They then have to deal with married life, a lot of people declaring their relationship doomed from the beginning, and their parents who can't stand eachother - Tom's parents are quite conservative and snobbish, while Jessie's parents are unmarried hippies constantly rebelling against society. But, they're in love and they manage to work through the obstacles.
In many ways, this show reminded me of the 90s sit-com Dharma & Greg. It's different enough that it feels like its own thing, but there are definite similarities - a young couple who get married way too quickly and to the general annoyance of their families. Her hippie parents, his posh family... but the big difference is that Tom and Jessie have known eachother for longer than most couples have when they get married. The main obstacle isn't the unfamiliarity with eachother, it's their youth.
The show only lasted two seasons, which was too short for me. Looking around the web, it seems to have had mixed reviews - a lot of them for some reason about glorifying teen marriage, so I'd like to weigh in a little on that.
I really don't think 18 to Life glorifies Tom and Jessie's decision. The whole point of the show is that it's really kind of hard to be 18 and at a whole different place in life than your peers, and trying to build a life together while still trying to figure your own identity. They have no money, so they end up living in the attic in the house of Tom's parents. Tom drops out of college because he finds it too hard to juggle school with work, and he needs to work to save up enough to allow them to move out on their own. They have definite issues, and what allows them to stay together is the fact that they love each other and are willing to discuss issues and work to stay together. That hardly seems to me like a show glorifying teen marriage. Yes, as time goes by it gets easier for them, as their parents start coming around to the fact and supporting them, but I do think it manages to demonstrate that it's not a decision to be taken lightly.
In the end, I really liked it. It was sweet and loving and... hopeful.
Not directly related to the show, but still something that struck me as I watched. I think Jessie (played by Stacey Farber) looks really quite a lot like Amy from Doctor Who (played by Karen Gillan). The wonderful red hair is a decent part of it, but their faces too. Now, I'm not saying they're dopplegangers or anything like that, most of the time it's easy enough to tell them apart... but I do think if someone cast them as sisters, the viewers wouldn't doubt that choice at all. Pics below for easy comparison.
So yeah, that was my impression of that show. Stay tuned for more.
