NBC's New Shows for the 2007-08 Season

Life

Premieres: Wednesday, Sept. 26
Airs: Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

The Pitch: He's a cop! He's a convict! He loves fruit!

After serving 12 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, a cop (Damian Lewis, "Band of Brothers") is cleared and, as part of a legal settlement that also includes millions of dollars, rejoins the force -- which doesn't go over too well with his new partner (Sarah Shahi) and some of his other colleagues. He's also trying to figure out who framed him in the first place.

What They Got Right: Lewis was great in "Band of Brothers," and he's great here as the fruit-obsessed, Zen koan-spouting Detective Charlie Crews. He's maybe the most distinctive character on any new show, and he's well-supported by Shahi and Adam Arkin, as a paroled white-collar criminal who now manages Charlie's money.

What's Oh, So Wrong: Riveting character or not, "Life" is also a crime procedural, and in the pilot the crime story is a pretty generic one. A couple of Charlie's quirks, like his unfamiliarity with present-day technology, could get grating if they're played up too much.

Recommended If ...: "House" doesn't quite satisfy your character-dominated procedural jones each week.

'Life' Photo Gallery

'Life' Video Clip: 1

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