even took a week of leave to watch the seasons. I want to hug the hearts of all of those suffering.

  6. Sup February 19, 2009 at 2:11 pm -

    Emma behave yourself now I know we are all really upset there will be no season 4 but you will always have three seasons to watch Julia over and over. P.S Julia is now appearing on Underbelly a tale of two tities cheers

  7. David Knox February 19, 2009 at 2:07 pm -

    Editor of this site.

    Why Love My Way 4 never happened

  8. Emma February 19, 2009 at 2:03 pm -

    None what David? And who are you David?? You’re not telling me it’s over are you? I wanted to get to know Julie a little more… I am deeply blue.

  9. David Knox February 19, 2009 at 12:38 pm -

    None. Sorry already reported in another interview with the producer. Check via a search.

  10. Sup February 19, 2009 at 12:01 pm -

    I am begging that they make a season 4 ……. Charlie I pinch things just amazing

  11. Emma February 18, 2009 at 3:29 pm -

    OMG Julie is soooo hot – where have I been all of her life? :) Be off with the production politics and get on with season four!!

  12. Sammi December 29, 2008 at 1:58 pm -

    Please please please can they make Season 4 – this show is brilliant – and the actors are so believable – we need another season!! I have watched the first 3 seasons several times…

  13. Jason December 4, 2008 at 11:38 am -

    I feel spoilt we get this show on free to air TV here in NZ. It has to be one of Australia’s finest productions to date. From the minute the theme comes on it sends tingles down my spine. It evokes so many different feelings for me & being an ex-Sydneysider I get constant lumps in my throat of nostalgia. Cannot believe there is no season 4..or am I getting the wrong end of the stick?? I can only hope..

  14. agirl November 7, 2008 at 1:07 am -

    Yeah, awesome show…. i don’t know one person that doesn’t cry when lou dies!!shame they are not doing another one… and what is the go with Lewis’s dad telling Frankie that he was her father…???? i must have missed something. I thought maybe if there was a season 4, that they would find out they are half siblings or something.. seeing as she lost the baby and there was something going on there…. or maybe i just missed something??? anyway… agree with you all we want more!! :)

  15. Kate October 29, 2008 at 5:58 pm -

    Love My Way was the only reason I got pay TV – I just couldn’t wait for the DVDs for seasons 2 and 3 to come out. It is by far the best show on TV, and I’m devastated that there isn’t going to be a 4th season. It seems like such a crazy decision. I’m at a loss to understand why.

  16. kelly October 29, 2008 at 8:32 am -

    Does anyone know if you can get the dvds of the series in NZ?

  17. michelle October 23, 2008 at 7:46 pm -

    More!

  18. Belinda October 16, 2008 at 4:09 pm -

    You have got to be kidding me! No more LWM! Such an awsome home grown show and yet we have rubbish like Sunset Tan and Denise Richards, It’s Complicated to occupy our screens. Where is the logic!

  19. Reg October 9, 2008 at 2:16 am -

    Just watched the last episode. Sad ending (I cried for the first time in ages) but yes, they shouldn’t have stopped there. And as a 17 year old I can honestly say that LMW has given me a new perspective on life.

  20. L BUCK October 8, 2008 at 2:27 pm -

    I cant believe that there wont be any more LMW!! But they still show all the other crappy third rate shows!! get some taste people. not happy Jan : (

  21. Angela September 27, 2008 at 11:40 am -

    Im so disappointed there wont be a season 4! We have just watched all three seasons and we want more! With all the demand ive seen and heard from this web site and from family and friends its hard to believe that the producers think its time for the show to end!

  22. Kelly September 22, 2008 at 6:28 pm -

    I absolutley loved this TV sheries. I was lent the first series on DVD from my nan, which I watched in one sitting, and have to say, that I then went on a search to find Series 2, which I watched over two weekends. I now have series three on order, and am itching for it to get in so I can watch. I am dissappointed that there will be no more LMW….. PLS bring it back…..

  23. Lucy September 21, 2008 at 12:11 am -

    Why why why no series 4? Am completely hooked and wonder why this superb series has never seen the light of day in the UK. What’s wrong with Foxtel? What’s wrong with Sky? Aren’t they peas-in-a-pod, both belonging to Murdoch? Bet the beeb would snap it up. There just has to be at least one further series – too many loose ends to tie up. Totally gripping and I love it. One further query – can I buy the soundtrack?

