If you would like to read my individual episode reviews, click here.
Life Sentence was an extremely under-rated show of this year which made it upsetting when hearing of it being canceled before it got a chance to shine more than it already had. Looking back at the moments the first season gave us, it’s not a ground-breaking story or a dramatic cliff-hangery type show–it was a show about raw human emotion. The type of emotion that we can all relate to, even if we’re not in the same boat as the characters.
The premise of Life Sentence was the main character Stella’s journey from dealing with cancer and an expiration date on life, to things taking a turn when she was suddenly cured. Not only did Lucy Hale shine as Stella, but she had such a great supporting cast to uplift her character and the story. It’s heartbreaking that we won’t get to see more of this story and the future of the characters. One thing Life Sentence did well was keep things on a level that even when the story got unrealistic, there was something so honest about it all.
From Stella dealing with life after being cured, to Stella breaking up with her husband to pursue a different life–it’s just all so…real. Life Sentence didn’t try to be over-the-top cheesy and it actually depicted what highs and lows someone might go through in a similar situation.
When everyone’s life revolves around you and then doesn’t, it takes a toll and Hale really captured that essence of Stella extremely well. The story had such a beautiful message, and what was even more impressive was the show’s ability to give us a great series finale. In comparison, shows that run for years often fail at this so it was shocking to see Life Sentence pull it off so effortlessly.
While it wasn’t the happy ending we may have wanted, each character was content in where their life was headed, and it truly felt like we got to say goodbye properly. So many shows are being fought for and Life Sentence should be amongst them.
The pure heart, the realism, the family dynamic, and the impossible love made the story work so well together. Everyone had their own issues and things to work through but family was always at the heart of the series, and it’s something that was truly admirable about it.
It’s hard to put into words how much Life Sentence will be missed and hopefully CW would change their minds and understand just how beautiful the story was and how hard each person on it worked. It isn’t exactly clear where the viewers or what elements went into the decision to end it, but they need to re-evaluate!
Thank you, Life Sentence for teaching us to never give up, strive for our goals, and most important of all, do what makes us happy. The lessons you have taught us will always stay with us, and we thank you for the brief moment in our lives we felt uplifted and encouraged by you. You will be missed!
Score: 8.5/10
Check out my TV blog to read reviews, recaps, and much more! Be sure to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and like my Facebook page! @watchwithreebs
One comment
flaladyb
July 3, 2018 at 4:46 PM
I will have to watch this then, even if they canceled it. If you know you’re going to die and there is no coming back your life changes dramatically, and so does everything about you. I was down to a 2% chance to live from an aortic aneurysm but somehow I’m still here. So many things about life changed, and so did the people around me. The biggest change was me. No, I don’t live each day after like it was a gift, like so many people think. I withdrew from everything. Gradually at first and then more. I felt like damaged goods. Being single certainly didn’t help. All the people who did help me during that awful time were wonderful. I could never thank them enough for anything and everything they did. The thing is…..I could never thank them enough–ever. The person being suddenly cured in this series presents it’s own life problems. What do I do now? How did I “deserve” to live?
Comments are closed.