Damian Lewis’s birthday is February 11th and his supporters are making a special effort to perform a kind or charitable act in his honor to celebrate the event; click here for more information.

“Life satisfies on a variety of levels – it’s got a quirky sensibility, isn’t afraid to get up close to the unpleasantness, has a fascinating central character in Charlie Crews (Brit abroad Damian
Lewis) and features a self-contained case in each episode while also letting slip a few more clues and details concerning the series’ major story arc…Lewis does a great job of playing Crews, making him credibly offbeat and randomly philosophical yet also a solid, intuitive cop; he’s a likeable loon, but at the same time gives just enough of a hint that, maybe, he really is unbalanced enough to have killed…This three-disc set features all 11 episodes plus extras including interviews, selected commentaries and features. Season two can’t come around fast enough”

Damian’s birthday is on February 11th and fans are asked to perform a special act of charity or kindness in his honor this month; click here to read all about it.

Of course, he’s always “Number 1″ on our list! Click here for the article at the Warehouse.

In the interview Life creator and executive producer Rand Ravich says that there has been no news about a 3rd season for the program.

Fans are encouraged to log comments supporting Life and to tell NBC to keep this wonderful program on the air!

And also tell NBC to promote it! And to let Charlie Crews grow his hair out a little!

Fans of Band of Brothers will be pleased to see another cast member appearing on Life. Richard Speight Jr. who played Pvt. Skip Muck on Band of Brothers made a guest appearance on last night’s show. There were also other subtle references to the series (e.g., “Charlie Crews says to ‘hang tough’!”)

Let’s hope that we will get to see many more of the “Brothers” working together again!

“Life,” in a crowded field of crime-related procedurals, is unique. Like its lead character, Los Angeles detective Charlie Crews (played by Damian Lewis), this low-key show is laconic, witty, refreshingly curious and instinctively averse to melodrama. In other words, “Life” is good company.

» Episode 1.01 Merit Badge – Tues Feb 10th at 2100, repeated Thurs Feb 12th at 2300

» Episode 1.02 Tear Assunder – Tues February 17th at 2100

“Life has been a surprise hit for many observers. It was unexpected, as are most hits. What seemed like just another police procedure show has resonated with the audience…What makes the show stand out? As with any successful series, it’s the characters. We return to a program week after week because we care about the characters and want to see what they are up to next. Check out Life and if you find the characters interesting, put it on your watch list.”

Sarah co-stars as Dani Reese with Damian Lewis (Charlie Crews) on Life. Rand Ravich, the show’s creator and executive producer, told Kristin Dos Santos of E! Online that Sarah’s pregnancy will bring major changes to the show, including:

“a separation for the partners and a new job for Reese…In the coming eps, Dani Reese joins an FBI-LAPD joint task force on crime and is attached to that unit for the time being, in part to help moderate the show’s demands on Sarah while she’s pregnant.

Rand says, “[Sarah's pregnancy] is a challenge and a…challenge. Episodic television is a grueling schedule, and Sarah and Damian were practically in every scene together, and we certainly can’t expect Sarah to work 15-hour days…So we were able to carve Sarah out of the main story a little bit—keeping her always related to Crews and always involved with Crews—and just give her some relief as well.”

Apparently the pregnancy coincided nicely with a schism that they were already planning between Crews and Reese. Says Rand, “We wanted to diverge their stories somewhat, to separate them geographically to make them start doubting each other, tear them apart somewhat. And then hopefully, if they can work it out, [we can] bring them back together in a stronger fashion.”

(That’s all great but they shouldn’t expect Damian to work 15-hour days, either! And they shouldn’t keep Charlie’s haircut so darn short! And NBC should have promoted Life during the Superbowl!)

“BRITAIN’S Damian Lewis excels as a former police officer who, after years of false imprisonment, returns to the force with a decidedly different philosophy…. As played by Lewis, he was an enigmatic presence to be around throughout the first season of Life… and his arrival on DVD gives law and order buffs the chance to catch up on a classic new character in the making…If you didn’t manage to catch it during its ITV run, there’s another chance on F/X or – best of all – when this DVD box set is released on February 2. You won’t be disappointed in this excellent new show.”

IFC has acquired the US distribution rights and the movie will be released in Los Angeles and New York City on April 3rd followed by a limited release in selected cities. The film will be available to On Demand television viewers starting April 1st. This IndieWire article quotes Jonathan Sehring, president of IFC Entertainment as saying:

“‘‘The Escapist’ is a first rate thriller that respects the rules of the prison break film but also helps to reinvent it with thrilling flourishes thanks to Rupert Wyatt’s superb direction.”… “It’s hard to believe this is his first film, and he’s matched by terrific performances by Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes, Damian Lewis, Dominic Cooper, Seu Jorge and Liam Cunningham. We think this is the perfect film for all of our platforms and are incredibly excited by its prospects.”

The Escapist will be released on region 2 DVD in the UK on February 9, 2009.