Love, Nina

Love, Nina is a warm-hearted, quirky British comedy series that premiered on BBC1 in 2016, based on the best-selling memoir by Nina Stibbe. The series was adapted for television by esteemed screenwriter and director Nick Hornby, known for his work like "About a Boy" and "High Fidelity," bringing a unique and charismatic flair to the show's narrative. Set in the 1980s, Love, Nina offers a fresh and unusual perspective on simple everyday life that has a perfectly pitched balance of humour, charm, and nostalgia, making it a cozy watch that warms the heart.

The story revolves around Nina (played by Faye Marsay), a vivacious and intelligent young woman who decides to leave her hometown in Leicester to move to London. She stumbles upon a job as a nanny for a very offbeat and bohemian family in Camden, marking the start of a series of charming misadventures that she letters to her sister, the entries of which formed the basis of Stibbe's memoir.

The family residing at 55 Gloucester Crescent includes Mary-Kay Wilmers (played by Helena Bonham Carter), a respected editor of the London Review of Books and her sons, the precocious and inquisitive Sam and his quieter elder brother Will. The household is a regular magnet for a range of diverse, intellectual, and bohemian London characters, adding layers of eccentricity to Nina's experience of 1980's London.

Faye Marsay delivers a delightful performance as Nina, whose idiosyncrasies, wide-eyed sincerity, and dry humour bring the character to life. Marsay's portrayal of Nina’s journey from naivety to gaining insight about city life and beyond is nuanced and note-perfect. Helena Bonham Carter, renowned for her considerable acting prowess, is perfectly cast as Mary-Kay, capturing the essence of a liberal-minded, independent woman who is both shrewd and caring. The dynamic between Nina and Mary-Kay forms the backbone of the series, driving the narrative with their evolving relationship.

What stands out in Love, Nina is its exploration of the ordinary turned extraordinary, where daily life shenanigans are made intriguing by Nina's unique narration, offering viewers a refreshing look at the trials and tribulations of watching over two boys in a bustling city like London. Compared to most conventional sitcoms, the series does not rely on grand storylines or extravagant comedic antics, but on the charm of its characters, their interactions, and their reactions to their world.

The show is chock-full of witty dialogue and banter that reflects the intelligence and creativity of its characters. These verbal exchanges, along with Nina's voice-over letters to her sister, result in many genuine laugh-out-loud moments.

The series also does an excellent job of recreating the vibe of the 1980s through its art direction, costumes, and references, and immerses viewers in the atmosphere of the period. Besides evoking the atmosphere of the '80s, the show artfully depicts the ecosystem of London's literary circles during the era.

Ultimately, Love, Nina is a show about family, but not the traditional kind. It explores a type of family born out of circumstance rather than shared genes - a family at whose heart lies a kind of accepting, unconditional love for all its members. The show talks about love in unusual, often unspoken ways, highlighting the quiet steadfastness, the silent acceptance, the subdued indulgence, and the loud laughs that constitute the bond between Nina and her adopted family.

In conclusion, Love, Nina is a buoyant, enjoyable viewing experience that offers a distinct brand of British humor gently peppered throughout its quirky narrative. Fueled by a charmingly eccentric cast, led by Marsay and Carter, and a script that has an ear for brisk dialogue and subtlety of emotion, Love, Nina is a show that leaves a lasting, heartwarming imprint. It is a toast to intimacy in the everyday, to moments that count, to kinship born out of choice, and of course to love - the kind that is often overlooked, the love that lies in unconventional places and embraces all with open arms.