For Life (2020–2021) User Reviews

Changes

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 10 June 2021]

There have been many shows and documentaries on how corrupt and broken the criminal justice system is in America. Even if you've never been there (America that is, not prison, though that may apply too), you get the picture and you don't need really a great imagination for that either.

Having said that, the first season of this show is really well told. It may feel like it is stretched a few times to some, but the writing is really good. You are thrown in (no pun intended) - and you have to find your way and get into the mindset of our main character. There is an episode that goes back and shows us a bit of the how (not so much why) he got in prison. That works quite fine too ... it is the circumstances ... we will find out what made the police and the AG act the way they did. Not as an excuse, but more for the viewer to understand. But this doesn't mean this case is an exception ... unfortunately.

It really gets grim and it really hurts watching many times. Especially if you have a neck for justice - and hate injustice! This really gives it to you as crazy as you can imagine. The second season starts off on such a high ... that it almost is impossible to reach that after that. There are also certain things in here that are true, but feel like they are being hammered home. Now I know it is different for those who go through stuff like that, than for those who just watch them unfold ... but in this case truth is much scarier than fiction ... and to depict those things in a show is walking a fine line ... you be the judge how much or to what effect this works.

One last thing I really am not fond of seeing - nothing to do with the show directly, but with reviewers ... please stop rating a whole show after just seeing one or two episodes! Rate those and review those, but not the entirety of the show based on just a portion of it. Thank you very much.

This show must go on!!!

[incubus-0914 · 9/10 · 15 August 2021]

I started watching this show yesterday on Netflix and I'm about to finish the first season (Netflix only has 1 season so far). I love it!!! It's got everything I love; the good court drama, corruption vs. Justice, people trying to do what's right.

I just found out this brilliant show has canceled after mere two season. Are you kidding me? How the heck all those stupid reality shows are still on while this clever and touching show gets canceled. Something is wrong here. If there is a petition for 'For Life' to go on, I'll vote for it in a heartbeat.

Great show, highly recommend.

Nicholas Pinnock great

[SnoopyStyle · 8/10 · 26 July 2021]

Nine years ago, night club owner Aaron Wallace (Nicholas Pinnock) was sentenced to life after his friend's secret drug stash is found on his premises. He worked to become a lawyer to help his fellow inmates and to go up against the hard-headed DA Glen Maskins who put him in prison. Maskins will do anything to keep him in prison. Anya Harrison (Mary Stuart Masterson) is running for the DA office and her wife Safiya Masry (Indira Varma) happens to be Aaron's warden who is trying to implement reforms. Former public defender and State Senator Henry Roswell (Timothy Busfield) is helping Aaron with his legal work. His wife Marie Wallace (Joy Bryant) is in a relationship with his best friend. His daughter gets pregnant. Fellow prisoner Jamal Bishop becomes his friend.

This is supposedly based loosely on a real person. The big name producer is 50 Cent. Quite frankly, the audience is better off ignoring all of that. This is simply a good show with good performances starting with Nicholas Pinnock in the lead. He powers the narrative and its emotional heart. It works. It's canceled after two seasons.

Brilliant

[Ladybbird-269-945146 · 10/10 · 13 February 2020]

Finally a refreshing TV Show that isnt based on false eyelashes & squeaky voiced prima donnas trying to make their mark. The acting and directing is superb & Felonious Munk was the right choice for the part. The series is especially good as its based on a true story and shows just how dirty and corrupt the US justice system is.

Art, life, and truth

[lkcphd · 10/10 · 12 February 2020]

A beautifully crafted narrative about the life of a man fighting for truth. This is one of those compelling stories that has the potential to creep into the zeitgeist, then (hopefully) shift it towards justice.

Great start

[trudjoh · 10/10 · 12 February 2020]

This has true potential. Will keep watching until someone messes it up!

Like nothing else on tv

[laurenwatson-06374 · 10/10 · 14 May 2020]

A fresh storyline like nothing seen before which gives you an insight into prison life and the struggles within. An emotional ride into Aaron Wallace's life as a determined lawyer fighting for his freedom against a corrupt government!

Well...

