List of Life episodes

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The following is a list of episodes for Life, an American police drama television program created by Rand Ravich that aired for two seasons on NBC. It was produced by Universal Media Studios under the supervision of executive producers Rand Ravich, Far Shariat, David Semel, and Daniel Sackheim. Semel also directed the pilot.

The series stars Damian Lewis as Charlie Crews, a detective released from prison after serving twelve years for a crime he did not commit. Life premiered on September 26, 2007 on NBC and aired on Wednesday nights at 10 EST. On May 4, 2009, NBC announced Life would not be returning for a third season.[1]

Series overview[edit]

Season Episodes Originally aired DVD release date
Season premiere Season finale Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
1 11 September 26, 2007 (2007-09-26) December 5, 2007 (2007-12-05) September 2, 2008 (2008-09-02)[2] February 2, 2009 (2009-02-02) N/A
2 21 September 29, 2008 (2008-09-29) April 8, 2009 (2009-04-08) August 25, 2009 (2009-08-25)[3] N/A N/A

Episode list[edit]

Season 1 (2007)[edit]

No. # Title Directed by Written by Original air date
1 1 "Merit Badge"
"Pilot: Merit Badge"
David Semel Rand Ravich September 26, 2007 (2007-09-26)
The pilot introduces us to Detective Charlie Crews and the painful cobwebs of his past as he returns to a world that has moved on without him. His appreciation for the details offers him a unique insight into crime solving. Also, his newfound Life reminds us of all the little things we easily take for granted.
2 2 "Tear Asunder" Daniel Sackheim Rand Ravich October 3, 2007 (2007-10-03)
When a new bride is murdered her husband becomes the prime suspect. Crews has his doubts and is determined to help, not wanting to send an innocent man to prison. Crews goes back to the crime scene that put him in prison and discovers a break in his own case.
3 3 "Let Her Go" Lawrence Trilling Glen Mazzara October 10, 2007 (2007-10-10)
A husband and wife are victims of a carjacking which ends in the wife being murdered. Crews and Reese become suspicious of the husband when he refuses to identify the suspect and they have to let him go free. Crews goes to see the detective that handled his case.
4 4 "What They Saw" David Straiton Jonathan Shapiro October 17, 2007 (2007-10-17)
A gay marriage is ended after one partner is found dead in the couple's home. Crews finds a homeless man living behind the house, whom Reese takes into custody for the murder. Crews and Reese try to determine what really happened at the house only to find the case goes beyond simple murder.
5 5 "The Fallen Woman" Tony Wharmby Rand Ravich October 24, 2007 (2007-10-24)
A woman is killed wearing an angel costume after being thrown from a hotel window. Crews and Reese must figure out who the woman is and why she was in a hotel room that was not registered. They find out the victim had been involved in a scam involving Russian women who seduce rich men, marry them, and the husbands are forced to make payments to the leader of the scam or lose their bride and dignity by harsh means. The main problem Crews and Reese have is they have difficulties connecting the murder to the leader. Crews is given a tip about an armed robbery that might be connected with his former partner.
6 6 "Powerless" John Dahl Marjorie David October 31, 2007 (2007-10-31)
While at an AA meeting Reese believes she hears someone admit to a rape. She finds herself in danger as she investigates further. Crews goes on a stakeout with Lt. Davis and learns some surprising information about his former partner, Bobby Stark.
7 7 "A Civil War" Daniel Sackheim Rafael Alvarez November 7, 2007 (2007-11-07)
A hate crime turns out to be a young man's cry for help. Crews and Reese investigate a case where two Persian-Americans are killed and a third is kidnapped. They believe they are dealing with a hate crime so they race to meet the kidnappers' demands before it's too late. Meanwhile, Crews dreams about solar panels and decides to buy a solar farm. Ted starts to question Crews' impulsive nature.
8 8 "Farthingale" Peter Markle Rand Ravich November 14, 2007 (2007-11-14)
Crews and Reese investigate a gas explosion in which an IRS agent leading a double life is the victim. What makes the case more difficult is the victim has two wives and acted as if he were a top secret spy for the US government. Crews and Reese try to determine the motive behind the killing and find who rigged the stove to explode. Crews is once again a suspect in a murder investigation when the lead detective who handled his case is found murdered.
9 9 "Serious Control Issues" Marcos Siega Laurie Arent November 28, 2007 (2007-11-28)
When a runaway girl is found dead underneath a freeway overpass, Crews and Reese are struck by the death scene. Just when they are close to capturing the killer, they realize they've stumbled on another crime, a kidnapping from 12 years ago. Meanwhile, Crews takes action towards the case against him.
10 10 "Dig a Hole" Daniel Sackheim Rand Ravich December 3, 2007 (2007-12-03)
Crews and Reese receive a case where the body of a Zen instructor is found in a construction site. What makes the case more interesting is the fact the body was buried alive. Crews and Reese speak with past students and find out what happened to the instructor. Crews received a confidential file on Jack Reese and believes he discovered the killer in his case.
11 11 "Fill It Up" Daniel Sackheim Rand Ravich December 5, 2007 (2007-12-05)
Crews locates the killer in his case and finds out exactly what happened the night his friends died. Crews also finds out more information about Jack Reese. While Crews is away, Reese is left the task of finding a gun used in a murder.

