The MOST perfect depiction of adolescence

liz_morden

I recently acquired a copy of the entire serious (shiftily, obviously, as it was not only cancelled early but refused a proper release). I was dreading watching it because I didn't want to ruin the perfect memories of it from my young teens - spending the summer holidays watching it on channel 4, wishing that I was as cool as Angela and falling madly in love with Jordan Catalano...

Well, times change I guess, but MSCL has happily lived up to all of my highly-expectant memories. It remains utterly perfect in its depiction of adolescent angst - some of the things that Angela says about her life, her emotions, about anything still ring true with me now. It is incredibly insightful with truly believable characters in realistic situations - nothing being made today even comes close to this.

The Christmas episode does wander idly into the realms of silly with the homeless angel, but it is such an emotive episode that you can easily forgive it (I dare anyone to watch the reunion in the church and not be moved by it) and, besides which, it has the most incredible version of 'O Holy Night'. The Ricky - homelessness plot line is quite simply devastating, as is Rayanne's addiction problems.

When I was younger I used to think that Jordan was so mysterious and that deep down he liked her early on - watching this from the other side of your teens, with the added knowledge of what teenage boys are really like, is quite an eye-opener - the majority of the series, he is so ambivalent that it's actually painful. It's such a pity that we never saw the relationship continue though the following season. As a teenager, I thought Jordan was very mysterious - now I realise he was just completely clueless but that doesn't stop me from falling in live with him all over again, even in my early twenties (am sure I am not the only one).

Good shows get cancelled, it is a fact of life (look at Carnivale for goodness sake) but cancelling this was absolutely cruel. So go and find yourself a copy on ebay and get watching - you won't be disappointed.

score /10

liz_morden 8 October 2005

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1189027/