 | 25 Feb 10 |
Tonight I finished watching LIFE, a two-season television show starring Damian Lewis on NBC. It was cancelled, but somehow that seems to happen a lot with some of my favorite shows.
I can tell you why it was cancelled. 1) There was little action for a police drama. 2) It was too different (for a police drama) for network audiences (I suspect if it was on the WB of FOX it wouldn’t have been cancelled.) 3) It was subtle.
The premise of LIFE is simple, but don’t let the simplicity of a good log line fool you into thinking it was a simple show. A cop goes to prison for 12 years for a crime he didn’t commit. When exonerated, he’s given $50 million in restitution–and his job back.
Intrigued? I was, thanks to Toni who clued me into this series a few weeks ago.
When most people think of police drama, they think Law & Order. Hill Street Blues. CSI. They expect highs and lows, gun fights and car chases and clear good guys and bad guys. Viewer expectations in television are as important as reader expectations in genre fiction. LIFE was different, and because it was network television–the big guys–they didn’t quite know how to do different. But it’s not really their fault, it’s (again) viewer expectation: network television + crime drama = action.
What makes LIFE a brilliant show is, in fact, it’s subtly. Dialogue is crucial, but even more important than the dialogue is the actors themselves–how they react to what is laid out before them. How they see it, how they think about it, how they work through the puzzle.
I’d never seen Damian Lewis act before, but he was perfectly cast as Charlie Crews. While most viewers might expect him to turn violent when he confronts the men who framed him, his internal battle is clearly shown in his expression. Not all actors could pull this off. But the writers and creators are as much to credit with this as the actors. When Charlie crosses the line, what would be unacceptable is now acceptable. We are with him, we understand him, even when he doesn’t talk his trauma to death. The subtly of action–and the clues that the still waters run very deep (pardon the cliche)–makes the show a bit too “smart” for the casual viewer.
I’m not saying that television viewers aren’t smart–believe me, I’m a tv addict. I love good television. I have multiple shows going on now–HEROES, FRINGE (which I suspect will be cancelled), L&O SVU, CASTLE, SUPERNATURAL, and my daughters and I are half-way through season 4 of BUFFY. But for a mass audience, there is a certain formula for success. High stakes. Action. Love. Betrayal. Hate. Irony. Puzzles. While LIFE had a crime that was investigated and solved in every episode, it also had an overarching plot that was threaded through every episode. If you didn’t watch it from the beginning, you might be lost.
Consider THE X-FILES (Fox) and SUPERNATURAL (WB) and BUFFY (WB). All three shows have “stand alone” episodes, and their over-arching storyline is easy to understand even if you missed a few. (SUPERNATURAL seasons 4 and 5 went away from that–they are hard to follow if you haven’t been there from at least the beginning of season 4, maybe 3, but they still have the stand-alones.) But . . . they were all on “off” networks. Networks who could survive with smaller audiences–niche audiences.
Ok, going back to the show. All the characters were strong, but LIFE was Charlie Crews. Donald Maass says in FIRE IN FICTION:
“An aura of greatness comes foremost not from who a given character may be, but from the profound impact that character has on others.”
When I think about why Charlie Crews was such a great character, I could focus on the details of the characterization–his love of fruit (he couldn’t eat fresh fruit in prison.) How he would use his siren and authority to pull over his ex-wife’s new husband (she thought he was guilty, divorced him and remarried.) His affinity for Zen philosophy or his odd comments that have us tilted our head quizzically just like his partner, Dani Reese (who represents us, the viewer, the outsider, in so many ways.)
But Charlie wasn’t a great character because of his idiosyncrasies. He wasn’t a great character by the characterization–the combination of writing and acting. He was a great character because of how HE impacted those around him.
A catalyst is: “a person or thing that causes a change.”
Technically, a catalyst is something that causes a change that is in and of itself not affected. But I like this definition from the online Free Dictionary:
“A substance, usually used in small amounts relative to the reactants, that modifies and increases the rate of a reaction without being consumed in the process.”
Putting the chemical relationship aside, consider your hero (in this case Charlie Crews) as a catalyst. To be a true hero, they must increase the action/reaction/stakes but not be consumed–diminished–or destroyed in the process. They must create something better than themselves to be a hero. Solve a crime without becoming a criminal. Save a life without taking another. Save the world without dying themselves.
