# For Life (2020)

> A wrongfully imprisoned father becomes a lawyer and litigates cases for fellow inmates while fighting to overturn his own life sentence.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/77967

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 23
- Episode runtime: 43 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: crime, drama
- Created by: Hank Steinberg
- Network: ABC
- Cast: Nicholas Pinnock, Indira Varma, Joy Bryant, Mary Stuart Masterson, Dorian Missick, Tyla Harris, Glenn Fleshler, Boris McGiver
- TMDB rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10327830/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: mild
- Tone: determined, emotionally charged, gritty, hopeful

## What critics say

Viewers broadly praise For Life as a gripping, well-acted legal drama with a compelling wrongful conviction premise, and many lament its cancellation after two seasons.

## Synopsis

For Life (2020-2021) is an American legal drama series created by Hank Steinberg for ABC. Aaron Wallace (Nicholas Pinnock) is a man serving a life sentence for a crime he did not commit, who studies law from inside prison and begins litigating cases for other inmates while working to overturn his own conviction. He is supported by his wife Marie Wallace (Joy Bryant) and his daughter Jasmine Wallace (Tyla Harris), whose lives keep pulling him toward the outside world. Opposing him are prosecutor Henry Roswell (Timothy Busfield) and a web of institutional obstacles that turn every appeal into a fight. Each episode is built around a new inmate's case, the bureaucracy that traps him, and the small victories that keep Aaron hopeful, while the longer arc follows his campaign for freedom across two seasons. The tone is determined and emotionally charged, with moments of grit and hope set against the cramped, hard routines of an American prison. Its mix of courtroom stakes and personal sacrifice will appeal to fans of Orange Is the New Black, The Good Wife and Suits who want a serialized story about justice, family, and the cost of second chances. The series was canceled after two seasons, leaving the central appeal unfinished.

## Shows like For Life

- [The Guardian (2001)](https://ember.film/tv/1689)
- [Black Bird (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/117987)
- [The Convict (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/101888)
- [Reasonable Doubt (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/127973)
- [Criminal Justice (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/6942)
- [The Innocence Files (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/84332)
- [You Don't Know Me (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/115400)
- [Rectify (2013)](https://ember.film/tv/42237)
- [Cold (2026)](https://ember.film/tv/1105128)
- [Proven Innocent (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/70059)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt