Scripted series · NBC
Life
TV's most intriguing detective. LA's most unsual crimes.
Who's in it
Cast
The principal ensemble across the run of the series.
Damian Lewis
Charlie Crews
32 eps
Sarah Shahi
Dani Reese
32 eps
Brooke Langton
Constance Griffiths
12 eps
Brent Sexton
Robert 'Bobby' Stark
32 eps
Donal Logue
Kevin Tidwell
21 eps
Adam Arkin
Ted Earley
32 eps
Gabrielle Union
Jane Seever
4 eps
Robin Weigert
Karen Davis
12 eps
Max Gail
Dr. Jackson Bridger
1 eps
Victoria Pratt
Diane Graham
1 eps
Michael Raymond-James
Tex Uhry
1 eps
Clayne Crawford
Eval
1 eps
Mary Mouser
Carin Sutter
1 eps
Erik Estrada
Erik Estrada
1 eps
Emma Degerstedt
Carly Brimmer
1 eps
Todd Stashwick
James Brenford
1 eps
Tessa Thompson
Liza
1 eps
Amara Zaragoza
Sasha
1 eps
Angela Goethals
Patty York
1 eps
Josh Randall
Evan Tucker
1 eps
Erick Avari
Edward Zakaria
1 eps
Michele Hicks
Nina Fiske
1 eps
Summer Altice
Young Woman
1 eps
Linda Park
Asst. Coroner Debbie Quo
1 eps
William Sanderson
Holt Easley
1 eps
Soren Fulton
Nate
1 eps
Noelle Sheldon
Darcy Gibney
1 eps
Lori Rom
Marissa Gale
1 eps
Jessica Paré
Julia
1 eps
Christina Hendricks
Olivia
4 eps
Geoff Pierson
Charlie Crews Sr.
2 eps
Rodney Rowland
Neil Cudahy
2 eps
Michael Cudlitz
Mark Rawls
3 eps
Jennifer Siebel Newsom
Jennifer Conover
10 eps
Amanda Fuller
Ann Earley
2 eps
David Kagen
Tins' Lawyer
2 eps
Benjamín Benítez
Tito Juarez
2 eps
Roger Aaron Brown
Det. Carl Ames Ret.
5 eps
Matt Gerald
Krebbs
2 eps
Michael Harney
John Garrity
2 eps
The Nutevio profile
TV DNA
How Life actually feels to watch, measured on the traits our editors track across every series.
Signature profile
Life reads strongest on Tension, Character Depth and Cliffhanger Intensity.
The sustained pressure the series keeps you under.
How fully written and psychologically layered the ensemble is.
How often an episode ends on a hook you can't ignore.
How hard it is to stop after one episode.
How much each hour depends on the one before it.
How much the series is designed to affect you.
Visual ambition — scale, craft and set-piece filmmaking.
The scale, internal logic and texture of the world.
How often the series is genuinely funny, by design.
The story
What it's about
Complex, offbeat Detective Charlie Crews returns to the force after serving time in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Crews' new lease on life has provided him with a Zen-like outlook, peace of mind and no need for vengeance, an attitude which can be challenging to maintain when someone he cares about is threatened — or when he is investigating the mystery surrounding the murder he was falsely accused of.
The run
Seasons
2 seasons · 32 episodes.
- Poster unavailableSpecials
Season 0 · Unannounced
Specials
3 episodes
Season 1 · Complete
Season 1
200711 episodes
8.0IMDbLife was his sentence. Life is what he got back. The unconventional police officer-turned-convict-turned-detective gets a second chance. After twelve years in prison for a murder he didn't commit, offbeat Charlie Crews has returned to the force with a $50 million settlement, a new spiritual outlook, a strong fondness for fruit, and a highly unusual approach to solving crime. With the aid of his skeptical and demanding new partner, Dani Reese, he's turning police procedure upside down.
Best episode · S01E11 Fill It Up
Season 2 · Complete
Season 2
200821 episodes
8.3IMDbHe's got a second chance at life…and he's doing whatever it takes to make every moment count. Charlie Crews, an eccentric detective returning to the force after being wrongfully imprisoned is back on the beat with his determined partner, Dani Reese, and his unusually Zen-like outlook toward the cases he investigates. This unconventional crime solver tries to catch the LA wrongdoers who really belong behind bars—as well as whomever was behind his own fall from grace.
Best episode · S02E01 Find Your Happy Place
Where the series peaks
Best Episodes
The hours that define the show, ranked by audience response and editorial signal.
S02E21 · Signature episode
One
When Roman wants to trade Reese for Rayborn, whom he's convinced is still alive, Crews launches a covert crusade to find his partner, which brings him answers to long-standing questions along the way.
- Directed by Frederick King Keller
- Written by Rand Ravich
S02E20 · Signature episode
Initiative 38
When the wife of a prominent campaign runner is murdered, Crews and Seever wonder if her death is related to a controversial gun ban initiative that she spearheaded.
- Directed by John Behring
- Written by Rand Ravich
S01E11 · Signature episode
Fill It Up
Hoping to take down Jack Reese, Crews finds the Seybolts' murderer, but doesn't succeed in proving who set him up.
- Directed by Daniel Sackheim
- Written by Rand Ravich
S01E09
Serious Control Issues
While investigating the case of a murdered homeless girl, Reese and Crews stumble across a child who was kidnapped when he was three.
- Directed by Marcos Siega
S01E08 · Signature episode
Farthingale
While investigating the murder of a bigomist, Crews is suspected for the murder of policeman Ames.
- Directed by Peter Markle
- Written by Rand Ravich
S01E02
Tear Asunder
Crews and Reese investigate a bride's murder; Crews realizes that a child may have witnessed the murders for which he was convicted.
- Directed by Daniel Sackheim
- Written by Rand Ravich
Recently aired
Latest Episodes
S02E21 · Signature episode
One
- Directed by Frederick King Keller
- Written by Rand Ravich
S02E20 · Signature episode
Initiative 38
- Directed by John Behring
- Written by Rand Ravich
Behind the series
Created by
Showrunners, creators, executive producers and the writers who set the voice of the series.
Rand Ravich
Showrunner
Daniel Sackheim
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Far Shariat
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
David Semel
Executive producer
- Photo unavailable
Glen Mazzara
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Marjorie David
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Rafael Alvarez
Writer
- Photo unavailable
Bob Colleary
Writer
David Manson
Writer
The craft
Key Crew
Directing, writing, production, camera, music and editing.
Executive production
- Daniel SackheimExecutive Producer
- Loucas GeorgeProducer
- Rand RavichExecutive Producer
- Michael KewleyProducer
- Far ShariatExecutive Producer
- David SemelExecutive Producer
Writing
- Glen MazzaraWriter
- Marjorie DavidWriter
- Rand RavichWriter
- Rafael AlvarezWriter
- Bob CollearyWriter
- David MansonWriter
Direction
- John BehringDirector
- Daniel SackheimDirector
- Elodie KeeneDirector
- Paul McCraneDirector
- Holly DaleDirector
- Peter MarkleDirector
Cinematography
- Sidney SidellDirector of Photography
Where to watch
Streaming
Availability verified against regional listings.
- Amazon Prime VideoStreaming
- Amazon VideoBuy
- Apple TV StoreBuy
- Peacock PremiumStreaming
- Google Play MoviesBuy
- Fandango At HomeBuy
- Amazon Prime Video with AdsStreaming
- Peacock Premium PlusStreaming
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Where to go from here
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Another morally complex epic for anyone who wanted more grey.
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Watch this next if you like protagonists you can't quite defend.
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