A true catalyst changes those around them. They become better–bigger–happier–than they were before they met the catalyst. Every person Charlie Crews came in contact with was changed . . . even while Charlie remained the same. The major characters–his partner, his captain, his former partner, his former prison-mates–were of course impacted and became better people because of how Charlie interacted with their lives. But even the minor characters–the crime survivors, for example–were better off because of something that Charlie gave of himself to them–that didn’t change Charlie himself. And I think that’s so important in fiction.
Characters must have an impact on the world around them. They don’t live in a bubble. Every action has a reaction; every choice has consequences.
Toni emailed me last week and said she’d just finished watching the Season Two finale (and the end of the series) and wanted to talk about it with me. Now I know why. It was truly the single best ending to a series I’ve seen. Everything came full-circle. We had the answers, but nothing was laid out on a silver platter. We did have to work for it. And Charlie changed in some ways, but he was never consumed or diminished by the process. He could have been–he should have been–but he was a hero.
This is one series I’ll be watching again, from the beginning.
If you want to talk about LIFE, I’m game! Or if you have another larger than life character from books or television or movies that may be overlooked as a pitch-perfect character, tell us who and why.
© 2010, Allison Brennan. All rights reserved.
Allison Brennan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award winning author of seventeen romantic thrillers and several short stories. She lives near Sacramento, California with her husband and five children. Recently, RT Book Reviews called Allison "A master of suspense." And Lee Child said of her Kincaid series launch, "A world-class nail-biter ... Brennan is in the groove with this one." For fun Allison enjoys wine tasting, swimming, kids sports, playing video games, and "of course" reading. Her most recent release is IF I SHOULD DIE, book three in the Lucy Kincaid series. Watch for SILENCED coming on 4.24.12.
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I totally agree! It was a great show. It was full of subtle humor and great characters. TNT should pick it up like SOUTHLAND, another great, different show.
by Tracy February 25th, 2010 at 8:37 amSpeaking as someone who has never had cable, I get really tired of the networks dumbing things down, to the point where all their programming is bland and dimwitted. Studio 7, The West Wing, and other shows were so good, so well-written, but they took them off in favor of the same-old, same-old dreck.
I didn’t really get into Life, mostly because it was gone before I had a chance to watch an episode.
by Karen in Ohio February 25th, 2010 at 9:25 amWow! Thanks for reminding me about Life and Charlie Crews. What a great show!
One of my most memorable sequences was when Charlie bought his ex a white horse and left it out on the front lawn of her and her current husband’s suburban home. She was ticked – a horse grazing on her landscaped lawn! — but you could tell she was thrilled because he had given that gift to the girl she’d left behind.
And then there was that crazy expensive luxury car – with bullet holes.
Maybe you missed it, but Damian Lewis was Lt. Winters in “Band of Brothers.”
by RhondaL February 25th, 2010 at 10:10 amGreat article, Allison. I loved Life and was so disappointed when it was canned. Damien Lewis is a great actor. For more of his work, you might try the great HBO mini-series, Band of Brothers. Lewis was one of the leads, and he was superb. All around, it’s one of the best series HBO ever did.
by Vanessa Kelly February 25th, 2010 at 10:11 amOkay, Rhonda and Vanessa that’s two more recommendations for Band of Brothers (two people on FB mentioned it.) I might have to look into it . . .
Rhonda, I loved the horse scene too. There is definitely a lot they could explore if someone else picked up the show, but I think it’s too late now . . . they have Rachel, his wife, Ted Earley (Alan Arkin–another great character who was deeply affected by Charlie), Tidwell, etc. Lots of good stuff.
by Allison Brennan February 25th, 2010 at 10:16 amA, fwiw, Carl loved Band of Brothers. Watched it twice, I think. I hadn’t realized Damien was in that ’til after seeing Life.
by toni mcgee causey February 25th, 2010 at 11:56 amGreat post, Allison, and spot-on! My husband and I *loved* this show from day one and we were so bummed when we realized it got cancelled. I think we saw almost every episode (I’m bad about remembering air times/dates, and don’t watch a lot of TV in general) but I see from your post that we definitely missed the final episode — argh! I’m going to have to rent the DVDs of the whole series and enjoy it from start to finish. LIFE marathon!
