Back to Life Season 1 Episode 1
Back to Life
Season 1

Ep 1. Episode 1

  • TVMA
  • April 15, 2019
  • 26 min

Back to Life is a dramedy television series that follows the story of Miri, a woman re-entering society after serving 18 years in prison for killing her boyfriend at the age of 18. Season 1 Episode 1 titled 'Episode 1' takes off from Miri's journey from her prison release to her return to the small town of Hythe, Kent, where she grew up.

The episode begins with Miri walking out of the prison gates and being greeted by her parents, Caroline and Oscar. Despite the warmth radiating from her parents, Miri feels uneasy. She has not only been locked up for 18 years, but she faces the challenges of adjusting to life outside the prison walls, trying to reintegrate into society, and dealing with her haunted past.

Miri, now 36 years old, has missed out on a lot of things, and her parents are trying very hard to make her feel welcome and ease her re-entry into the town’s community. However, once they get to the house, the signs of life have been slowly erased from the walls of her old family home. The residents have painted the house a different color, and Miri no longer recognizes the familiar street. As they walk around the new neighborhood, Oscar's neighbor tries to chastise him in her typically town gossipy way about Miri. Caroline quickly puts her in her place, responding with, "she has just arrived home from serving 18 years in prison. I was hoping for a kinder introduction than the one you just gave." To their credit, Miri's parents are trying to be as supportive as possible, despite the problems that Miri faces with the community.

Miri is continuously being haunted by her past, and her reputation precedes her. She is an outsider in a town that knows her only as the "Hythe Killer." On her first night back home, she tries to attend an AA meeting, but the resident AA leader wants nothing to do with her, insisting she find a different meeting in a different town. Miri ends up at a less than satisfying gathering at a community center, where she overhears two men chatting about her, unaware she can hear them. This causes immediate tension for Miri.

Throughout the episode, the audience can see that Miri is only beginning to unfold her story, but the show paints a clear picture of the challenges that lie ahead for her. Miri cannot escape the past that haunts her, as she must face the consequences of her actions, picking up the pieces and trying to pick up where she left off 18 years prior. The viewer can see that she has to come to grips with the fact that she has become different from her 18-year-old self.

Overall, Season 1, Episode 1 of Back to Life effectively sets the tone for the rest of the series. The show strikes a delicate balance between drama and comedy, with poignant moments that frequently make the viewer feel empathy for Miri's predicament. Her parents are kind, loving, and will undoubtedly do anything to help their daughter, although it is clear that they too have been impacted by her incarceration and return. As a viewer, the conflicting emotions and uncomfortable circumstances become apparent, and as the credits rolled, I was left with a sense of excitement and anticipation of what was to come in the rest of the season.

Description
Watch Back to Life - Episode 1 (s1 e1) Online - Watch online anytime: Buy, Rent
Back to Life, Season 1 Episode 1, is available to watch and stream on BBC Three. You can also buy, rent Back to Life on demand at Netflix, Amazon, Vudu, FuboTV, Google Play, Apple TV online.
  • First Aired
    April 15, 2019
  • Content Rating
    TVMA
  • Runtime
    26 min
  • Language
    English