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Life: Find Your Happy Place [season premiere]

By fred | September 30, 2008

(S02E01) Do you remember that day, last year, in December ? it was a Wednesday I think, December 5th, 2007 ? Yeah I know, it’s been like 10 month, of course you don’t really remember what happened that day, so I’ll give it to you : it was the last time a new episode of one of the greatest series to ever grace our screen was on the air. Oh yeah, it’s been ten freaking long months until we saw a new episode of Life !!

Needless to say, I was incredibly happy to have it back. Also, if you didn’t remember everything, that’s because NBC didn’t think things like reruns would be helpful. But let’s not talk about that, let’s focus on the episode. This awesome episode. I’ll tell you, I was worried. When I started watching this episode, I was very excited, and also worried.

Now I’m just excited, and happy. I think this is where I smile, my happy place : in front of an episode of Life.

I was worried because of Dani’s new look, which I’m sure you’ll have noticed too. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s a good look and I don’t need that to see how hot Sarah Shahi is, but here’s the thing. That look, that may be Shahi, but that’s not Reese. Not that she was ever defined by her looks, certainly not, but it was an important part of who she was and how she defined herself : a strong cop, a good cop, that shouldn’t be judged by her look.

That’s why she didn’t wear anything too sexy or revealing, why she had her hair up and the leather jacket. It was Dani, and that’s who we got to know her during 11 episodes. Now to have her all of a sudden in a brand new look, it’s almost like Charlie had lost the sunglasses or the fruits, something would be wrong. We didn’t even get any explanation as to where this comes from, but then we also didn’t get anything about how and why Lieutenant Davis got demoted, it’s been months and we missed a lot, so maybe it’ll come later. I sure hope so.

But I was so relieved to see that other than that, this was still Life. Great cinematography, L.A. a very important character of the show, a music also so important and relevant to she show, Charlie was still his old true self, filled of fruits and Zenitude, and even Dani didn’t change. They’re still here, still work great at interrogating people together, and while there’s still secrets between them, that one especially involving her father and how Charlie got to spend 12 years of his life in prison, their relationship is evolving, and yet still the same.

Some of the tension might be gone, they’re more at ease with each other now that they know each other more, but Charlie still has his own ways, leaving the new Captain’s office like that without a word, and Dani is still annoyed by some of his Zen thoughts. This just makes me happy, as I said last season, one of the thing I love about this show is watch how Reese reacts to Crews, how she will smile or give him a look, and that only, without a word, means a lot more than anything else.

When going on in another one of his Zen reflections, just one look is all it took for her to shut him up at some point, and that’s exactly the moments in Life I adore, the moments that make me smile. I do wish we had more of them, but I’m sure we’ll have plenty more in the future. This episode seemed to focus a bit more on Charlie and the procedural aspect of things, which isn’t necessarily the best of things, but it’s also a season premiere after a 10-month break, so it’s understandable I think.

So there’s a new sherif in town, or a Captain at least. Captain Tidwell is the new boss, and I’m not sure what to think of him so far. He has his own style for sure, but he didn’t made much of an impression on me at this point. I did like that he too seemed to have his secrets, buried in his past, I’m not sure I liked the little moments where it looked like he was flirting with Reese.

Posted in Reviews
Shows: Life