Chasing Life

April Carver (Italia Ricci) is an ambitious, twenty-something journalism applicant at a competitive Boston newspaper who is determined to advance her career while managing a chaotic family dynamic following the death of her father. Her professional life and romantic prospects begin to take off just as her estranged uncle, a medical doctor, delivers devastating news: April has acute myeloid leukemia.

Determined not to let the diagnosis derail her dreams, April initially keeps her illness a secret from her widowed mother Sara (Mary Page Keller), rebellious younger sister Brenna (Haley Ramm), and co-worker love interest Dominic (Richard Brancatisano). As her treatments escalate, April leans on a support group where she meets Leo Hendrie (Scott Michael Foster), a fellow cancer patient with a cynical outlook on life. The series explores young adulthood, illness, mortality, and family resilience with humor and emotional honesty.

💡 Did you know?
Telenovela Adaptation: The series was an English-language adaptation of the popular 2008 Mexican telenovela Terminales, created by Marcela Guerty and produced by Televisa.

Representation of Youth Cancer: Widely lauded by health organizations and advocacy groups for its realistic, non-idealized depiction of young adults coping with cancer treatment, chemotherapy side effects, and fertility concerns.

Notable Supporting Roles: Features Aisha Dee (The Bold Type) as April's best friend Beth, alongside Scott Michael Foster (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Greek) in a fan-favorite arc as Leo.

⭐ Series Evaluation & Ratings 📈
⭐ Global Critical & Audience Consensus: 7.6 / 10 (80% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes / 7.8 IMDb)

Appreciated by viewers and critics alike for Italia Ricci's nuanced, deeply empathetic lead performance and the show's balance of comedy and tragedy.

🎨 Narrative & Emotional Craft: 7.7 / 10

Delivers a grounded, emotionally resonant exploration of family bonds and youth mortality that avoids falling into excessive melodrama.

📝 Portal Recommendation:

An essential entry for 2010s Medical Drama Archives, Family Television Spotlights, and Telenovela Adaptation Retrospectives. Pairs naturally with shows like The Big C (2010–2013), A Million Little Things (2018–2023), or Red Band Society (2014–2015).