Pleading for Life

[inigo]

I am a battered moth. For three years, I buzzed around a bright light before the darkness finally fell. Now, I buzz around the bright light that is Life and the darkness is even denser. What is it about me and ratings-challenged, quality shows that are hard to describe in a way that doesn't make them sound lame? Anyhoo, this is not a venture in

Comments

[miniglik]

On your recommendation, I will try the Life pilot this Saturday.

Question: is there physical violence (i.e., stabbing, punching, etc)? I will watch it during the day if it's appropriate for kids to see. But I don't like them watching that kind of violence too much. I have enough trouble keeping them from wacking each other.

[inigo]

There's a murdered child, a severed finger and a shoot-out. There are also flashbacks to Charlie being beaten up in prison. They don't glory in violence in the pilot, but it is there. If you want to watch while the kids are about, you might be better with episode 4 "What They Saw" which features a darkly comic turn by Deadwood's William Sanderson. There's a murder scene at the beginning but other than than, no real violence.

For me, the pilot is the weakest of the episodes so far and from the critics' reviews, I don't think it did the show any favours. I was amused however to find this a few weeks later from the critic who produced the most damning review: "You know what? I forgot to include Life in shows I am recording. It could be a rare example, very rare, of me being wrong the first time around."

[alliterator]

I just realized that the woman who was the reporter for the internet news was played by Patty the Daytime Hooker from My Name is Earl.

This episode was entirely awesome, especially Sarah Shahi.

[inigo]

She is phenomenal in this episode. I didn't know the actress at all before this, but I'm really impressed.

[funky_donut]

Why do we get sucked into these seemingly doomed shows? I didn't watch the pilot until after I read a ratings column saying that everyone in the critic biz was surprised at how well Life did in its first night out. Of course, it turns out that "well" was a relative term, meaning that it just didn't completely tank. Now I'm hooked, and as I'm reading the thread on TWoP and the suggestions for campaigns, I feel this awful deja vu. Ideas for postcards featuring Dani and Charlie and fruit and the phrase "We're all-in" pop into my head. But I'm not the same person that I was 3? 4? years ago, and I don't think I can fight, as much as I want this show to stick around.

Excellent character summary. I really liked this episode. I'm planning to rewatch the episode you loaded for me, as so far I've only watched the online version.

[inigo]

I know what you mean about fighting. I don't think I've got it in me either. All I feel up to doing it talking about it where I can. I commented on you opinion on Hey!Nielsen to this effect but I can't decide if the writers' strike is going to help or kill it.

Do you agree about Charlie? I was having a discussion on AIM with grim and was struggling to express what I was thinking, but I tried again here. I'm saying that we take on disguises as defence mechanisms and there comes a point where the disguise becomes us. I'd really like to be in Charlie's head to know if he thinks the Zen is still a disguise (which his continued investigation, his attack on Cudahy support) or if he thinks that he has actually become or is striving to become Zen despite still struggling with the attachment to his investigation.

[grimorie]

I've fallen completely and totally in love with Life and found this post. This episode is one of the best and I love reading your thoughts about the show.

Dani's addiction to alcohol exposes her to terrible harm and yet saves her life when she can overpower Rick after being forced to drink an amount that would incapacitate most.

I have to admit, this never occurred to me, Dani's addiction to alcohol did save her life. But most of all I love how Dani showed up Rick who was so sure he knew everything about Dani and that Dani's pain didn't measure to his secret pain. And then the moment she reveals her own past and show how stark and raw and deeper her demons were and all Rick could do was look at her, looking small. I love that.

But most of all, I love that she saved herself and that moment with 'Just don't let me fall' broke my heard, for me, now, that's the code of their partnership, to never let the other fall.

Anyway, thank you for writing such an insightful post.

[inigo]

Sorry to take so long to respond to your comment. I've been sort of off the net for a while.

Thanks for your comments. I'm amazed you found the post but pleased to know that you found it insightful. I always reckon I'm as insightful as a brick wall. I love Life, I really do. I am so happy that NBC are sticking with it.

Have you found other places to read posts about Life? I joined pers_pinapple but haven't really hooked up with individuals writing about the show. I'd be happy to receive any recommendations.

[grimorie]

No worries, it happens to me too. And, yes, I did find a lot insightful things about your post, I still go around the net from time to time for any and all comments on Life. Honestly, I think I would have cried if NBC didn't renew the show, I have fallen *hard* for the show.

Have you found other places to read posts about Life?

pers_pineapple is a good start, I also found vonnie_k (she's the one who pimped me into watching the show), hrlo, aj, wee_warrior and denynothing1 have some good meta on the show. I also have some (read: a lot) of posts on Life.

I do have a rec, if you read fanfic that is: denynothing1 has a fantastic Life story. It's gen and it's long and the voices are just pitch perfect to cap it off, she wrote an interesting author's note to the story that I found as fascinating as the story itself.

Five Times Charlie Crews Didn't Tan (and One Time He Got Burned) by denynothing1