Life: Spoilery commentary on season 1 & the 1st 4 episodes of season 2
We've been watching the series Life which I am really enjoying. Cut because I am rather spoilery in my discussion of season 1 and also the first four episodes of season 2. I'm not really giving away plot points, but the discussion of the various characters requires a small degree of spoiling ...
Here is the boring title screen.
This is Charlie Crews.
He served 12 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit - the murder of his friends.
While in prison, even those closest to him didn't support him. His partner did not stand by him and his wife divorced him.
Who did stand by him? Constance Griffiths, his lawyer. She likes to crinkle her forehead. A lot. She also swans around in pretty clothes and isn't particularly riveting :)
Now Charlie's out of jail. He's got single and a wealthy man with a USD50 million compensation settlement
He's even got his old job back
Much to the displeasure of his new partner Dani Reese
And his boss, Davis
Davis actually wants Dani Reese to dig up dirt on him so she can throw him off the force
Now Charlie lives in a huge abandoned house with almost no furniture
He's notionally a changed man. He's quirky. He likes his fresh fruit
His efforts to be zen and non-vengeful aren't all that successful, though given that he keeps pulling over his ex-wife's new husband.
He also has a bad relationship with his father, who is about to marry a younger woman.
Notice that she's a red-head? The show has a huge number of redheads featured. Almost all the guest slots are filled by red-heads.
Nonetheless, Charlie's not alone. His friend Ted Earley lives with him. A former con, Charlie saved him in prison and now Ted's his financial advisor and friend. He helps Charlie spend his money - but also invest it wisely.
Charlie also still has a tentative, still affectionate relationship with his former partner, Bobby Stark. Sometimes it's strained, but the bond is still there.
Charlie definitely has his enemies, though. Jack Reese, father of his partner Dani Reese and formerly head of SWAT clearly knows things about Charlie's past and was somehow involved in Charlie's framing
As well as the fruit, most episodes need to have some sort of nexus to a prison so that Charlie can have yet another cruel reminder of his time in prison. Sometimes it's just insensitive remarks, for instance, references to being locked away/to prison/to being in a small box etc. Others it's more obvious - they visit a prison.
A theme of interest to me is Charlie's struggle to overcome his desire for revenge. His reads books about zen and listens to tapes about achieving zen when deep down he knows that he might win the battle within himself.
In the finale to season 1, we see Charlie on the way to see the man he thinks killed his friends. He listens to his zen tape and then tosses it out the window
Nonetheless, when he gets to the house and finds the daughter of the man he is seeking, he is still compassionate and helps her.
When he finds the man, we really wonder what he is going to do with him
His rage is considerable
The show keeps us guessing
Maybe Charlie will give in to his dark side
But after a struggle, he manages to overcome this.
Charlie has many possible ships. First of all, he is a skank who has casual sex with numerous women. But, his primary ships are, his crinkle-headed lawyer who keeps coming onto him despite the fact that she's married
His ex-wife who has remarried and whom I personally dislike a lot.
There is of course my ship of choice, Charlie and Dani. She's incredibly damaged and f*cked up, but then so is he.
The promo shots are very funny with the whole hands on hips thing
Dani's pose here is absolutely hilarious
Nonetheless, I really like them as partners
They're always looking out for one another
In season 2 they introduce a new boss. Captain Kevin Tidwell played by Canadian Donal Logue
They keep trying to imply that something might arise between Tidwell and Dani, but I sure hope not.
I adore the relationship between Charlie and Ted. I don't ship them, but the friendship is gorgeous.
Ted keeps worrying that he's been relegated to the role of side-kick so has asked anxiously whether he is Robin to Charlie's Batman or worse - Alfred.
Sometimes they're almost like an old married could with the way Ted asks dumb questions and Charlie glares at him :)
Still, when Jack Reese comes to threaten Ted, Charlie's there telling Reese to back off ...
Ted's always there to back him up
Like all tv heroes, Charlie has a Wall of Conspiracy
In season 1, when Charlie gets raided, it's thanks to Ted's quick thinking that he doesn't get into deeper water, given how damning the Wall of Conspiracy is.
Still by season 2, Charlie clearly can't help himself and he starts a new Wall of Conspiracy.
There's an alterna-ship. I quite like Tidwell and the demoted Davis.
They're sassy together
Some more promo shots. Season 1 Dani
Hands on her hips
Season 2 Dani also does the hands on hips.
