Life: The Grass Is Always Greener
November 8, 2008 by Elma Rahman
Filed under Uncategorized
I love marveling at the thought of someday being the lucky owner of a winning lottery ticket-being at some 7 Eleven, just happening to stop to shell out a buck or two, and suddenly wondering how to tell my boss that I’m stinking rich and planning on never having to work a 9-to-5 job ever again… This week’s episode of Life manages to dispel the notion that lottery winners are happy people when detectives Crews and Reese investigate the stabbing of Hannah, a young woman they later discover is a member of the LWA, Lottery Winners Anonymous. The detectives track the group down to a church parking lot where various exotic and expensive cars are parked. The group-exclusive to lottery winners who have won $20 million or more-meets at the unassuming church regularly. They also find that the victim was having affairs with three other members, including Ben whose name was also a tattoo on her body.
The investigation grows more complicated as Crews and Reese get an intimate glimpse into the lottery winners’ world of isolation, excess, and disposable friends. Soon, they also learn that Hannah was simply a con artist who had been trying to scam the LWA members. Not only had she been in prison for various acts of fraud, but she continued to “grift” with a couple that lived downstairs as part of a bank fraud ring. After questioning the couple, Crews and Reese return to find their stabbed bodies and try to hunt down a possible suspect, Hannah’s mean con artist boyfriend, Lenny. Meanwhile, Hannah’s LWA lovers, Ben, Dale, and Tom struggle with their own demons after Hannah’s murder.
Amidst the investigation, Tidwell tries to talk to a very evasive Reese about their recent kiss and Rachel moves in with Crews and Ted. Rachel also struggles with demons, including the theory of whether or not Crews actually killed her family. And in between it all, she convinces Crews to get a kitchen table. Reese, upset after finding out her father just left her mother after their long marriage, accidentally confides in Tidwell who tries to convince her he’s not such a bad guy.
I’ll be the first to admit, I had doubts about this show. And even now, I’m still on the fence about whether it can actually survive another season. That being said, I don’t know whether it’s the less than perfect characters, the better than average dialogue, or the really bizarre murder cases that finally got to me, but it did get to me. Maybe it’s just like Crews admitted in this episode, sometimes all you can do is tell a stranger the absolute truth. And sometimes, it’s great to watch a show that strives to do the same thing.
Season 2, Episode 7: Jackpot (originally aired November 5, 2008)
For another take on this episode, read Cameron Cubbison’s review here.
For more on Life, click here.
