# Life season finale 4/8 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2009, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491 "2009-04-09T11:30:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/1 "2009-04-09T11:30:35Z")
I didn’t see another thread on this so I thought I’d start one. It was a damn good episode—the scene where Charlie drove his car through the FBI agent’s garage was awesome and so was the one where he took care of Roman—but it felt a bit rushed to me. After all that buildup with Reese, I think the finale should have been more apocalyptic. At least one big shooout would have been nice. It didn’t quite reach the level of the season one finale. And do we take the ending to mean that Charlie thinks he’s in love with Reese? ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/2 "2009-04-09T13:57:40Z")
I enjoyed it too, although I’m not sure I completely followed the whole conspiracy backstory. Here’s what I think I’ve pieced together – perhaps someone could fill in the blanks or point out my mistakes? Mickey Rayborn had a bunch of dirty cops on his payroll (including Reese’s dad) running jobs for him, including the bank heist. The cops were getting up there in years, and Rayborn needed a younger cop to continue the operation. He wanted Crews. He tried to involve Crews’ business partner in a scheme to make him dirty, which would make the business partner come to Crews for help, which would make Crews dirty and allow Rayborn to get his hooks into him. But the business partner wouldn’t turn, so he and his family were killed (but they weren’t supposed to be? What exactly was the plan here?) and Crews was framed (but he wasn’t supposed to be?) Meanwhile, Roman wanted to be put in charge of Rayborn’s operation (why? He wasn’t a cop, was he?) and got mad that Rayborn wanted Crews instead, so he went off on a vendetta to get Crews, or Rayborn, or both. And Reese secretly met with Rayborn, as evidenced by the picture Crews found, because…? I probably should have paid more attention. Enjoyable series, though. It felt like the end – is Life coming back next year? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/3 "2009-04-09T14:44:29Z")
The deal was, I think, that they hired that guy who went to prison at the end of last season to just get a little physical with Charlie’s partner, but it got out of hand and he wound up killing him and his wife. Since they weren’t going to let it point back to them, the group covered up all evidence of their involvement, which left all extant evidence pointing at Charlie. I don’t know if Life has been renewed or not. ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/4 "2009-04-09T15:16:20Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > The deal was, I think, that they hired that guy who went to prison at the end of last season to just get a little physical with Charlie’s partner, but it got out of hand and he wound up killing him and his wife. Since they weren’t going to let it point back to them, the group covered up all evidence of their involvement, which left all extant evidence pointing at Charlie. That makes sense, thanks. But how does Roman fit in to all of this? What was his relationship with Rayborn? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/5 "2009-04-09T15:20:26Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > I don’t know if Life has been renewed or not. Word is that (with Jay Leno starting at 10pm five nights a week), it’s very unlikely to be renewed, so this was probably a Series Finale (which may account for the rushed feeling mentioned in the OP). A shame–I like the show a lot, especially Damian Lewis. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/6 "2009-04-09T15:25:04Z")
As **Meltdown** mentioned, it didn’t make sense that Roman would want to work for Mickey Rayborn. Roman is himself a crime boss. As for another season, I read the Wikipedia article on the show but it didn’t mention anything. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/7 "2009-04-09T15:26:20Z")
> [@Meltdown](#): > > That makes sense, thanks. But how does Roman fit in to all of this? What was his relationship with Rayborn? I think Roman was someone they used as a front man, someone who could be be the criminal mastermind to figurehead the whole thing. But instead he took control of their enterprises and wound up killing Reese’s dad. ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/8 "2009-04-09T15:27:22Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Word is that (with Jay Leno starting at 10pm five nights a week), it’s very unlikely to be renewed, so this was probably a Series Finale (which may account for the rushed feeling mentioned in the OP). A shame–I like the show a lot, especially Damian Lewis. Great. ☹ First Sarah Conner Chronicles, now this. Why the hell can’t any show I like avoid cancellation? ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/9 "2009-04-09T17:56:28Z")
> [@RikWriter](#): > > Why the hell can’t any show I like avoid cancellation? Ever think that maybe it’s you? 😃 (This is as close to a smart assed smilie as I could get.) ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/10 "2009-04-09T18:10:49Z")
I just learned that the English security expert is played by Damian Lewis’ real-life wife. I wonder if she teases him on the set because he’s stuck playing American and she can use her regular accent. ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/11 "2009-04-09T18:42:07Z")
Not only did I get the impression that Charlie is in love with Reese, but that she is in love with him, and the English security lady is in love with Mickey Rayborn, although that could just be me reading too much into the Zen voice-over. And of course, Ted is in love with Olivia. Poor Tidwell gets left out in the cold. It would be nice if this show came back, but I’m not gettin my hopes up. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/12 "2009-04-09T19:10:33Z")
At the end they showed the English security expert standing next to Mickey Rayborn. Was he in custody or had he been freed somehow? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2009, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/13 "2009-04-09T22:02:27Z")
BTW who else loved the wrap-up of the videographer’s interviews with the Roman interview in the beginning of the show? 😃 That was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/14 "2009-04-20T03:08:41Z")
I finally got around to watching this episode. I really enjoyed it. This show makes better use of music than most shows, and I’d really miss Charlie and Ted if they disappear from my TV. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/15 "2009-04-20T13:16:59Z")
Me too – I really loved this show. My mother told me it wasn’t picked up for next year – anyone know if that is true? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/16 "2009-04-20T19:47:18Z")
> [@SkeptiJess](#): > > Me too – I really loved this show. My mother told me it wasn’t picked up for next year – anyone know if that is true? Hasn’t been decided, but the smart money’s on cancellation. The numbers aren’t strong and NBC is giving up a third of its schedule next season, so there’s no room to put a bubble show. As for Roman, I think he wanted to be in charge simply because it would be awfully nice to have a small army of cops at his disposal. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![stargazer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@stargazer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stargazer)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/17 "2009-04-21T00:26:33Z")
Noooooo, don’t cancel it! I love this show! That said, if it isn’t cancelled, I strongly object to the insinuation that Reese is falling in love with Cruise. I loved that they were just friends, and that even reluctantly on her part. I like her with the captain. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/18 "2009-04-21T01:02:04Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > NBC is giving up a third of its schedule next season What does this mean? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/19 "2009-04-21T01:13:20Z")
I think he’s referring to the idea that of the 8-11pm Monday-Friday timeslot, five hours will be used for Jay Leno’s show. (There’s still Saturday and Sunday hours, but they’re relatively insignificant.) ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2009, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491/20 "2009-04-21T06:26:59Z")
Oh, yes, not quite a third of their schedule, counting Sundays. Saturday hasn’t been used for original programming in years (although actually NBC did just move the underperforming Kings there from Sundays this past weekend). Maybe they’ll try to reclaim it given how much real estate they’re ceding to Leno next season, although since the point of the enterprise seems to save money, I wouldn’t bet on it. –Cliffy [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-season-finale-4-8/492491.md?page=2)