The beauty in this mini-series is the weaving of three stories about the main character, Liv: 1) Her present day life (plane crash/survival scenario), 2) her recent life of hyperworking lawyer, the death of her father, and a new love life, 3) and finally, her life as a child, in a home broken by a manic-depressive mother.
This movie got my attention for for the plane crash/survival angle. But as the story unfolded, I began appreciating the backstory of who Liv is. The things that make her personal life a shambles are the things that equip her to survive in the wild. Not because of skills, but rather because of her will.
The storytellers do a great job of weaving the supporting characters into the survival scenes, appearing as alter-egos for Liv's conscience. Some of it is wry (dead plane passenger Sam), poignant (her father), manic (her mother), and romantic (Danny).
I can understand why this series would disappoint many viewers. Some of the survival stuff is unrealistic, and the flashback storytelling is over-the-top at times.
Overall, I found it engaging and entertaining. Masterpiece? No. But worth the time, if your expectations are reasonable.