This was probably the strongest episode since "Powerless" aired two weeks ago. The case was very interesting and it almost always left you in the dark about what was going on. That sounds bad right? Well the case was very entertaining to watch and the clues that led up to the thrilling conclusion had me sitting in awe of how they all came together. Plus the big twist at the end seems extremely important to the next episode and Charlie's revenge.

'Life' has become an interesting mix between 'CSI' and 'House', combining the elements that make those two shows great while adding it's own sense of style. Life has definitely escalated to one of my favorite shows and it saddens me to see the show get hit by the Writers' Strike while the season has yet to be renewed for a full season. Still the show is proving to be worth a renewal with fantastic writing, great acting, and an overall polish some of the others new shows have yet to achieve.

Pros
+ Great Character Development of Dani Reese.
+ That Development was bulked up with a very powerful and haunting performance by Sarah Shahi.
+ Case was above average, simply because of how it paralleled Dani's character so well.
+ Great dialogue and writing.
+ Funny moments with Charlie and Lt. Davis.
+ Ted's character was also expanded upon.

Cons
- Case was not that interesting, but did do a decent job explaining Dani's past issues.
- Somewhat lost focus near the beginning by switching over to Charlie at the AA meeting.

Overall, a fantastic episode with a masterful performance by Sarah Shahi who proves she's as good at acting as Damien Lewis.

Well first I am going to reward the episode for what it got right...

The directing? Wonderful. Probably the biggest draw of the show. It's colorful, unique, and truly splendid in almost every way. Very Burton-esque, but not a rip-off.

I also thought the acting from the lead cast was great. I really enjoyed all of their characters and how they were portrayed. Ned and Charlotte (Chuck) were the most well-acted. The Aunts were also surprisingly well acted. And the always fantastic Emerson Cod played the hilarious Chi McBride.

And now here come the negatives...

The story had a wonderful storybook feel to it when I first read about the show. That coupled with the breath-taking directing would definitely bring in viewers. But I think the story is where something didn't click for me. When I first read that he brought back the love of his life from death, I thought the show was going to do a great job balancing both the quirky and the sad. But it didn't. I just thought it felt too happy. Too positive. It should've been a bit more tragic. It felt just way too feel-good about itself, and I think that's where I woke up from this beautiful dream world. There were some scenes where I felt compassion for it (i.e. the scene where the two are touching hands through the wall at night), but in the end it was not able to sell it to me.

That is my only complaint, but it was ultimately a very critical one to get right.

My Final Thoughts...
A solid pilot which I hope can improve upon itself. It has gotten lots of things right, however my major complaint was that the balance of the show was a little off. In a show like this, it needs to be able to sort out what should be happy and what should be sad. If it can't get that right, it is going to run in to some serious issues along the way. Overall I was satisfied, but that one problem really killed it for me.

Is this the best pilot since LOST? No. Is this the most creative pilot since LOST? A resounding yes.

Well what got me interested about Life in the first place was how well it seemed to mix comedy and drama, based on the commercials. Well that's one thing I'm glad they were able to pull off. The show is pretty funny, but at the same time it is a drama and you know it.

Let me break it down for this review:

Premise - The story is about a cop, Charlie Crews, who is given the life sentence for a triple murder. But he was apparently framed and 12(?) years after the original trial, they found more evidence and freed him...and he was able to pocket a good amount of cash too. Now he's back as a detective and solving crimes.

Acting - The best part of the show. I thought Lewis was fantastic as Crews and his partner, played by Sarah Shahi was also very good. Those were probably the most standout performances. Another noteworthy performance includes Adam Arkin as the hilarious Ted Early, Crews' money manager. I think the reason these three stood out to me was not because of their acting skills, but because of their chemistry together. Good chemistry is always healthy for a new show and proves it does have some kind of appeal. Overall Acting: Excellent

Directing - This was sort of a mixed bag for me, but still positive. The style of the directing is very good and it does borrow from other shows, but to good effect. Only a few scenes bothered me like when Charlie was reading the Google results when he searched his name. While the idea behind the scene was great, the way it was filmed was a tad bit annoying. But that's hardly seen as a complaint when compared to all the other little camera tricks. For example at the beginning of the show there were a few random shots of violence in the prison and that I thought was very well done. Another story development tool was the documentary/flashback scenes where an interviewer is talking to most of the people in Charlie's life and how they dealt with his trial, imprisonment, and exoneration. That added a deeper layer of complexity to how other characters see Charlie.
Overall Directing: Above Average

Story (of this particular episode) - While the premise was put to good use in the pilot, the case was lacking. It started off pretty well and you are able to get interested in it, but the story lacks interest in the middle. I think that was because the writers were trying to make an equal balance of both the premise and the story, but I think the idea behind Charlie drowned out the case. Until near the end that is, where the suspense kicks up a notch. But the final parts of the case, I thought, was done a little hastily. They didn't really explain it well enough to be appreciated. And the episode ended on a light-hearted note, but before that scene you do see that Charlie is obsessed with the case and finding out who framed him.
Overall Pilot Story: Above Average

Final Thoughts - I think the real reason people are going to watch this show is because of Damien Lewis' fantastic performance as the witty, scarred, and flat-out weird ex-convict millionaire who becomes a detective. The cases seem like the weak point of the show, but the character interaction (including one episode appearances) is great. I did have a little beef to pick with the directing and pace of the show, but the Pilot left me impressed.

You'll like it if you like Lewis' performance. Most people will enjoy it, but I know others will find him a bit too weird for their tastes.

Overall Score: 9

While I don't think this episode was better than 'K&R Part I', I do think it is an improvement over 'K&R Part II'.

One thing I noticed in this episode compared to the others was the lower amount of flashbacks used. I think there were only three used in the entire episode! It's a much smaller number when compared to the previous 3 where they stressed the use of the flashbacks. This was something I found to be better because the main focus wasn't on the flashbacks, but it was more on the present story. This could be a sign of them trying to phase out the flashback mechanic, but that doesn't seem likely because I do not think they've finished telling Matt and Danny's controversial skit story.

Another thing that was different about this episode was the lowering of the intensity. It felt much more calm in the beginning, it later exploded half of the way in, and quietly left you with a cliffhanger. So the structure was different after the explosive ending of 'K&R Part II' and that may have been a good thing.

Where 'K&R Part III' succeeds is in its subtle movements. There are quiet moments in this episode that show off some more one-on-one confrontations between characters. This really helps build an image of these characters before what could be a stunning finale next week. So I left mostly satisfied with this episode, but it is a bittersweet satisfaction knowing there is only one week until these beloved characters are no longer a part of TV. Well, it was good while it lasted so let's hope for a gripping conclusion!!