[isotrbo · 6/10 · 22 August 2021]

First season 10/10 second season 03/10. My suggestion is to watch the first season and first ep of the second and then leave it rest.

Highly Emotive and Compelling Drama

[caterinaw · 10/10 · 21 November 2020]

Just watch it. Anyone who doesn't like it has a serious problem. I don't care it's a top tier tv and you're missing out! Just watch it!!!

I would have given it 10/10 if it was just the first season.

[ke39 · 6/10 · 6 April 2022]

The first season is compelling, excellent storyline that opens your eyes, excellent acting and overall a very engaging show that pulls you in almost from the start. Yes it has its soapy moments in the first season but those are forgiven for the overall original feel to this show. The character development is also extremely good in the first season.

But for whatever reason, instead of ending the show after the second episode of the second season and wrapping it up then, the producers decided they wanted to keep making money off this, and just turned the show into a CSI extension. It's like Watching two completely different shows under the same name.

I hate it when shows do this, it ruins the entire thing. All the character development from the first season has disappeared, and the story has just turned into your average American soap drama.

What a shame.

CURTIS JACKSON DOES IT AGAIN!

[curtfloyd-78475 · 10/10 · 13 February 2020]

I was engaged and amazed at that pilot! Definitely hope it stays that good for series to come.

Have Time For a Life Sentence

[lightheartedbeing · 7/10 · 14 February 2020]

The pilot shows potential. It's an interesting premise, and the injustice system is only getting worse, especially with all the right wing judges getting appointed. There are flaws in the show. They're setting up an intensity, and the fast pace, the editing, some terse short scenes, though they do stay with the lead and slow down when it counts. It usually takes a few episodes for a show to get its legs, and it'll be worth it to find out if this one will. Meantime, it is based on a true story, and we're rooting for the innocent good guy up against Goliath. If they make it too simplistic, too good guy inside vs. bad guys in and outside, though I'm sure it's accurate, it won't make it. Also, it's looking a bit like it's taking on racist issues, which we must confront, but if that's oversimplified, I'm don't know if it'll serve the show or the audience. Please don't underestimate the audience's ability to handle the complexity. We've got way too much polarization in our country as it is. The problems have deep roots. I hope the show finds them. There's a fair amount of screen time spent on the voice over, it shortens the time spent on scenes. Meantime, great cast, good actors in all roles, I wish them well with it.

Had Potential

[durban555-153-363632 · 4/10 · 5 September 2021]

The premis is interesting....but poor execution and acting let's it down.

The biggest problem is the overt political woke agenda. Too overt....audiences are not stupid and a nuanced approach would have worked better.

Season 2 is almost unwatchable.

Promising start to a legal series with a prison context twist

[skpn123 · 9/10 · 20 February 2020]

A lawyer who is a member of the New York Bar but still in prison - a complex and unique story with dark themes at times that keeps the viewer guessing what will be next. A gritty presentation of some harsh realities but with glimpses of humanity.

Solid show

[brandonneicke · 10/10 · 3 March 2020]

This is a wicked show. Solid writing, really convincing acting from the main actor. He's really good. The show ends up being intense which is rare for a lawyer show. It's a pretty insane true story, much respect for the real person. This is a must see shos

Great show!

[dividendhustler · 10/10 · 30 April 2020]

I really enjoy this show. Sad to see innocent people getting put away locked up for crimes they didn't commit. What a story about a inmate turned lawyer and proving that he was framed all along.

So far so good

[pawaann · 10/10 · 13 February 2020]

So far it's well made, engaging and thought provoking. Hopefully it remains good

Systemic Racism

[KenyaOne · 7/10 · 4 December 2020]

I enjoyed "For Life" while he was in prison. It felt authentic, which is not easy to create in a subject so previously cliched. It showed surely that there is a dire need for Justice Reform.

Now I've just watched S2,E3. And it took a dive off a cliff. It's trying to prove that a woman, who pulled a gun on the doctors in order to get her son treated, was an okay thing to do. That sort of set me on edge. As his wife says "If you get here an acquittal that will entitle any of much future patients {she's a Registered Nurse} to pull a gun on me."