Season 2 (2008–2009)[edit]

No. # Title Directed by Written by Original air date
12 1 "Find Your Happy Place" Daniel Sackheim Rand Ravich September 29, 2008 (2008-09-29)
We meet John Armstrong, a man who works with greeting cards at a stationery store, and who is suspected of murdering people by putting them in trunks and letting them suffocate. Also, an ice cream truck driver sells more than ice cream from his truck.
13 2 "Everything… All the Time" David Straiton Rand Ravich October 3, 2008 (2008-10-03)
Crews and Reese investigate the murder of a man found beaten and tied to a chair at the bottom of a pool. While at first it appears to be gang related the investigation leads to an underground party circuit. Reese's father goes to Ted to see what Crews knows about him. Charlie asks his ex-wife to talk to Rachel the only survivor of the family he was accused of killing.
14 3 "The Business of Miracles" Elodie Keene Jonathan Shapiro October 6, 2008 (2008-10-06)
The body of a cancer research scientist is found frozen, at first Crews and Reese think it was an animal rights group, but as they look into the scientist's personal life they aren't so sure. Crews tries to prove that Jack Reese was involved in him going to prison.
15 4 "Not for Nothing" Peter Markle Scott M. Gimple October 10, 2008 (2008-10-10)
When a university's social psychology experiment using students in the roles of inmates and prison guards (based loosely on the Stanford prison experiment) goes seriously wrong, Crews and Reese are called on to find out who murdered one of the guards.
16 5 "Crushed" Holly Dale Marjorie David October 17, 2008 (2008-10-17)
A worker at a tow/wrecking yard is killed on site. The investigation has the team question fellow workers as well as the family of Arthur Grey, an ex-badass who cleaned up his life and now is a music mogul. The episode will also focus on the widow of a police officer who was accidentally killed 20 years ago. The widow was told it was suicide but there is more to this death. Some students who attend Ted's business school class are more interested in learning how to cheat the system than following the laws and rules.
17 6 "Did You Feel That?" Tucker Gates Jonathan Shapiro & Scott M. Gimple October 24, 2008 (2008-10-24)
During an earthquake, Crews and Reese are looking for an escaped murderer which they had arrested a year earlier. At first they are trying to protect him but the detectives later learn that he is not the victim. Meanwhile, Ted suffers an injury from the earthquake and makes a call for help.
18 7 "Jackpot" Daniel Sackheim Rand Ravich November 5, 2008 (2008-11-05)
A woman is found in a pool of blood sitting at a table with a romantic dinner set for two. The investigation leads Crews and Reese to a support group for lottery winners full of eccentric characters. The detectives soon discover lottery winners often suffer broken psyches after suddenly becoming richer than they ever could have imagined. Meanwhile, Rachel refuses to tell Crews anything about her family's murder or about Jack Reese, however, the two unexpectedly realize they share a common bond.
19 8 "Black Friday" David Straiton Story: Marjorie David
Teleplay: Wendolyn Calhoun & Melissa Scrivner
November 12, 2008 (2008-11-12)
20 9 "Badge Bunny" Jay Torres Rand Ravich November 19, 2008 (2008-11-19)
When a drug dealer and an elementary school teacher are found dead in a bad part of town, it looks like the typical drug deal gone bad. The investigation takes a turn when Crews and Reese discover the dead teacher was a Badge Bunny, a term used amongst police officers for women who only date cops. The detectives soon realize the killer could be one of their own. Meanwhile, Crews and Jennifer address their complicated relationship and Ted has trouble retaining students in his business class.
21 10 "Evil… And His Brother Ziggy" Adam Arkin Far Shariat December 3, 2008 (2008-12-03)
22 11 "Canyon Flowers" Paul McCrane Joe Hortua December 10, 2008 (2008-12-10)
A food bank deliveryman is found dead, in a suburban home. The bizarre thing is that he was buried with flower petals around his head and from a distance the victim looks like a large flower. Crews and Reese believe that the murder is connected to a 70s cult. Meanwhile, Crews confronts Mickey Rayborn about his role in the conspiracy.