Thanks for a thought-provoking post.
by Lara February 25th, 2010 at 10:17 amIt’s worth it Lara!!! You can see in the last few episodes what they did to speed up the resolution of the over-arching storyline. There was one pivotal change (when a character was kidnapped) that signaled the cancellation of the show, but how they took those 6 or 7 episopdes and created the ending was brilliant
by Allison Brennan February 25th, 2010 at 10:21 amSounds great, Allison. I can’t believe I missed the finale. I guess I assumed that in the rush to cut off the series, they’d just ended it with no real resolution to the overarching plot. Kudos to the writers for being able to pull the threads together under the duress of cancellation! Now I really can’t wait to get the DVDs and watch the whole series.
by Lara February 25th, 2010 at 10:33 amLara, you can also watch it in high definition on your computer using HULU.com — they’re going to have the entire two seasons available through Sept.
by toni mcgee causey February 25th, 2010 at 12:04 pmI adored this show, and like you, every show I love seems to get cancelled.
The writing was great. I think the problem was also that you had to be patient while he puzzled out the mystery, and we live in an instant gratification society these days.
Damien Lewis was phenomenal in Band of Brothers. A long but incredibly worthwhile mini-series.
by Lori February 25th, 2010 at 10:39 amOh, I just remembered another show I loved that was cancelled–FIREFLY. One season. The sad thing about that cancellation was that the network screwed it up by airing shows out of order (they had the Olympics or sports playoffs or something and the show was moved around a lot.) I watched it on DVD after it was cancelled and they showed them in order. It was fabulous.
by Allison Brennan February 25th, 2010 at 10:45 amI watched Firefly too, on DVD, Allison, as well as the movie. I liked it..okay, but I could see why it didn’t strike a chord.
I never remember to DVR Breaking Bad, but I love that show and I can’t wait until season 2 hits the shelves, I only watched about 3 episodes before I got busy.
If I buy Life on DVR, will I get mad it’s off the air?
by Lori Armstrong February 25th, 2010 at 11:46 amLori, I did. It’s a brilliant show. One of the best written and best acted shows.
You can also see it on your computer on HULU.com — high definition. That’s how I watched it because I am cheap.
by toni mcgee causey February 25th, 2010 at 12:06 pmI don’t think you’ll get mad because there is a resolution. You’ll be upset because Charlie is such a great character, but I think there is enough closure to satisfy you.
by Allison Brennan February 26th, 2010 at 12:45 amI thought Charlie’s loyalty to Ted, his former cellmate, was one of the best relationships in the series.
And, as skeptical as his partner Dani was of Charlie and as bedeviled as she was by his unorthodox choices, he helped heal her, too.
Doggone it! Am I going to have to go out and buy another DVD box set. I need another one of those like I need a hole in my pants.
by RhondaL February 25th, 2010 at 11:51 amI just really loved this show. I loved the depths they gave Charlie. And his non sequiturs were wonderful… but what I *really* loved about that aspect of him was that you saw they weren’t just him being silly — he’d learned how to keep people off guard around him while in prison. When you saw Charlie with his ex–when he was really most himself… and then later in the series, with Dani–you could see there was more trust there, and so not as much need for this layer of abrupt cross-purpose non-sequitur type of dialog. You could just SEE that at work, without the writers ever once TELLING it. It was just brilliant. And when he was at his most stressed, dead serious, you started seeing the real Charlie, the one who was not going to break.
I swear, there were so many funny moments, but I absolutely HOWLED at the line, “Why do you always have to TOUCH everything.”
(I’m not telling why. It was one of those moments I’d give my eyeteeth to have written.)
by toni mcgee causey February 25th, 2010 at 12:12 pmYeah, Toni, we’re going to have to talk about it! I’m going to watch it again. I think one of my favorite aspects of Charlie was how he views everything, from the crime scenes to his partner to life in general. As he works through puzzles, we totally see how he gets from point A to point B even when he goes through X, J, and Q to get there. He’s obsessed but knows it. And while he is obsessed about finding who framed him, it doesn’t consume him to the point of no return. He’s brave without being stupid. He’s one of my all-time favorite characters. And that the climax was in the orange grove–which I think he bought in episode 1 or 2–was a perfect circle. Amazing.
by Allison Brennan February 25th, 2010 at 2:18 pmI just heard a rumor that one of Charlie Huston’s series has been picked up by HBO. I’m guessing it’s his vampire series. I’ve been a huge fan of his for years, and I am hoping this show will have great success, but I think it will be another situation where viewer expectations will be tested. His Joe Pitt is unlike any other fictional vampire – and while there is plenty of action in the series, the true strength of the stories is in Joe’s character, which is incredibly dark and complex even in a genre that’s already dark and complex.