  24. Jess September 9, 2008 at 10:03 pm -

    Bugger pay TV, I bought the DVD series because the cover of season one caught my eye, and boy am I glad I did!! I cannot believe a Season 4, 5, 20 will not be made, there are still so many unresolved issues and avenues to explore. Say it isn’t so!! LMW is quite possibly my favourite series of all time, brilliant Aussie performances and real, honest story lines. Forget the pay TV audience, please bring back LMW for the fans!!

  25. ANG September 7, 2008 at 6:57 pm -

    Iam so shattered there wont be a season 4, my husband & I have just got hooked on showtime. Now when anyone can say there husband loves it oops I think the world stopped get my drift, this show is amazing.

  26. Georgina September 7, 2008 at 12:48 pm -

    I have just finished watching all 3 seasons of Love My Way in a 3 week period. I am absolutely hooked and very disappointed to read that there will be no more future seasons. To the creators/producers and management of FOXTEL/AUSTAR, please give us MORE!

  27. M Fowit September 2, 2008 at 8:28 am -

    Thank you to all those that contributed in making this drama series. Absolutely incredible and hands down the BEST series I have ever had the pleasure of watching. Thank god there are talented, clever and perceptive people like yourselves creating something as special as LMW. Again, thank you!

  28. dana May 17, 2008 at 10:18 am -

    I have never watched a TV show, and felt so much… I really don’t understand why there’s only 3 seasons. It’s such a waste ! i miss Love My Way, and i miss Lou… :(
    Oh and the amazing Jolia :)

  29. hoeydancer February 12, 2008 at 10:32 pm -

    I am an American working in Japan and I have a lot of Aussie friends who turned me on to LMW. I am shocked that they would just stop after Season 3! It’s such a great show!!! There’s so much more potential for more seasons. I think it would do really well in the states. I hope they change their mind. It seems like a really bad business decision.

  30. miss jude February 9, 2008 at 3:30 pm -

    I’ve just finished watching series 3 in one marathon sitting and can’t believe there’s no more to come. This is the best pice of TV drama made in such a long time. Anyone know why they decided to pull the pin?

  31. Nico February 6, 2008 at 8:09 am -

    I can’t believe Foxtel would turn such an amazing drama into just a tool to get subscribers to upgrade and then cancel it because ratings slipped. What did they expect? There was still so much character depth to explore and having watched all 3 series i am now left shocked that they are not going to continue. Imagine HBO had done that to Sex in the City or The Sopranos after 3 seasons. What a shame.

  32. donna4174 February 2, 2008 at 6:07 am -

    this is such a sad shame for anyone who is a fan of love my way,that it will be no more it has the best story line by far than any other aussie drama, so real and to life not pathetic and boring i am very sad and would like to know why it ended?

  33. David Knox January 16, 2008 at 9:45 pm -

    As hard as it is to believe, (as indicated above) there are no more eps. I specifically asked the producer about this some time ago.

    Show. Over.

  34. Anonymous January 16, 2008 at 9:05 pm -

    does anyone know if production took place for a season 4 ???

  35. David Knox January 15, 2008 at 11:24 am -

    No. That’s it….

  36. Anonymous January 15, 2008 at 11:03 am -

    Will there be a Love My Way Season 4, if so when???

  37. David Knox March 20, 2007 at 2:17 pm -

    No word of one and given the ratings were a bit average on Showtime (it’s not on basic packages so no surprise thre) it doesn’t look optimistic.

  38. Anonymous March 20, 2007 at 2:14 pm -

    IS THERE GOING TO BE A SEASON 4?

  39. David Knox February 25, 2007 at 12:15 am -

    It’s a shame it’s all over in just 4 weeks. I would have liked it to have built up word of mouth. But Showtime schedules in 2 hour blocks, so LMW adheres to the channel preferences as a result. I spoke to the Producer John Edwards, who says that since LMW hs aired in rescreenings over summer on Showtime, it has found its biggest audience ever. I guess he has no problem with it here.

  40. Adam February 24, 2007 at 5:57 pm -

    Just cannot wait, brilliant!!! Do you know why it is on over only 4 weeks? 8 eps?

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