While today’s NBC infront presentation brought good news for fans of struggling shows like Heroes and Parks and Recreation. Those who enjoy Life weren’t so lucky.
Life revolves around detective Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis), a man who served a dozen years for murders that he didn’t commit. He lost all that was dear to him but survives thanks to his studies of Zen philosophy. He eventually rejoins the LAPD but is a very different man. Others in the cast include Sarah Shahi, Adam Arkin, Brent Sexton, Donal Logue, Brooke Langton, Robin Weigert, Jennifer Siebel, Victor Rivers, and Jessy Schram.
The NBC drama debuted in September 2007 to 10.15 million viewers and a 4.1/11 rating/share of the 18-49 demographic. Later episodes sank to a low of 5.72 million and a 2/6. If not for the writers strike, NBC would have cancelled Life after one year. The execs instead decided to give it another try and renewed the series for a second season.
Unfortunately, the next round of episodes didn’t perform any better than the first. NBC needs fewer shows next season because of their Jay Leno experiment but, even if they didn’t, Life wouldn’t be coming back with such poor ratings.
NBC’s co-chair, Ben Silverman, made it official today and confirmed that Life won’t be coming back next season. Thankfully, the last episode of the series gave viewers some closure and answers to ongoing questions. These days, that’s a luxury that few other shows are given.
Image courtesy NBC.
You morons! The show had poor ratings because no one watches tv! Why would we? There’s Netflix and online streaming. I think the ratings system is out of date
This was a great show. Too bad Netflix wasn’t buying shows from the networks back then. I think they would have bought this one. Great stories, great cast…viewers lose again
Please continue this show. Its literally one of the best crime shows ever! The show left us with so many questions unanswered! The main actor was GREAT! I kept rewatching it without getting tired of it! Please reconsider to continue the show. It has the best crimes for each episodes too.
being in love with Damin Lewis I started watching this series on Netflix! OMG it’s really good. I think he has such great presence on screen, It is difficult not to watch him in anything. First saw him in Homeland, and became under his spell. Great actor a Brit, and a redhead. Go figure!! Never knew this series existed, 2008-2009. This must have not been marketed well or at all. But I want a
I love this show!!!! Charlie Crews is adorable…would love to see more of the show…please reconsider!!!!
Life was a great series, what a mistake to remove a good show and leave other shows that do not even come close to it still on.
I love Damian Lewis in any of his shows. There isn’t anything good on tv any more so I too, have watched Life many times. Guardian is another I like. Bring Stabler back on SVU and I might watch it again.
I recently got Netflix and was happy to find this series. I watched it on NBC wish Netflix would pick it up like Longmire
loved this show, I could watch it over and over can’t believe it struggled for ratings. It had everything going for it
I have enjoyed this series very much. I have watched the 2 seasons 3 times and would like to see more.
This is why I don’t watch much American TV. A good show comes along lasts two seasons. What sells in this country is pathetic. I am American born and raised but British shows are much better. This was a good show.
contact netflix
I am almost finished with Season 2 and am very disappointed there is no Season 3. Watching it on Netflix. Never ceases to amaze me how good shows get cancelled and so many lame comedies stay on for years and reality shows continue to debut, I did not know about this show when it originally aired. I would have been a faithful viewer. Apparently I wasn’t flooded with commercials about this show as I am flooded with commercials about lame comedies and reality shows!
I waited during the Writers strike for this show and Sad that I was one of the 5.72 million that wanted to know who is next on that wall. Darn shame I tell you. Loved this show and Journey Man (Kind of like Quantum Leap) during that time of good or decent cancelled shows that should of had better ratings.
I just finished watching season one and two(for the fourth time) and it is beyond me why this show did not have a longer running. It was well acted with great plots and was interestingly quirky. The characters interaction was believable and was part of the charm of this show. Please bring back more seasons. It seems well written shows like this get canceled and the empty and offensive ones just keep going on and on.
I too am a fan and bought season 1 and trying to buy season 2 but I felt that this show can only last 2 or 3 season. Really how long can the writers string us along with him getting closer and closer to who set him up. Great show none the less. Way better then the other crappy shows that last for 5 plus seasons
Just read this week’s New Yorker article on Damian Lewis expecting a glowing reference to this career highlight and got the opposite. Only knowing this show from reruns I was shocked. Even more shocked to learn there was ever thought of a third season. It ended perfectly. More series should be so cleverly self-contained.