Life (2009): Season 1
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 26, 2007
  • Season #: 1 , 2
Life (2009) Image
Metascore
64 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.2 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 210 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Starring: Adam Arkin, Adam Arkin, Damian Lewis
  • Summary: Charlie's back after being falsely held in in prison for twelve years. Like a fish out of water, will he (and the show) flop or swim?
  • Genre(s): Drama

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 21
  3. Negative: 4 out of 21
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Ken Tucker
    83
    Life is intelligent fun.
  2. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Mary McNamara
    80
    Playing it long and lugubrious but with a tantalizing twinkle, Lewis (last seen in the States as the hateful husband in "The Forsyte Saga") may well wrest the mantle of sexiest troubled American played by a Brit away from Hugh Laurie.
  3. Chicago Tribune
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    60
    Mildly satisfying, but pretty formulaic.
  4. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Robert Bianco
    37
    Strip away the abrasive flourishes, and what's left is a standard-issue TV mystery with cases that are too easy to solve and internal conflicts and conspiracies that make no sense.

See all 21 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 132 out of 136
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 136
  3. Negative: 1 out of 136
  1. sjeppell
    10
    The writing is great, the pacing is great, the character development is fantastic, the camera work is engaging. This is a thoroughly entertaining show. As I came upon the last episode, I worried that it would end in medias res. But in fact, they wrap the whole thing up beautifully and you are left with a satisfied sense of having read through a long and wonderful novel.… Expand
  2. PatrickS
    8
    Great show. One of the few new fall shows worth watching
  3. MartinS.
    7
    I was predisposed to hate this show. Franklly I couldn't see Damian Lewis as an ex-con or an ex-cop but it seems to work.
  4. WestonT.
    4
    Remember Hunter? Yeah, like that with more personal issues. The acting is better than normal, the potential for a good story is there... I just hope the writers can deliver (not too optimistic though... the new age self-help-ery is pretty annoying to get through.) If they stopped trying to be obscure without being condescending, it would help the show greatly.… Expand

See all 136 User Reviews

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