Then he interviews a white woman and black men who had previously been to the same hospital. The man says he "reported his pain level as an '8' but got nothing." Then she says she "reported her pain level as a '5' but the doctor GAVE HER A BOTTLE OF OXYCONTIN and asked her if she would like a prescription for more."

Now, I have to call BS! I was in a hospital for hitting my head, not long ago. There was a white guys screaming (!) in pain and begging for a pain pill. They just strapped him in bed and said it was because he was an addict. So?! Does that mean he's not in pain?

Moreover, I've also three crushed vertebrae. It took me a year to find a "pain specialist" who would prescribe pain killers. I'd been in the hospital three times and the most they'd do is give me ONE pain killer. I had to wait until I had a botched back surgery to get a prescription for one per day; they last about 4-5 hours, so I'm in pain a minimum of 14-hours a day.

And btw, any doctor who gave anyone, regardless, 'a whole bottle of painkillers, WOULD LOSE THEIR LICENSE. And you can fact check this. In fact, in about half the United States, a doctor can only prescribe 3-7 days of painkillers, maximum.

So, now the show has become about (fake) "systemic racism." And one the best qualities of this show {the desperate need for prison reform} just bit the dust.

Wooow

[lvmi852 · 10/10 · 13 February 2020]

50 a genius! He did it again. Amazing show!!!!!! Keep on good work!

Ok, but doesn't live up to it's potential.

[marijdevos · 7/10 · 3 June 2020]

This story has a lot of potential. It's could be a killer of a show if by one example you can illustrate the injustice in the American justice system and also produce a top quality series. This show turned out okay to watch but it's not impressive and it's definitely not top quality. The acting is partly quite weak, sometimes just awfull (like they gave people a part as a favor), and all and all they directed a show that is mediocre. Which is a real shame. It needs less phoney and more raw. More depth in characters.

Review for season 1

[gallagherkellie · 8/10 · 2 November 2021]

I've only watched the first season so far. I know it's only loosely based on the real story, which is obvious by the very unrealistic things that happen every now and then. But the show was really good. Acting great especially the main actor...including the American accent. There were tears. There was anger. It compelled me to donate to the Innocence Project because innocent people go to prison all the time in America (and all over the world but more so there than in my home country of Australia).

I'm looking forward to the next season.

Started off great, then....

[Marinelife73 · 6/10 · 4 February 2021]

First season was great, watching the hardships of what innocent prisoners experience while away from family. We can all agree that our judicial system is flawed and needs overall but season 2 going south. All police officers aren't there to arrest minorities, this is only flaming the racial divide today.

Great series

[emperorsclothes · 10 July 2023]

This show never should have been cancelled. They need to bring it back. Important messages. I'm not sure why I have to keep typing to fill out the required characters. It's annoying. How was your day? Mine was fine. Typing typing typing. I have one orange I should probably throw out. Now I should probably take a nap. One two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen twenty twenty one twenty two twenty three twenty four twenty five twenty six twenty seven twenty eight twenty nine thirty thirty one thirty two thirty three. Finished.

1st season good 2nd season awful

[vimlannovel · 5/10 · 13 June 2021]

Come on guys, the 1st season was exciting, Why make a 2nd season and make it boring I would have gave it a rating of 9, but because of the 2nd season really put a damper.

Watch both seasons - spoiler

[bakerj7 · 8/10 · 26 March 2021]

This is a great show, but only if you watch both seasons. In season 1 I kept waiting for a change of character in Wallace, as in any good story, but it never happened. He ended the season the same self-righteous *&^* as at the beginning, refusing to accept any responsibility for his deliberate ignorance of what had been happening around him (money's rolling in, don't ask too many questions), treating the whole world like they were all against him, unappreciative of those who worked so hard and sacrificed to help him, and unwilling to take responsibility for how his actions affected others. An anti-hero I found it impossible to root for. The character transformation I was expecting in season 1 finally happened in season 2. You'll have to watch it yourself, but by the end of S2 he became a likable character, hero, and champion, and IMHO justice prevailed. Without season 2, I'd rate it a 5.