he ITV drama, Life Begins, starring Caroline Quentin and Alexander Armstrong, is climbing up Netflix’s Top Ten series chart. The series, which comes from Cold Feet creator Mike Bullen, first aired in 2004 and ran for three seasons until 2006. It follows Caroline’s character Maggie, a mum of two, who is left heartbroken when her husband announces he is leaving her for another woman. The story follows Maggie as she navigates life as a single woman, from new jobs to dating.

It’s no surprise that Life Begins is finding a whole new audience on Netflix over 20 years after its initial release. The series has a seriously impressive creative team behind it, with Cold Feet creator Mike Bullen at the helm, while Andy Harries, who has an impressive list of smash hit dramas on his CV, from Dept Q. to Outlander, This City is Ours and The Crown, is listed as an executive producer. Plus, the impressive cast, featuring actors from Shetland, Motherland and more, is led by the brilliant Caroline Quentin, who never fails to deliver a compelling performance.

What is Life Begins about?

The series centres around Maggie, whose life with her husband, Phil, and two children, James and Rebecca, is upended when Phil walks out on the family. The story follows Maggie as she attempts to move on with her life, including starting a new job at a travel agency and venturing back into the world of dating.

The Netflix synopsis reads: “When her husband Phil announces he’s leaving her, Maggie takes her first solo steps in years and does her best to move forward as a single mother. Maggie struggles to settle into her new job while caring for the kids full-time, and concerns about her father’s fading memory add to the strain.”

Who stars in Life Begins?

Caroline Quentin (The Lazarus Project, Doc Martin) leads the cast as Maggie Mee, alongside Alexander Armstrong (Doctor Who) as Phil Mee, Elliot Henderson-Boyle as James Mee and Ace Ryan as Rebecca Mee. They’re joined by Anne Reid (Sanditon, The Sixth Commandment) as Brenda Thornhill, Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) as Clare, Ellie Haddington (Motherland) as Kathleen and Stuart McQuarrie (Shetland) as Guy.

What have viewers said?

The drama, which pulled in 9.3 million viewers upon its initial release on ITV in 2004, has proven popular among viewers. Taking to social media, one person hailed the series as “touching and true”, while another described the series as “fantastic”. A third fan called for more dramas of the same quality, writing: “Watching #lifebegins on #itvx, it’s bloody brilliant. We need more series like this… please.”

Life Begins is available to stream on Netflix and ITVX.