Watch Life by Ella

Life By Ella is a live-action musical comedy series that debuted on Apple TV+ in September 2022. The show follows 12-year-old Ella as she returns to school after spending months recovering from leukemia. Ella is excited to reunite with her best friend and eager to get a fresh start at Lakeview Middle School, where she plans to join the cheer team and meet the boy she’s been crushing on.

However, Ella quickly realizes that things have changed while she was away. Her best friend has befriended a new girl and seems distant. The in-crowd at school ignores Ella and treats her like a social outcast. And as one of the only students wearing a mask, Ella feels self-conscious about trying to stay healthy amidst the pandemic. On top of it all, Ella is navigating a world of pre-teen drama, shifting friendships, unrequited crushes, and overprotective parents.

Despite the setbacks, Ella remains an incurable optimist who is determined to find the magic in every day. She expresses herself through song, using upbeat pop music and witty lyrics to work through her feelings. Ella longs to regain a sense of normalcy, make new friends, and prove she is still the same outgoing girl she was before cancer, even if the world around her has changed.

With the support of her loving and quirky single dad, Max, and her new neighbor and voice of reason, Sahar, Ella embarks on hilarious adventures to reinvent herself and create a new normal. From attempting to join the cheer team to campaigning for class president, Ella learns to embrace both the highs and lows of middle school life. She realizes that even though some friendships fade, new ones can blossom in their place. And while popularity and social status seem so important in the moment, being yourself is what really counts.

Life By Ella encourages viewers to choose joy in the face of adversity. The show highlights Ella’s endearing optimism and uses musical fantasy sequences to provide uplifting pep talks to herself. While Ella faces setbacks and insecurities like any other tween, the show provides positive messages about finding your voice, being resilient, and believing in yourself when things get tough. With lots of heart and humor, Life By Ella proves it’s possible to dance through the rainumps of life.

Life by Ella is a series that ran for 1 seasons (10 episodes) between September 2, 2022 and on Apple TV+