Life Begins

Seasons

2004

7.6

A late-30s English couple's summer holiday turns upside down when the husband announces his desire to move out, leaving wife in newfound roles as provider and single parent. She finds herself both stronger and weaker than she imagined.

Episode List

S1 • E1

Maggie & Phil

Thirty-nine year old Maggie Mee,nee Thornhill,is on holiday with her husband Phil and their best friends Clare and Guy when Phil drops a bombshell. He tells Maggie that he feels the marriage has gone stale and wants out. Shortly afterwards he moves into a flat of his own,leaving Maggie to fend for herself and her teen-age son and daughter.

S1 • E2

Maggie, Brenda & Eric

Maggie gets a job at a travel agency but she finds it initially hard to fit in having been used to being a house-wife. She is incensed when Phil comes in to book a holiday for himself and his new girlfriend Anna,suspecting Anna was the cause of the marital break-up all along. Her outburst leads Jeff,the manager,to consider firing her but female colleagues Helen and Karen support her and she is allowed to stay. Visiting her parents Maggie is worried that her father Eric is suffering memory loss.

S1 • E3

Maggie, Kathleen & Sam

Maggie discovers that she is not the only one with family problems as Kathleen from next door and her daughter Sam are also having troubles. Maggie agrees to see a marriage guidance counsellor with Phil,even though she believes they are merely going through the motions. However when she feels that he is lying about his income to under-pay child maintenance she threatens to report him to the Child Support Agency. Feeling more confident she has a night out with work colleagues and next morning wakes up in bed with the much younger Smudge.

S1 • E4

Maggie, Clare & Guy

Following her one night stand with young Smudge Maggie is scared that she may be pregnant and reluctantly forces herself to consider the morning after pill. However she appreciates that what she needs in her life is not sex but a male companion - especially as Phil is now taking his turn with their kids,who are exploiting the situation. Clare suggests that Maggie hangs out with her husband Guy as a platonic friend but they find that they have so many common interests that Clare becomes suspicious of the innocent relationship. Karen and Helen meanwhile try to set up a blind date at a dinner party.

S1 • E5

Maggie & Helen

Encouraged by her younger work colleague Helen Maggie goes man-hunting in earnest,perusing the Lonely Hearts columns as well as going speed dating,though this turns out to be rather disastrous and her status as dumped wife does not help. Phil - somewhat hypocritically - disapproves whilst Anna believes Maggie is only doing it to make him jealous. Then an unexpected admirer appears in the form of her son James' history teacher,Paul.

S1 • E6

Maggie & Paul

Life is looking good for Maggie,now dating Paul and enjoying her friendships at work,as her colleagues throw a party for her fortieth birthday. However the spirit of enjoyment is thrown into confusion when Phil arrives back on the scene,jobless and having broken up with Anna. He wants Maggie to start all over again and forgive him but Maggie is aware that he hurt her once and wonders if he can be trusted when Paul is so attentive and caring.