Unhappy Coincidences

Life, the show about a quirky, red-headed detective and his no-nonsense partner, returned to NBC for its second season last night.  Detectives Charlie Crews (Damian Lewis) and Dani Reese (Sarah Shahi) are called in to a series of murders in which the victims’ bodies are found in trunks with large, red numbers at the bottom.  It doesn’t take long for the mismatched detectives to figure out they have a serial killer on their hands and that the killer is probably marking the trunks because there will be more victims.

For those of you-like me-who may not be familiar with the show that managed to teeter its way back from a rocky start last season with high critical acclaim but low ratings,  Life is about ex-cop Charlie Crews who was imprisoned for 12 years for a murder he did not commit.  After finally being released and coming into a hefty settlement for his unjust imprisonment, Crews is able discover all the changes that have taken place in the world since he was last a free man.  Detective Dani Reese, his pragmatic and much younger partner, finds herself also adjusting to the often analytical and enigmatic Crews.  The fact that Reese’s father is the officer responsible for Crews’ arrest only makes matters more complicated for this oil-and-water duo.  In addition to the dysfunctional dynamics of Crews and Reese, the show is peppered with conspiracy theories, such as those of the unidentified reporter who has been interviewing people involved in the Crews’ case to discover the true murderer.

As Crews and Reese learn the identities of the bodies found in the trunk- Glenn, investment banker,  Lisa Robards, owner of a greeting card company called Unending Notes, and Brandy, exotic dancer-they are baffled to find the three victims seemingly have nothing in common, other than being suffocated to death and stuffed in the trunks in which their bodies were found.  In an attempt to gain more information, as well as scope out possible suspects, Crews and Reese visit Unending Notes employee John Armstrong, Glenn’s wife and business partner, and the club in which Brandy danced.  They come up with very little leads, but are later visited by a luggage store owner who confirms ten of his trunks were recently purchased and paid for with cash.  Crews and Reese are able to zero in on the fact that Glenn and Robards had recently purchased GPS navigation systems.  After narrowing in on the one place Glenn and Robards had recently visited, they are able to locate a nearby park where all three victims had been.

At the park, Crews and Reese digress from their investigation when they are forced to apprehend two crack dealers in an ice cream truck.  After the dealers are hauled off, one having been shot in the arm by Crews, Crews discovers the motion activated sink and towel dispensers in the park bathroom that hadn’t been around prior to his arrest.  Later, a concerned mother who frequents the park admits to having seen Robards and Glenn together, and that Robards was taking pictures of Glenn.  Reese concludes the wife murdered them after discovering their affair, which also probably involved Brandy.  Crews has doubts about the theory, which are confirmed when they discover Glenn’s wife and her girlfriend dominatrix back at her office.  The wife admits the two had not been in love for some time and Glenn’s upcoming career move to London was a fresh start for him.  After discovering the fourth body, 18 year old Kurt Ruiz, and the possibility of a fifth victim who could still be alive, Crews and Reese struggle to catch the killer after pinpointing the only other thing all four victims had in common.  Amidst the mysterious trunk murders, Crews must also pay a visit to Bible preaching ex-cellmate, Kyle, for clues to the whereabouts of missing girl, Rachel.

I’m not completely sold on yet another detective show about partners who just can’t see eye to eye.  However, Crews’ mysterious ways including the unsolved murder case for which he was accused 12 years ago and his existential crime-solving abilities gives the show an eccentric edge that appeals to me.  I hope in time Reese begins to soften the rock solid chip on her shoulder in order to reveal her more human side.  The show’s utilization of abrupt hand held camera shots of interviews conducted by the phantom reporter and his ongoing investigation of Crews also adds a stark grittiness.  Powerful music and an impressive cast, including Adam Arkin who plays Ted Earley and Donal Logue (who you may remember for his roles in Blade, The Tao of Steve, and Grounded for Life) as Captain Tidwell may help Life survive another season.

Season 2, Episode 1: Find Your Happy Place (original aired 9/27/08)

For another take on this episode, see Cameron’s review here.

For more on Life, click here.

Wednesdays 9/8c, NBC
Photographs courtesy of www.nbc.com