PILOT REVIEW: For Life

FOR LIFE











Starring: Nicholas Pinnock, Indira Varma, Joy Bryant, Mary Stuart Masterson, Dorian Crossmond Missick, Tyla Harris, with Glenn Fleshler and Boris McGiver

Created by Hank Steinberg
Written by Hank Steinberg, Directed by George Tillman Jr.

I may have mentioned this before, but last spring was the first time I read some of the pilot scripts. I started with the ABC scripts with plans to read all of them. Not surprisingly, life got busy and I never made it past the ABC ones. But I did read every ABC pilot. The show that became For Life came in #5 for my dramas out of nine and was one of the only three actually picked up by ABC. I do trust my instincts on pilot reads now because this show turned out as middle of the pack as its script indicated it might be.

For Life is centered on an inmate, Aaron Wallace (Nicholas Pinnock), serving a life sentence for a crime he didn't commit. Through a loophole, he managed to get a law degree and is now serving as a lawyer for others while still being behind bars. He also is trying to hold on to the relationship he has left with his ex-wife, Marie (Joy Bryant) and daughter, Jasmine (Tyla Harris) after being away from them for nearly a decade.

The worst part of the pilot was that it was heavy handed at the beginning. I don't know if they were trying to make it a secret that he was actually still incarcerated at the beginning but the "reveal" that he was still an inmate was pretty clear even if I hadn't seen the promos or read the script. They also had an obnoxious "telling not showing" moment where they pretty much explained how Wallace ended up with a law degree in a very unnatural conversation that would never have happened except to explain exposition. But I don't even think that was necessary, I think we could have over time found out how this happened or it could have been accomplished with a line or so.

Where For Life succeeds is winning performances, particularly from Nicholas Pinnock. He is a very likable lead who has some charisma but also some righteous anger. The entire cast was strong even if Pinnock was the only character to get sizable character development in the premiere. I wonder how long this show will be able to play up the "chance to get out of prison" card or will it eventually just become a show with a weekly case? It's a little bit stuck because it seems like it wants to be more than a procedural with some overarching stories but limited places to go. However, just being another legal drama doesn't seem all that appealing either. So, we'll see.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
I was thinking no but I sort of liked the final montage and the previews for future episodes so I think I might give it one more chance.