Because it's made in the UK, Lip Service gives a much more nuanced, honest, but also jaw dropping passionate look at the lives and loves of a group of young people. Each character is a recognizable archetype: Cat, the Type A, overachieving, self effacing fem me; Frankie the arrested development Romeo; Sam, the confident, simplistic butch; Ed the comic con /sci-fi sweetheart; and, Tess, the lovable, bumbling girl that floats through life from near miss to near miss. But it's detailed writing - always honest, never caving to sentimentality - and actors talented enough to flesh it out that makes this show more than what you'll see on US television.Cat and Sam's first date, after meeting online, is awkward and cringe worthy, especially when Cat, who has already arranged an out if the date isn't going well, is showed up by Sam, pulling the same trick. There is a naturalness to the beginning of their relationship with each feeling both drawn to the other and hesitant.Ed's love for Tess is pained, true and sweet: we watch him help her to find the confidence to ask out a talk show host,;arrange an epic Country and Western birthday party for her; try, diligently, to direct his attention onto a more appropriate candidate(even from whom he can not mask his true desire); but, then blurt out his feelings in a tender and vulnerable outburst. Frankie and Jay appear to be birds of a feather: both "snatch hounds", both party animals. In the end, however, we see that they have both been swallowing their true desires: Frankie - Cat, Jay - Freedom.The story line is never accusatory; life rolls on and the blame changes hands. The hardest peak in the drama is Cat's struggle to balance her younger self's obsessive love for Frankie with her present self's relationship and, perhaps, love for the seemingly more appropriate Sam. Sadly, this costs her her life and the other two, their sanity.Glasgow - its old buildings, bridges, its river, housing projects, affluent suburbs,coffee shops, pubs, theaters and rain are an integral part of the supporting cast that fleshes out the story.Laura Fraser's( Neverwhere, Breaking Bad)eyes and eyebrow movements walk the viewer through the path of Cat's emotions in ways that words could never do.Heather Peace - Sam - has sultry eyes, but it is her capture of confidence, arrogance and ruthlessness that make her stereotypical sport loving butch cop so believable.Ruta Gedmintas ( Keira Knightly's long lost sister?)does a solid job of playing the "Shane"-like Frankie, the chic tomboy caught in a skirt-chasing time warp. However, she really begins to show her true colors in the second season, as Frankie unravels her armor: first for love then by grief.Fiona Button gets to have fun playing affable Tess whose romantic foibles in season 1 are sweetly predictable, but, nonetheless, charming. Cat's death and Frankie's rash departure in season 2 open new depths in Tess that lead her to boldness in her career and her love life.Ed, too, becomes more clearly focused after his sister's death and James Anthony Pearson walks him gently and believably to the threshold of self confidence.

In season 2, I felt writing is very disconnected after Sam became a much more prominent character. The strengths of Lip Service in season 1 tended to be in the group/friendship scenes like "Friends".The acting from the actress who play Sam is so bad that I have to skip all her scenes. There are no chemistry between Sam and Lexy and their sex scene is too awkward to look at. Other actress gave the strong acting though.This show had great potential but the writing and the acting ruined it. I heard the rating is not strong this season so maybe there won't be season 3. If it has season 3, I hope writing gets improved.

Just seen my first episode, and as a mere man, I thought it was great! Superb acting, great music, it was moody, gritty, filmed in a fly on the wall "cinema verite'" way. It deserves a much greater audience; the scenes of a sexual nature are filmed with tact and discretion that shows the passion without too much gynecological detail (quite a challenge!). I can't wait to see more episodes of this thoughtful,insightful, appealing series. There have been so many references to male gay friendship, yet until "The L Word" and now "Lip Service it has been undercover. Lip service is an intelligent, and well thought out drama series that deserves a award, and better publicity.

I missed this great series the first time around!!..must have been ill !!.. This show and its story is very believable. The characters are normal do average type jobs and they are like your real life friends. Obviously there are some similarities with The L Word. The number of "friends the problems some characters have, but thats where it ends. It is a stand alone series and does itself justice. Emma Button is hilarious..and Heather Peace is very sexy. Frankie is just plain deranged !, yet you still want to mother her and take care of herself!! All in all its a great hours viewing and i personally cant wait for season 2..