The essential episodes of Life
Watch these 15 in order and you've got Life — each pick states its reason.
- 01
After spending twelve years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, Charlie Crews rejoins the force with a shiny new Detective badge. Crews, accompanied by his new partner Dani Reese, works to solve the inexplicable murder of a young boy. Crews' unconventional tactics put Reese on edge causing both Reese and Lt. Karen Davis to question his motives for rejoining the force.
- 02
Detectives Charlie Crews and Dani Reese search for the killer of a newlywed bride. The bride's husband is the number one suspect. However, despite the evidence stacking up against him, Crews has a gut feeling the husband is innocent. As a result, Crews is determined to do everything he can in order to keep an innocent man from going to prison for a crime he did not commit. Crews also revisits the scene of the crime which landed him in prison and makes a remarkable discovery.
- 03
When a woman wearing angel wings falls to her death, Detectives Charlie Crews and Dani Reese must figure out if she was pushed or if she jumped. After interviewing a long line of witnesses about the fallen angel, they come across Jasper Williams who claims to be the angels wife. Jasper reveals his wife was part of a Russian scam targeting American men who marry Russian brides. Crews and Reese find themselves trying to track down the Russian ringleader of this scam, a man who appears to be untouchable. Crews also learns Constance Griffiths was involved in a physical altercation with one of her clients.
- 04
While attending one of her AA meetings, Dani Reese thinks she hears a fellow attendee confess to rape. Unable to let go of this information, and despite Crews' advice to drop it, Reese becomes preoccupied with getting this individual to confess. Her persistence puts her face to face with a very dangerous man in a life threatening standoff. And, while on a stake out with Lt. Davis, Crews learns his former partner, Bobby Stark, lied to him about his involvement in an infamous Los Angeles bank robbery years earlier.
- 05
When a gas explosion vaporizes half a man's torso, Charlie Crews and Danni Reese work to figure out if the explosion was an accident or arson. Their investigation reveals the man with half a torso was an IRS agent living a complex life complete with two careers and two wives. Could this IRS agent's quest to become a hero have gotten him killed? Meanwhile Detective Carl Ames, who oversaw Crews' murder investigation, is found dead in the parking lot of the police station. Once again, Crews finds himself at the center of a murder investigation.
- 06
When a runaway girl is found dead underneath a freeway overpass, Detectives Charlie Crews and Danni Reese are struck by the death scene. The girl is discovered sitting upright, clutching a guitar with her throat slit. Crews and Reese are able to figure out the girl used to play her guitar outside a grocery store nearby. After interviewing one of the grocery store employees along with his son, they become highly suspicious of their behavior. Just when they think they are close to capturing the killer, they realize they've stumbled upon another significant crime -- a kidnapping from 12 years earlier. Meanwhile, Crews decides to take action towards the murder investigation mounting against him.
- 07
Charlie Crews and Dani Reese arrive on the scene shortly after a wife has shot and killed her husband. A search of their apartment reveals an ample amount of illegal narcotics but no murder weapon. Amidst the search, Crews asks Reese to cover for him saying he has something he needs to deal with. Before Reese can answer, Crews' former partner, Bobby Stark, chimes in to say of course they will cover for him. Crew is then off to track the man he thinks is responsible for the murders he was imprisoned for. What he ends up uncovering is something much bigger than anything he could have imagined. Part 2 of 2.
- 08
In the season two premiere, detectives Charlie Crews and Dani Reese are on the hunt for a serial killer when three numbered trunks containing suffocated bodies are found scattered across Los Angeles. With their new boss New York transfer Captain Kevin Tidwell pressuring them to get answers, Crews and Reese race to find a connection between the murders before the killer strikes again. Meanwhile, Ted and Crews attempt to track down the daughter, the lone survivor, of the family Crews was wrongly convicted of killing.
- 09
The body of a cancer research scientist is discovered literally frozen solid, baffling Crews and Reese. The crime scene suggests that an animal rights group took revenge on the doctor by switching out his oxygen tank with pure liquid nitrogen. As the detectives delve into the victim's tangled private life, they become increasingly skeptical about the identity of the murderer. Meanwhile, Crews is determined to prove Jack Reese was involved in his incarceration, and Ted asks Crews to act as a reference for a business school interview.
- 10
When a college student is found crushed to death at a wrecking yard, Detectives Charlie Crews and Dani Reese pay a visit to the victims fiancé and discover the young man was involved in a complex online love triangle in which everyone is hiding behind a fantasy identity. Meanwhile, Crews continues his investigation of Jack Reese by searching for the four cops found in his latest clue -- an old photograph of a slain police officer.
- 11
An earthquake hits Los Angeles and the city is a mess. In the middle of all the havoc, Crews and Reese must track down an escaped criminal and killer they put behind bars a year ago. At first, the detectives want to find him in order to prevent him from being killed, but it becomes clear that the escapee is far from a victim. Meanwhile, Ted suffers an inconvenient injury from the earthquake and makes a call for help.
- 12
A woman is found in a pool of blood sitting at a table with a romantic dinner set for two. The investigation leads Crews and Reese to a support group for lottery winners full of eccentric characters. The detectives soon discover lottery winners often suffer broken psyches after suddenly becoming richer than they ever could have imagined. Meanwhile, Rachel refuses to tell Crews anything about her family's murder or about Jack Reese, however, the two unexpectedly realize they share a common bond.
- 13
When three Russians, including an engineer, are found dead the investigation leads Crews and Reese to Russian mobster Roman Nevikov who Crews believes is somehow linked to his own case. Meanwhile, Crews shoots an intruder who turns out to be someone he knows very well and Reese falls back into old habits.
- 14
When a Los Angeles Coroner is found murdered, his co-workers become prime suspects. Crews and Seever are under pressure to quickly solve the case because if the killer is another coroner, countless murder cases could be compromised and guilty people set free. Meanwhile, Ted attempts to reconcile with his daughter.
- 15
In the season two finale episode Crews must locate his partner Reese who has gone missing while on loan to the F.B.I. Her disappearance is directly tied to Crews and he will do whatever it takes to get her back. In the events that transpire, shocking details about the conspiracy against Crews will be revealed.
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