I first came across Being Erica when flicking through the channels trying to find something to watch in the early hours of the night.
I settled on E4, which is a popular digital channel in the UK mostly catering for the 18-30 year-old age bracket I fall within.
It was already part of the way into what I would later discover was the 'Adultesence' episode of Season 1. Despite the fact that I didn't fully understand what was going on, I decided to keep watching.
What sort of show was this? A drama? A comedy? Some kind of sci-fi series? It certainly involved time travelling. My interest was aroused enough to search online for more information.
It turned out E4 was repeating the first season late at night in advance of screening Season 2 in the summer.
I made it my mission to catch up with Season 1 - and discovered the great programme that is Being Erica.
As fans of the show know, it's a series that can make you laugh and keep you entertained. It's very well written, and incredibly well acted.
However, it's much more than that. There's a depth to episodes. They make you look at yourself, your own life, and think about things you usually wouldn't.
Like Erica Strange [Erin Karpluk], we all have regrets in our life. We've all made mistakes. We all wish that, like her, we could go back in time to re-live them to ensure we don't repeat them in the present.
I am sure, too, that anybody who watches Being Erica can learn something positive to apply to their own situation.
Whether it be how to deal with something at work, an argument with a family member, or how to behave in a relationship. After all, nobody's perfect, we're all on a journey of discovery.
This blog provides a description of the episodes of Being Erica and looks at some of the themes and messages emanating from them.
It is kept in UK-pace - where we are still waiting for Season 3 to be shown.
It also includes a section about the characters and another dedicated to the words of wisdom spoken by Dr. Tom [Michael Riley]. For, while I would rather go out for dinner with Erin, in my opinion, Michael's character steals the show.
One final note, I am not actually a Therapist. Just a fan who appreciates the quality of this series which criminally, because of its late-night slot on UK TV, remains a hidden gem over here with a small, but very loyal, following.
December 2010
Update: April 5, 2011
I'm pleased to announce that, by chance, I have seen that E4 are to begin screening Season 3 of Being Erica beginning this Sunday - April 11.
Typical of their shabby treatment of the show, no trails for the new season have been shown by E4 - and they wonder why audience figures are not great.
I wonder whether we can read anything into the fact they are showing it now, compared to during the summer last year.
Then again this is the channel which devoted time in its schedule to a programme called Tool Academy - which I can only presume is where they train the guys who run E4.
Unfortunately, I don't think I'd have got through reviewing all of Season 2 before then, but I hope to get it completed soon so I can start to cover Season 3.
Not that that will stop me, with great anticipation and excitement, sitting down on Sunday evening at 22:45 BST as Season 3 kicks off!
Update: July 4, 2011
E4 have just finished screening Season 3 here in the UK, which I will be reviewing. I'm sorry to say that I found the season, overall, a huge letdown compared to the previous two.
Some internet trawling has discovered that the next season will be the final one. Hopefully it will allow the writers to fix the mistakes of the past season and wrap up the show in a satisfactory fashion.
Update: December 30, 2012
Well, the final ever episode aired this morning on E4 here in the UK. I have to admit, so dispirited was I with Season 3 that I found it hard to summon up the drive to cover the episodes.
However, as bad as Season 3 was, the writers managed to save the reputation of Being Erica in Season 4 with a largely satisfying conclusion.
I will get around, sometime, to finishing the website. Which, unlike the real office of Dr. Tom, won't disappear but continue as a shrine to one of my favourite TV series of all time.
Thank you writers and cast of Being Erica.
