“Where we left off: Ted was in prison on trumped-up charges and finding protection from Charlie Crews’ jailhouse pals. Crews lay near death after being shot in his home by an unknown assailant. ‘The goal was to get Crews’ personal and professional and conspiratorial life all crashing together,’ says Life executive producer Rand Ravich.

What’s next: ‘The fun of his shooting is that Charlie saw who did it and he’s not telling anybody!’ says Ravich. ‘When he recovers, he’ll track that person down and deal with it on his own.’ On other fronts: Crews works to get his roomie Ted out of jail, and Dani questions Crews about her father’s role in the conspiracy to frame him for murder.”

Here is the scan of the TV Guide article in the Warehouse; also thanks to Ann for the transcript.

There are many scenes featuring the young (pre-Band of Brothers) Damian Lewis in this terrific series. The region 2 DVD set for Hearts and Bones is offered for purchase in the UK. (Note: Damian only appears in season one; he left the show to begin filming Band of Brothers after the first season.)

The Escapist
Not Released in Theaters Yet
Directed by Rupert Wyatt

“Frank Perry is an institutionalized convict twelve years into a life sentence without parole. When his estranged daughter falls ill, he is determined he make peace with her before it’s too late. He develops an ingenious escape plan, and recruits a dysfunctional band of escapists — misfits with a mutual dislike for one other but united by their desire to escape their hell hole of an existence.

Why it’s on here: It was my favorite film from Sundance this year and could’ve been my favorite film of the entire year if it had ever actually been released in theaters. THINKFilm picked it up at
Sundance but that company went under part of the way through the year, so it never hit theaters. It was in theaters in June in the UK and will be out on DVD over there in January. This is one of the best films that no one has ever heard of. It’s one of the most intense and thrilling modern escape movies ever made, and that’s a huge compliment!”

» “Life Charlie Crews: Bringing Down Kyle Hollis” video posted on YouTube by ChuckR7 (spoilers!)

» “Drawn On Photograph” by MatthwJ.

In the UK The Escapist Region 2 DVD will be released for rental on January 12th and offered for sale on February 9th.

The Escapist is scheduled for theatrical release in The Netherlands on April 16, 2009.

“Life,” “Trapdoor” (NBC, 12/17): The drama about Zen-quoting cop Charlie Crews (the wonderful Damian Lewis) often struggles to balance its one-shot stories with the longer arcs about the conspiracy that put Crews in prison for 12 years for a murder he didn’t commit. The show’s fall finale managed to bring together all the disparate threads, while reintroducing “Deadwood” alum Garret Dillahunt as a cold Russian gangster, in a concentrated burst of comedy, surprise and sheer coolness.

In the US you can watch “Trapdoor” online for free at NBC.com.

DAMIAN LEWIS (“Life”)
“I’d be a professional Ping-Pong player. I’m not that good. I’m not Chinese good. But I hold [the paddle] like a pen. I hold it orthodox Western style. And that’s all I’m prepared to give up about my game, in case anyone reads this. . . . I don’t want people winning.”

(A September message from Sharon, Damian’s Los Angeles Assistant, revealed that he had purchased a ping pong table as a gift for the cast and crew of NBC’s Life.)

» Matt Norris of CinemaBlend selected Charlie Crews as his “Favorite TV Character Of 2008” stating:

“Cop shows have been done over and over again. Never has a cop show gone so far to give the main character such an interesting back story and quirks… Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers) turns out the most underrated performance on television as the fruit loving, falsely imprisoned, Zen master Charlie Crews who simultaneously tracks down weekly criminals and the people who framed him.”

» Al Norton of 411 Mania’s “Two Tivos To Paradise” picked Life as one of the “Top 10 Dramas of 2008.” He described the program as:

“Currently the best police series on television, Life excels because its quirkiness is organic, feeling like it comes from the characters and their stories and not from a writer’s room. Damian Lewis’ Charlie Crews is a Detective for the ages, exploring mysteries both external and internal; while some actors wear their hearts on their sleeves, Lewis wear’s his thought process on his face, letting the audience in on what Charlie is thinking at all times. While I can’t mention Sarah Shahi without talking about how beautiful she is, it’s her acting ability that deserves even more raves…”

» According to the Malaysian Star:

“Ex-cop Charlie Crews (a brilliant Damian Lewis) gets out of jail after being wrongfully sentenced for 12 years and re-enters the police force as a detective and pockets millions of dollars as compensation. Even as he’s solving cases, he secretly investigates his own case in an effort to find out who framed him. A cool concept that has so many twists and turns.”

Wednesday at 9 p.m., “Life” (1.7/5 in 18-49, 5.2 million viewers overall) ranked #2 in all key adult-male demographics men 18-34, men 18-49 and men 25-54. It is worth noting that “Life” has been adding an average 22 percent to its 18-49 rating when going from “live plus same day” to “live plus seven day” results. In total viewers, “Life” has been adding an average 870,000 viewers overall to its previously reported “live plus same day” numbers. Counting all time-shifting (going from “live only” to “live plus seven”), “Life” is gaining 38 percent in 18-49 when going from “live only” to “live plus seven.”

» Region 1 (Canada and US)

» Region 2 (UK, Europe, N. Africa, Egypt, and Japan)

» Region 4 (Australia, NZ, Pacific Is., Mexico, C. America, S. America, and the Caribbean)

» “Damian Lewis – Christmas” by Jolaniafi

» “Dedication To Damian Lewis” by kspower01

» “Rebirth” from “Trapdoor” (episode 2.12 of Life) posted by LifeTVZen

» “Life: Charlie Crews and Dani Reese-Love Lockdown” by ChuckR7

» How to Eat Kiwano (African Horned Cucumber) by ebusch00

If you are looking for some holiday cheer then click here to enjoy Detective Charlie Crews and his partner Detective Dani Reese solving a Christmas crime in Life episode 2.08 titled “Black Friday” which originally aired in the US On November 12, 2008 on NBC.

“How refreshing it is to watch a show about cops that seems to have a genuine love for the human spirit in all its quirky variations…Even the mediocre moments are redeemed by British actor Damian Lewis…”

07/01/09 10:20 PM
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