The episode:  'Reproduction' is the first episode of the series, and was broadcast on 21 July 1999. It stars Catherine
McCormack as Fay, who has reached her 30th birthday and is still single. Most of her friends are married and many
are pregnant. Fay decides that she wants to have a baby, but she does not want to get married. She intends to have
a child without letting the father know that he has procreated. She sets out to meet her ideal man - someone who has
the genes to provide her with the perfect offspring. She meets a series of men for casual sex, and collects their semen
from discarded condoms, storing the genetic samples in her freezer. Fay rates the men according to qualities such as
honesty, eye and hair colour, fitness, education, income, hygiene and penis size. Fay meets John (David Tennant) and
thinks he would be the perfect sperm donor, even more so when she learns that he is a doctor (even though he works in
the accident and emergency department of a hospital). She impregnates herself with John's sperm, but then comes to
the realisation that she does not want a baby after all. She meets John again and confesses to what she has done with
his sperm, but John reveals that he is impotent. However, fate has another surprise in store for Fay.

The verdict:  'Love in the 21st Century' is a series that will probably appeal more to women than men, although its mix
of black humour and gritty realism means it should appeal to a broad audience. However, the adult themes explored in
the series means it is definitely not suitable for children, or adults who are easily offended by sex scenes and coarse
language.