AUS Television: Offspring, Episode 1.1

Offspring
Series One, Episode One
Original Air Date:  August 22, 2010

Nina is struggling with the knowledge that her ex-husband blew up Chris' car and she feels it is up to her to catch him.  She sets her ex-husband up so the police can catch him but he doesn't show up until she is leaving with the police.  Chris and his daughter are staying with his mother-in-law because the police feel he shouldn't stay at home in case Brendan knows where he lives.  Darcy is still being the grand father to his new son.  Nina and Chris do an emergency C-section on another doctors patient when the baby is in distress and the doctor cannot be reached.  Brendan accosts Nina in the lift at work and traps her there.

Chris is awfully nice about the whole situation with his car.  Nina feels horrible about it but he doesn't want her to feel bad.  He's got a lot going on in his life and he doesn't want to share any of it with Nina because he doesn't want to put his problems on her.  He's a nice guy through and through.

Nina is as all over the map this week as she was in the premiere movie.  She is still fantasizing every chance she gets.  About Chris.  About her ex-husband.  About the people she works with.

Billie is a big softie for Mick.  All he has to do is start singing "Billie's Song" to her and she jumps right into his arms.  He drives up outside a house she's showing and plays the song and she kisses him rather than being angry.  She's completely unpredictable.

Jimmy's girlfriend has completely given up on her education.  He clearly doesn't want the relationship the way Odile does.  He tries to get her to go back to France but the story he gives her fails miserably.  He finally tells her the truth about the relationship and, in turn, Odile drops a big secret of her own on him.

There were some great humorous moments in this episode.  A nurse who was keeping a vial of fresh sperm between her breasts to keep it at body temperature dropped it and stepped on it by accident.  As she was cleaning it up, a doctor walked by and muttered "what a waste" beneath his breath.  Nina's fantasies were funny. 

The hour format felt better this week than last weeks much longer 2 hour show.  At times last week it felt like the show was going on a bit too long and even this week things sometimes felt a tad slow.  While I'm not as much in love with Offspring as I am another show by the same creative team, Tangle, I do like it.  There have been some great moments thus far and the characters are good.  I'm hoping that with a bit more time and a few more episodes, I'll come to love it as much as I do Tangle.

Offspring airs on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. on Ten Network.
Official Site:  http://ten.com.au/offspring.htm
The Internet Movie Database:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1530541/
TV Rage:  http://www.tvrage.com/shows/id-25992