‘Family is forever…’
Trying is an Apple TV+ original that centers on the efforts of British couple Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) to adopt a child. The impressive supporting cast includes Sian Brooke, Darren Boyd, Ophelia Lovibond, Imelda Staunton and Phil Davis.
The first two seasons in which Nikki and Jason were working through the adoption process made for compelling and heartwarming television. Season three struggled, however, as once the adoption had gone through it too often felt like Andy Wolten’s show was treading water. Season four addresses this problem by allowing some of the supporting characters to come to the fore. The subplot surrounding Scott’s continuing midlife crisis provides most of the best moments here and any scenes that feature Scott and Freddy interacting are always a joy. Unfortunately, the main driver of season four is Princess’s attempt to find her birth mother, and while this results in a satisfying cliffhanger, the journey doesn’t justify the destination.
Season four is a return to form for Trying after the disappointment of the previous season, and there is enough here to justify a fifth season, but it remains to be seen how Wolten can sustain these characters for another run of episodes.