Life Sentence Season 1 Episode 3: Clinical Trial and Error Review

Ariba BhuvadMarch 22, 2018n/a10 min

If you would like to read my review of the last episode, click here.

Synopsis: As Stella settles into her new volunteer role as Patient Advocate, she learns that Sadie doesn’t have anyone to fight for her. Stella suggests Sadie try the clinical trial that worked for her, but their hopes are dashed when they learn that the trial has ended. While Wes is babysitting Diego’s kids, one of them gets sick, and Ida offers her help. Meanwhile, Aiden pushes his father to have a guy’s night out to help him move on. (TVGuide)

Writers: Laura Putney & Margaret Easley

Director: David Warren

Rating: TV-PG

Running Time: 45mins

AirsWednesday at 8pm on Bravo (Canada)/The CW (United States)

In true Abbott family fashion, this week’s episode of Life Sentence was chaotic with a sprinkle of light-hearted humor as everyone continues to try and move on from Stella’s recovery. Stella is now a volunteer at the same hospital she was treated in and is hoping to make a difference in someone’s life during her time there. She begins to bond with a patient named Sadie who has the same type of cancer she did. Upon learning this, Stella decides to try and get Sadie into the same clinical trial that cured but soon learns the donor funding has been pulled and it is no longer a trial.

Meanwhile, Peter and Aiden are now living in the guest house of their old home as roommates. Peter is having a hard time moving on from Ida and can’t seem to shake off his depression. Aiden goes to Stella for help on how to help their father and she suggests taking him out for the night. This becomes a hilarious moment during the episode as Aiden teaches Peter how to hit on women and what to say.

Determined to find the donor’s contact information, Stella goes snooping around to find the file. In the process, she gets caught by Dr. Grant, the new oncologist that everyone has been swooning over. Instead of turning her in, Dr. Grant is impressed by her determination and decides to help her talk to the donor to convince him.

With Stella’s sister, Liv, at a writer’s retreat, Diego decides he wants to go visit and convinces Wes and Stella to watch the kids. Unfortunately, Stella makes plans with Dr. Grant to talk to the donor and leaves the kids with Wes. As fate would have it, the same hotel Stella goes to talk to the donor, Aiden and Peter are there as well trying to pick up girls. The awkward run-in makes for a hilarious banter between the family as they all focus on their purpose. When Peter has no success, he decides to give up and leave. On his way out, he begins talking to a woman outside of the club with whom he starts to connect with over their recent dramatic divorces. One thing leads to another and Peter takes her home, however, later when the woman comes out of the room, she runs into Aiden–whom she seems to know. How do these two know one another? We can only imagine.

Wes initially struggles with taking care of the kids and when they fall ill, asks Ida to come over and help. There is a very somber moment embedded in these scenes as we learn that Ida still harbors guilt over taking too long to take Stella to the doctor when she first got sick. Because of this, she overreacts when anyone is sick. Thanks to a conversation with Wes, she seems to understand now where that comes from and is on her way to dealing with it.

And if things weren’t already complicated enough for everyone else, Stella found herself in an interesting position with Dr. Grant. After speaking with the donor, Stella learned that the trial had failed for everyone but her and therefore would take at least two years before it would be up and running again. Disheartened, she shares this news with Dr. Grant and the both of them decide that they will try and find other trials for Sadie to get into. Stella shares this news with Sadie the next day as Dr. Grant comes in to talk to them. In the final moments of the episode, Dr. Grant finds out that Stella is married and when she tells him she’s been married for six months, his response to her is, “It’s a shame I didn’t meet you seven months ago.”

This episode left us with a lot to think about–like a lot. Will Dr. Grant get in the middle of Wes and Stella’s relationship? And how do Lauren and Aiden know one another? It seems as if every time things seem to be finding stable ground, something comes up to disrupt the Abbott family flow.

In the three episodes we’ve seen thus far, Life Sentence continues to pull the audience into the story and has us invested in each and every outcome. That is not an easy task, especially with a new show only three episodes in. Next week, Stella will learn she never finished high school. This will be one hell of a discovery, right?

Score: 8/10

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