Life Sentence Series Premiere Review

Of all of the new shows coming to broadcast this season, Life Sentence has been the one that I have looked forward to the most. Whether your primary reason for watching is star Lucy Hale, the fact that it is produced by Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence (something that made me very excited for the show while it was in development), or just because it looks like a good show from the promos, I hope you enjoy my review of the premiere.


S1E1 "Pilot"

At the beginning of the episode we meet Stella, and we see how her life has gone ever since she found out that she had cancer. Then, she gets big news: she doesn't have cancer anymore. This big life change, while positive, changes a lot. Stella has to get used to a new normal. Her husband Wes doesn't want to make their sex as romantic as it always had been, her siblings have their issues, and her parents have even bigger issues, as they have fallen out.

Her parents are the biggest issue that is focused on. Her dad is leaving her mom, and then she discovers that her mom has a girlfriend. Stella tries to get the two of them back together, but when she brings her mom to her dad to say that she wants to work things out with him, she instead says that she is in love with her girlfriend. Also through this, Stella's brother hides from the husband of a married woman that he slept with, and Stella babysits her sister's kids, which doesn't go very well.

All of the family's issues come together, and when Stella throws a thank you party for her doctor, it winds up being a disaster due to all of these issues. After this, Stella goes back to the hospital and visits the room that she used to stay in. While there, she realizes that she can't fix everyone's problems, and then she has a great moment with Wes, as they realize how Stella's cancer affected their relationship, and she decides to really get to know him better.

The comedy throughout the episode was solid. There's a lot of hilarious dialogue between Stella and her co-worker at the coffee shop. There is also a really funny moment where Stella's niece tells her that crap is a bad word, and Stella responds that she swallowed a ring, so she can't talk. What's the funniest is when the members of the family struggle with how to use the word "bisexual," such as when they call the mom "a bisexual." I also thought that Wes was really charming, and the best parts of the pilot were often spent with Stella and him.


This felt like a fairly exposition-heavy pilot, as Stella's family members put their issues on full display, and Stella coped with the changes in her life, now knowing that she will continue to live. Despite that, it was still enjoyable, with some strong humor, and a great relationship at the center of the show with Stella and Wes. It wasn't a great pilot, but it was one that showed potential.

Score: 8/10


What did you think of "Pilot"? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

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