Non-hands on hips pose :)
Charlie, Tidwell and Dani
Season 2 cast. They all like putting their hands on their hips
I definitely recommend this series!
Here is the boring title screen.
This is Charlie Crews.
He served 12 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit - the murder of his friends.
While in prison, even those closest to him didn't support him. His partner did not stand by him and his wife divorced him.
Who did stand by him? Constance Griffiths, his lawyer. She likes to crinkle her forehead. A lot. She also swans around in pretty clothes and isn't particularly riveting :)
Now Charlie's out of jail. He's got single and a wealthy man with a USD50 million compensation settlement
He's even got his old job back
Much to the displeasure of his new partner Dani Reese
And his boss, Davis
Davis actually wants Dani Reese to dig up dirt on him so she can throw him off the force
Now Charlie lives in a huge abandoned house with almost no furniture
He's notionally a changed man. He's quirky. He likes his fresh fruit
His efforts to be zen and non-vengeful aren't all that successful, though given that he keeps pulling over his ex-wife's new husband.
He also has a bad relationship with his father, who is about to marry a younger woman.
Notice that she's a red-head? The show has a huge number of redheads featured. Almost all the guest slots are filled by red-heads.
Nonetheless, Charlie's not alone. His friend Ted Earley lives with him. A former con, Charlie saved him in prison and now Ted's his financial advisor and friend. He helps Charlie spend his money - but also invest it wisely.
Charlie also still has a tentative, still affectionate relationship with his former partner, Bobby Stark. Sometimes it's strained, but the bond is still there.
Charlie definitely has his enemies, though. Jack Reese, father of his partner Dani Reese and formerly head of SWAT clearly knows things about Charlie's past and was somehow involved in Charlie's framing
As well as the fruit, most episodes need to have some sort of nexus to a prison so that Charlie can have yet another cruel reminder of his time in prison. Sometimes it's just insensitive remarks, for instance, references to being locked away/to prison/to being in a small box etc. Others it's more obvious - they visit a prison.
A theme of interest to me is Charlie's struggle to overcome his desire for revenge. His reads books about zen and listens to tapes about achieving zen when deep down he knows that he might win the battle within himself.
In the finale to season 1, we see Charlie on the way to see the man he thinks killed his friends. He listens to his zen tape and then tosses it out the window
Nonetheless, when he gets to the house and finds the daughter of the man he is seeking, he is still compassionate and helps her.
When he finds the man, we really wonder what he is going to do with him
His rage is considerable
The show keeps us guessing
Maybe Charlie will give in to his dark side
But after a struggle, he manages to overcome this.
Charlie has many possible ships. First of all, he is a skank who has casual sex with numerous women. But, his primary ships are, his crinkle-headed lawyer who keeps coming onto him despite the fact that she's married
His ex-wife who has remarried and whom I personally dislike a lot.
There is of course my ship of choice, Charlie and Dani. She's incredibly damaged and f*cked up, but then so is he.
The promo shots are very funny with the whole hands on hips thing
Dani's pose here is absolutely hilarious
Nonetheless, I really like them as partners
They're always looking out for one another
In season 2 they introduce a new boss. Captain Kevin Tidwell played by Canadian Donal Logue
They keep trying to imply that something might arise between Tidwell and Dani, but I sure hope not.
I adore the relationship between Charlie and Ted. I don't ship them, but the friendship is gorgeous.
Ted keeps worrying that he's been relegated to the role of side-kick so has asked anxiously whether he is Robin to Charlie's Batman or worse - Alfred.
Sometimes they're almost like an old married could with the way Ted asks dumb questions and Charlie glares at him :)
Still, when Jack Reese comes to threaten Ted, Charlie's there telling Reese to back off ...
Ted's always there to back him up
Like all tv heroes, Charlie has a Wall of Conspiracy
In season 1, when Charlie gets raided, it's thanks to Ted's quick thinking that he doesn't get into deeper water, given how damning the Wall of Conspiracy is.
Still by season 2, Charlie clearly can't help himself and he starts a new Wall of Conspiracy.
There's an alterna-ship. I quite like Tidwell and the demoted Davis.
They're sassy together
Some more promo shots. Season 1 Dani
Hands on her hips
Season 2 Dani also does the hands on hips.
Non-hands on hips pose :)
Charlie, Tidwell and Dani
Season 2 cast. They all like putting their hands on their hips
I definitely recommend this series!