Last week a slew of new television shows hit the small screen including NBC's LIFE, which offers a fresh take on the justice system. "Life was his sentence, life is what he got back," was one of the show's more memorable lines, delivered by a lawyer for the lead character, cop Charlie Crews, who helped the officer secure freedom after his wrongful murder conviction and a dozen years behind bars. These days exoneration stories are readily ripped from the headlines. Unfortunately, though, certain aspects of LIFE's premise are more like science fiction. When, upon his release, Crews negotiates a multi-million dollar settlement and a return to the police force (at the higher rank of detective), it's pure Hollywood. Still, other aspects of Crews' return home actually hit home.

One of the most powerful images of this opening show is a shot of Crews and his partner leaving a prison after questioning an inmate. They walk along a high concrete prison wall, past the words "No Re-Entry" that appear in bright red letters. Is this a message directed at people on their way into prison, signaling they are leaving freedom behind? Or is it directed at those leaving the institution, a command to stay on the straight and narrow and never return? Therein lies the show's drama, as Crews sets out to return to the world, and the police force behind his wrongful conviction.

On his first day back on the job Crews stares up at the sky, as if trying to identify the bright orange orb floating there. He is alone - his wife, who erred in believing Crews was a murderer, has divorced him. His estranged father dare not call directly, instead communicating through the lawyer who secured Crews' freedom. His mother is dead, Crews believes because his father cut off all ties to him post-conviction.

Incarceration places huge stresse