Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Season 1 – Back to Life

Play trailer 1:55 Poster for Season 1 – Back to Life Apr 2019 Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
"Back to Life" is a British dark comedy-drama about Mira Matteson. After serving a sentence of 18 years in prison for a terrible crime she committed in her teens, Miri is finally able to return home to her small town. Although Miri would like to move on from her dark and conflicted past, her neighbors have not forgotten what happened all those years ago. Now 36, Miri wants to rebuild her life and makes a start by moving back in with her parents. She soon finds herself with no friends, no job or any clue about how to move on with her life.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Back to Life — Season 1

Back to Life — Season 1

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Driven by the marvelous Daisy Haggard, Back to Life questions what it means to be a person with humor, heart, and a genuine sense of surprise.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View More
Aaron Bady The New Republic 11/12/2019
The best thing about the show might be that it's actually a lot smaller and humbler than these puzzle-box dramas. Go to Full Review
Steve Greene IndieWire 11/11/2019
B+
Back to Life has a firm grasp on how capable people are of bizarre behavior at any given moment. Go to Full Review
Jen Chaney New York Magazine/Vulture 11/08/2019
The series is very smart in the way it highlights how long Miri has been away, making note of it without dwelling on it too much. Go to Full Review
Silvina Lamazares Clarín 05/27/2020
Daisy Haggard does good work. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Lily Moayeri Under the Radar 12/05/2019
8/10
Back to Life rides a fine line between sharply clever comedy and intensely dark mystery drama. Go to Full Review
Dustin Rowles Pajiba 11/27/2019
Mostly, it's an alternatingly funny/somber but always emotionally affecting series with something of a Fleabag vibe... and a terrific performance from [Daisy] Haggard. Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Karl G @RT60573679 09/04/2023 Original, thought provoking, Funny, Heartbreaking, Amazing lead actress. I Honestly did not expect to be as impressed as I was and still am. Similar to 'After Life' how it sort of plays with your emotions. Absolutely brilliant. See more Tristan C @RT75770054 07/20/2023 A moody, drama-driven storyline with a perfect touch of humour set in beautiful south-east England. Acting, plot and cinematography all fantastic. See more Gareth v @geewah 06/24/2023 A story that is told with warmth, compassion and great humour. Daisy Haggard is sensational in the lead role and is ably supported by her fellow actors. See more Nicole A @RT60257315 04/08/2023 Funny, thought proving and strangely uplifting. There has been a lot of love put into making this series from the story, script, acting and down to the wonderful original score. The series deals with serious and dark themes but through the lens of a caricatured village - such that these things can be explored through humour and not hit too hard. But when the moments do hit they fully land. Themes of community, in/out crowds, living up to expectations, being true to oneself, love of/duty to others, the weight of secrets, the need to belong, the power of being heard/seen properly, and friendship. (and ice cream) Time flew by watching this. And it's only on reflection after that some of the themes and metaphors come out. I think that's quite smart. Acting is great and the humour is done very well. I would say some of the caricatures were a bit too much for me which meant that I didn't always fully engage - like the chip shop man (who's complexity I initially liked but then he was sidelined fairly quickly and dully) or the ex chief police officer (too much blaming others and not enough introspection - or atleast some exploration of why he was so angry at the young girls despite knowing his role in it). My favourite moments (and I suspect the writer's too) were the quiet but full moments. When family members bolster each other ("hold your nerve") or when friends come through and share ice creams. These had beautiful sound tracks and atmospheric scenes. Backdrops of coastal landscapes and moody skies. The beauty in the everyday. See more Mike M @mmx554 03/09/2023 Pitch perfect tragicomedy. See more Massoud H @Massoud 12/30/2022 I loved this show. Very well done. See more Read all reviews
Back to Life — Season 1

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Apr 15, 2019 After 18 years in prison, Miri Matteson returns to her hometown, to a place she no longer recognizes, in the dysfunctional family home she involuntarily vacated as a teen, living with parents she can no longer hold a conversation with. Details Episode 2 Aired Apr 22, 2019 Miri is excited about her first day working at Nathan's fish and chip shop, but the community isn't taking kindly to her return. Details Episode 3 Aired Apr 29, 2019 Miri and her neighbor Billy escape to an amusement park for the day, but Miri's past continues to haunt her; Caroline tries to end things with Dom for good. Details Episode 4 Aired May 6, 2019 Miri and Caroline head out on a road trip to visit Oscar's aunt, on the way, Caroline confesses her feelings about Miri's time in prison. Details Episode 5 Aired May 13, 2019 A terrible coincidence puts Miri back in the community's firing line when she becomes the suspect of a new crime; Caroline and Oscar try to revive their relationship. Details Episode 6 Aired May 20, 2019 After being locked in a cell once again, Miri gets out determined to tell her side of the story and to finally get the town on her side. Details
Am I Being Unreasonable? 94% 80% Am I Being Unreasonable? Watchlist TRAILER for Am I Being Unreasonable? Fleabag 100% 92% Fleabag Watchlist TRAILER for Fleabag Man Like Mobeen % 90% Man Like Mobeen Watchlist Undone 97% 91% Undone Watchlist TRAILER for Undone Frayed 86% 96% Frayed Watchlist TRAILER for Frayed Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Season Info

Director
Chris Sweeney
Executive Producer
Daisy Haggard, Harry Williams, Jack Williams, Jack Williams, Sarah Hammond, Laura Solon, Chris Sweeney
Screenwriter
Daisy Haggard, Laura Solon
Network
BBC
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Apr 15, 2019