(ABC/Giovanni Rufino)
The new legal drama For Life premieres tonight, Feb 11, 2020, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. The story, which is inspired by true-life events, follows a wrongfully convicted inmate on his quest to get out of prison.
If you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream of ABC on your computer, phone, Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV or other streaming device via one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming subscription services:
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Hulu With Live TV
ABC (live in select markets) is included in Hulu With Live TV, which comes with 60-plus live TV channels and Hulu’s extensive on-demand library of TV shows and movies.
Once signed up for Hulu With Live TV, you can watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Echo Show, or other streaming device via the Hulu app.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” comes with both its extensive on-demand library (which has most new episodes, events, and specials available after they air) and 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
AT&T TV Now
AT&T TV Now (formerly DirecTV Now) offers six different channel bundles. They range from 45 to 125 live TV channels, and they all include ABC (live in select markets). The “Plus” and “Max” bundles both include a free seven-day trial:
Start Your AT&T TV Now Free Trial
Once signed up for AT&T TV Now, you can watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the AT&T TV Now website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, or other compatible streaming device via the AT&T TV app.
If you can’t watch live, AT&T TV Now — no matter what channel package you choose — comes with included cloud DVR.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV comes with 70-plus live TV channels, including ABC (live in select markets).
Once signed up for YouTube TV, you can then watch a live stream of the show on your computer via the YouTube website, or on your phone (Android and iPhone supported), tablet, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, or other compatible streaming device via the YouTube app.
If you can’t watch live, YouTube TV comes with included DVR.
For Life Preview
ABC
The ABC show premieres on Feb 11, 2020. For Life follows the life of Aaron Wallace, a wrongfully convicted inmate at a New Jersey prison. While in prison, Aaron, who is played by Nicholas Pinnock, becomes a lawyer, litigating cases for other inmates while trying to get his own conviction overturned.
His quest for freedom is based around getting back to his own family, a wife and daughter. The previews for one episode of season one show his daughter revealing to him that she’s pregnant and he won’t be able to be in the baby’s life if he doesn’t get out of prison.
The series is set to explore flaws in the prison and legal systems in the United States.
The character Aaron Wallace is based on a real man: Isaac Wright Jr. In the 1990s, Wright was sentenced to life in prison for drug trafficking after a corrupt prosecutor set his sights on him. Wright, who had never been part of the legal system before, represented himself at trial and was ultimately convicted.
Wright was granted a new trial after spending seven years in prison, and he has been a free man ever since, getting his law degree to help others and bring down corruption. He spoke at the Television Critics Association Winter 2020 Press Tour about what it was like to see his story come to life on screen.
“When I had the opportunity to be on set and watch Nicholas perform, for the first time, in watching Nicholas’ performance, I was able to see myself as a third person,” he said. “It became a therapeutic process for me to watch Nicholas and move through episode by episode with him. He was somebody that allowed me to reflect on the pain that I was going through at the time.”
For Life credits 50 Cent as a producer; he was the first one to have the idea of the show. After a chance meeting with the rapper after taking on a case getting licensing for a then-illegal fight club, Wright told him his story. Together, they brought the idea to ABC and the rest is history.
In the pilot, Wallace becomes a lawyer and begins litigating cases for other inmates. His struggle with a progressive female prison warden will explore the flaws in prison and legal systems and illustrate how one person can make a true difference if they fight for the truth.
The second episode will see rising tensions between Aaron and his crew when he provides counsel for a white supremacist in order to repay his debt to another inmate. Aaron also sues the NYPD in order to gain access to his file, which upsets the district attorney and causes him to up his game. In this episode, Aaron’s daughter’s boyfriend will come to the prison to meet his girlfriend’s father for the first time. Episode two airs on Feb 18.
For Life premieres on ABC at 10 p.m. ET/PT on Tuesday, Feb 11.
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