Love My Way is a Logie Award winning and critically acclaimed Australian television drama series. It won the AFI award for Best Television Drama Series for each of its three seasons. Love My Way was about a group of thirty-somethings dealing with the ups and downs of life. The series revolves around an extended family unit - Frankie Paige and Charlie Jackson are the separated parents of Lou, and Frankie also lives with Charlie's brother, Tom. As the series began, Charlie's new wife Julia is about to have their first child. Frankie's mother, Di and Charlie's mother Brenda and father Gerry also have a strong presence in the ongoing story, as does Julia's ex-lover Howard, who enters into a relationship with Frankie. Produced by John Edwards and Claudia Karvan, Love My Way starred Karvan, Sam Worthington, Dan Wyllie, Asher Keddie, Brendan Cowell, and Alex Cook. As the program was made for subscription television in Australia, it contained stronger material than most Australian programs: regular swearing, drug use and sexual references. When the series was launched, much was made of the connection between Love My Way and The Secret Life of Us: both sharing a star, as well as significant creative talent. However, the series is not a continuation of Secret Life, although it does share some thematic concerns.
3.6 / 5
Episode 1
Frankie is a mad ball of life. Her substance abusing flatmate Tom doesn't want to know about her dreams, but they're obvious to her workmates at the newspaper. Meanwhile, Charlie and Julia anxiously await the arrival of their baby.
Episode 2
Frankie is trying to deal with the humiliation of rejection. Tom is forced to question whether his quest to rehabilitate himself is doomed or not. Charlie and Julia can't decide on a name for their new baby.
Episode 3
When Julia's ex-boyfriend, Howard, is in town for the weekend, past and present worlds collide—New-baby stress meets IKEA mayhem, and Charlie's jealousy blows out of proportion. In the meantime, Frankie has come to a realisation—she wants full custody of her and Charlie's eight-year-old daughter, Lou. What's more, Frankie makes the shock discovery that her mother is having an affair with a married man.
Episode 4
Tom's gone off his meds, and as he spirals further and further down into himself, into the place he loves to hate, those that surround him wants the blow-by-blow description of the fall. Meanwhile, Frankie takes on the role of babysitter to little Toby when Julia decides to start working again.
Episode 5
Frankie seems full of hope when Julia's ex, Howard, asks her out. However, Frankie's mood quickly changes when she realises how her friends and family feel about her dating Howard. When Charlie forgets her birthday, Julia enjoys a quiet day's shop-lifting. When store manager, Dominic, catches her, Julia finds herself first confiding in and then pashing him when he lets her off the hook.
Episode 6
Frankie is experiencing a great change, and while it should be making her happy, it's causing concern. The single mum has fallen in love with Julia's ex, Howard. But she's wondering whether she can cope with juggling her new relationship, being a mum to her young daughter, Lou, and work stresses. Meanwhile, new parents Charlie and Julia should also be enjoying themselves, but something is about to snap. When an argument between the couple escalates, Julia says she's had enough. She moves out, taking their baby, to stay with her parents.
Episode 7
Frankie has a change of heart about Howard but her newfound enthusiasm puts Howard on the back foot. She can't help feeling jealous of Tom's wild, anti-love-fest with Sonia.
Episode 8
Tragedy strikes and brings the group of friends together.
Episode 9
Frankie and Charlie are deep in their own worlds of pain. She finds solace in dreams while Charlie turns to work, drink and nicotine to numb his grief. He won't open up and Julia is left to grieve alone.
Episode 10
In the season finale, Frankie and Charlie are travelling down different roads to try and find a way forward.