Any TV series that can really pull off deep character work impresses me. I don’t watch much TV, but Firefly’s a great example, and shows like Six Feet Under, where I really felt like the character arc was sustained properly over the life of ht show.
by Sophie Littlefield February 25th, 2010 at 12:24 pmI’ve heard a lot of good things about SIX FEET UNDER . . . I might have to try it.
by Allison Brennan February 26th, 2010 at 12:47 amI’m missing out on all the good shows! We are just in a rut, plus we don’t have HBO.
I feel so left out
by Jen Lyon February 25th, 2010 at 12:52 pmI did watch that show for the first season. Not sure why I didn’t watch the second. It was an unusual cop show because it wasn’t a shoot-em-up show. It was a more deep thinking show. Perhaps that’s why it was cancelled. People didn’t want to think that hard. Personally I like a show that causes you to use your brain.
by Linda Henderson February 25th, 2010 at 12:53 pmI agree with you, I loved the show and was very disapointed when it was canceled! That always happens when there is something I really want to watch.
by Quilt Lady February 25th, 2010 at 1:53 pmLawyer Guy loved LIFE. I don’t watch much TV and tend to keep my choices narrowed to a few I really enjoy. One I really miss is JOHN DOE. It was another Fox show that was quirky and different but like FIREFLY, it didn’t find it’s audience in time.
Currently, CASTLE and BONES are my mainstays, with NCIS a close third, even though the lack of of veracity in cop/military/investigation protocols make me cringe occasionally…okay, a lot. Because I love the characters and their interaction, I can forgive the technical aspects.
Great topic today, Allison!
by Silver James February 25th, 2010 at 2:11 pmGreat post! I loved this show and was devastated when it was cancelled. At least they sorta-kinda wrapped it up in the finale.
by Marlyn February 25th, 2010 at 3:26 pmThanks, Allison! I wish there were more room for subtlety on television. Even shows that start out well seem to get so diluted by the time they’ve been on the air a few seasons. Sometimes I start out watching a show, love the drama and the acting, and by season three its just everyone sleeping with everyone and all the characters have been completely sexed up to make it more appealing. I’m going to have to give LIFE a try. Haven’t watched it.
by Laura Griffin February 25th, 2010 at 10:06 pmI can tell you with utter certainty that I am not the reason it was canceled. hadn’t ever heard of it.
Even though many of the shows I like DO end up getting sacked…
I’m bummed about Dollhouse. I LOVED Dollhouse. LOVED it and it had two lousy seasons. Sigh. Least they got to end it, though.
by Shiloh Walker February 25th, 2010 at 10:18 pmROFLOL Shiloh!!! See, you can watch it with complete confidence that some other jinx was responsible for canceling it . . . hahaha.
by Allison Brennan February 26th, 2010 at 12:46 amI like Three Rivers and Trauma, both of which got canceled. A couple of years ago CBS had a show called Moonlight about a vampire and they canceled it too. The networks don’t leave a show on long enough to know what’s good and what’s not.
by Lisa G February 25th, 2010 at 11:32 pmI too liked LIFE. It was different in a good way. Unfortunately, I’m not sure I saw the last episode.
by Patricia Barraclough February 26th, 2010 at 3:04 amMOONLIGHT didn’t last which surprised me. Vampires are big right now and the show was popular.
BONES and NCIS are favorites .
I’ve got to say that LIFE and Firefly were two of my three favorite shows over the past ten years. (the third being The West Wing — specifically during the Sorkin years).
BTW — Damian Lewis was fantastic in Band of Brothers too.
None of these three were dumbed down…and only one of them made it past season two ((sigh)).
Right now I’m enjoying Chuck (I tuned in because of Adam Baldwin and stayed tuned in because I find it amusing.) and I’m really loving White Collar — GREAT characters and chemistry imho.
by Jen February 28th, 2010 at 8:43 pmAllison, I just found this site and your article on Life/Charlie Crews. I thought I was the only one who appreciated these things about his character. There are several television characters that I love like a friend. I watch the show and I am so jealous that the writers were able to create such a character, give them the greatest lines to develop that character and then find the perfect actor to portray the character in a way that brings the character to life and, going full circle, presents us with a friend we will tune in to watch and remember for years, perhaps forever.
by Barbara March 4th, 2010 at 6:49 am