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Trying is like a pre-cursor to Sky One’s Breeders, in that while Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) are looking to conceive, Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard were sick of their children and family life already… but it didn’t take me long to get sick of that programme. Can Apple’s new offering prove a better bet?
However, as natural events aren’t going to work, and IVF is also out of the question because they’ve run out of embryos, pressure is on the increase because all their friends are spawning offspring.
9 months later and… nope, they’re still in the same boat, so what other routes are there: adoption?
And what follows is that… they just go about their lives and wonder why they’re the ones who can’t have children as easily as everyone else. However, they’re not the most likeable of couples, as is shown when Nikki launches a random man’s phone into the duck pond following a simple misunderstanding. Not the greatest of writing in this.
After two episodes, I really didn’t care whether or not they managed to procreate.
Trying begins on Apple TV+ from tomorrow.
Episodes 1 and 2 Score: 1/10
Director: Jim O’Hanlon
Producers: Emma Lawson, Chris Sussman
Creator/Writer: Andy Wolton
Music: Paul Saunderson
Cast:
Nikki: Esther Smith
Jason: Rafe Spall
Penny: Imelda Staunton
Erica: Ophelia Lovibond
Freddy: Oliver Chris
Lola: Jackie Mouzo
Jen: Robyn Cara
Sandra: Paula Wilcox
Doctor: Mariam Haque
Olivia: Yasmine HOlness-Dove
Social Worker: Andrea Hall
Lauren: Ava Talbot
Man with phone: Peter Bramhill
Busker: Maisie Peters
Alisha: Sarah Niles
Marcus: Jonathan Rhodes
Jamie: Simon Bubb
Lauren: Ava Talbot
Margaret: Katharine Bennett-Fox
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.