Life by Ella

This show is terrible, one season was too much.

The acting and script are awkward. A lot of weird pausing. There is no chemistry between any of the characters.

Endless learning moment after learning moment to the point where it becomes trite. Despite the episodes having all these weird learning moments no episodes has an over arching theme beyond, kid with cancer. It feels like endless b-story.

The daughter is experiencing ptsd from having gone through cancer. The father is especially a nervous overbearing presence. This is all played off but the reality is that they and their family should be in therapy.

The scenes with bald cap and long hair are ridiculously poorly done. When we flashback to times where she has cancer she is overflowing with energy, scheming and conniving with not parental supervision. These scenes don't mesh with her post treatment outlook nor the details surrounding her father who quit her job to care for her during treatment.

It's a mess all around.

This is an Apple exclusive show, but it feels like a throwaway Friday night "comedy" for ABC or a channel with the word "Family" in it. Literally every line feels like it's a scripted "punch line" that's missing its canned laugh track.

The premise has some promise, but the characters are flat, and the acting is wooden and sterile. Everything feels artificial, even the (genuinely) outdoor shots, and there's zero chemistry between the lead and her "best friend," who mostly serves as a servile dupe. Some of the dialogue thinks its being "brave" but it's all extremely trite and unoriginal. Lastly, the protagonist of this show, a girl who survived cancer, seems to be more focused on being a self-righteous a---hole rather than learning gratitude or doing some introspection.

About the only positive thing I can say about this show is that the studio lighting is nice and bright, and all the actors' clothing is clean and in good condition.

This series has just wasted my precious time with no proper direction and the main actress and co actor's actings are just so stiff it's painful to watch. Another flop of an unoriginal show in my books.

On another note, I have just noticed that the desperate main actress has just started pursing singing but her talent is so immense that she just had to buy their way to the top on her socials including Spotify?! It's a shame that she couldn't rely on her actual abilities and had to resort to such tactics. Maybe they should focus on honing her craft instead of trying to cheat the system and stick to improving her acting.

This show will connect with folks who have empathy. It demonstrates healthy behaviors by youth faced with very mature issues. You also get to witness the family's struggles with making sense of, and supporting the protagonist's situation.

Although, I am not really sure who the intended audience is. The subject material is kind of heavy for kids, but it still gives off the vibe of a young adult show.

I don't think it will win many awards, but I personally enjoyed it and was sad to see it end. I also feel that the only other review posted at this time is a bit too harsh, which is what prompted me to post a review of my own.