23 12 "Trapdoor" Elodie Keene Rand Ravich December 17, 2008 (2008-12-17)
The team investigates the murder of three Russians that are linked to the Russian mobster Roman Nevikov and Crews also thinks that he is linked to his own case. Meanwhile, Crews shoots an intruder who turns out to be someone he knows and Reese falls back into old habits.
24 13 "Re-Entry" John Behring Far Shariat February 4, 2009 (2009-02-04)
The team investigates the death of a retired NASA pilot in mid-flight. The suspects are the pilot's son, and the pilot's business partner. An important fact in this case is that the pilot was going to pay the Russians $35 million dollars to take him into space. Meanwhile, Tidwell tries to help Crews remember who shot him.
25 14 "Mirror Ball" Fred Keller Rand Ravich February 11, 2009 (2009-02-11)
The team investigates the death of a heavy metal lead singer, who was suffocated to death. They question all the other band members, and learn that the previous lead singer of that group had problems with the dead singer, after he was kicked out of the band. When they get the former singer; he seems to have a legitimate alibi, but then the teams stumbles upon a homeless man who appears to be a groupie who could be the murderer. Meanwhile, Crews learns that his father's wedding to Olivia has been called off.
26 15 "I Heart Mom" Daniel Sackheim R.J. Colleary February 18, 2009 (2009-02-18)
A man is found beaten and shot dead with a mouth full of money in a house with no roof. Crews and Reese begin their investigation and discover the victim was running an elaborate construction scam that left his clients without roofs or money. While interviewing the duped customers, they meet an eccentric man with a violent streak and the intimidating son of an old woman with a long rap sheet. The detectives work to figure out if either of these men could be the murderer. Meanwhile, Crews has a confrontation with Mickey Rayborn which sheds some light on the conspiracy against him.
27 16 "Hit Me Baby" Elodie Keene Rand Ravich February 25, 2009 (2009-02-25)
Crews investigates a brutally murdered man, and it leads him all the way to Claudia; an uncatchable hit woman. Meanwhile, Dani is polygraphed by the FBI before joining what is billed as a Task Force and a woman cons her way into Crews' house and photographs his investigation wall.
28 17 "Shelf Life" Adam Arkin Story: Wendolyn Calhoun
Teleplay: Marjorie David & Melissa Scrivner
March 11, 2009 (2009-03-11)
Crews and Stark investigate the death of a soldier who was stabbed in the chest while on leave in Los Angeles. Their quest for the killer leads them into a world of extreme corporate and political power. Meanwhile, Crews makes a shocking discovery with the help of the late Mickey Rayborn’s security specialist Amanda Puryer.
29 18 "3 Women" Peter Markle David Manson March 18, 2009 (2009-03-18)
Crews receives an over-achieving new partner. Meanwhile, Reese isn't quite finding things as expected over in the FBI. Guest star Gabrielle Union.
30 19 "5 Quarts" Paul McCrane Jonathan Shapiro March 25, 2009 (2009-03-25)
Crews digs into Dani's operation at the FBI while investigating a coroner's murder. Ted reconnects with his daughter. Guest star Gabrielle Union.
31 20 "Initiative 38" John Behring Rand Ravich & Far Shariat April 1, 2009 (2009-04-01)
Crews and Seever investigate the death of a California State Representative who is shot and killed in her home. The detectives discover the representative was the force behind a political initiative that would put a comprehensive ban on handguns and cost a gun manufacturing company millions in profit. Crews and Seever work to prove that the representative's political ambitions may have gotten her killed. Meanwhile, Crews questions what Reese might be doing with the FBI. Features the Earlimart song "The World" in the televised version only.
32 21 "One" Fred Keller Rand Ravich April 8, 2009 (2009-04-08)
Crews learns shocking details about the conspiracy against him when he searches for Reese, who has gone missing while on loan to the FBI. This is the season and series finale.


  1. ^ Porter, Rick (May 4, 2009). "'Life' is over at NBC". Retrieved January 30, 2010. 
  2. ^ "Life: Season One". Retrieved January 31, 2010. 
  3. ^ "Life: Season Two". Retrieved January 31, 2010. 

External links[edit]