I watched the premiere of “The Defenders” under a cloud of confusion – for some reason I has assumed it was a remake of that show with Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg. (D’oh! That was “The Avengers”!)
Anyway, it turns out to be another lawyer show. (Jim Belushi? He’s still acting? Why?)
I’m wondering if anyone else watched and maybe can give me a reason to give this show a few more chances.
(That stewardess getting dressed in the opening scene was riveting. Who was the actor? If she’s going to a regular that might be reason enough for me to give it at least one more chance)
I’m watching it mainly because of Belushi. He’s been in a lot of clunkers, but he has a few good flicks to his credit. Red Heat, with Schwarzenegger. And Gang Related is definitely worth checking out. It co-stars the late Tupac Shakur and Dennis Quaid. It seems like it’s constantly on cable TV.
I’m ambivalent but it does have one plus in my mind which is the fact that it shows things from the side of a criminal defense attorney. Having been one myself in a previous life, it’s nice to see that they don’t take the tack of most legal dramas; i.e., that all criminal defense lawyers are scum. Obviously that would be impossible if these same people are supposed to be the heroes of your story, but it’s still nice to see.
I think most defense lawyers in private practice (as opposed to being public defenders) are mainly ego driven. But by serving their own vanity they also serve the justice system by insuring that at least some defendants are zealously represented. One might argue that often they subvert the law in the process, but even the so-called “technicalities” that result in freedom for those whose guilt is beyond doubt are there to serve the system as a whole.
Anyway, this is something that could get us off topic very quickly so I’ll get back to the show. I can’t recall any tv serials that approach the criminal justice system from the point of view of the defendant. I’m sure there have been some, but you’d have to admit that they are a tiny minority. I think that’s the best reason to continue watching.
It’s strange that there is another show this season with the same idea. Don’t remember the name but it stars Jimmy Smits.
I think the defenders is overly cutesy and will probably take the same liberties with the truth as most other shows in the genre but at this point I’m willing to give it a few more episodes.
“Outlaw”, but the scuttlebutt is that it is not long for this world.
There is also “The Whole Truth” which approaches the subject from both the prosecution’s and defendent’s side.
You know, not too long ago wasn’t there another short-lived legal drama that did the same thing as The Whole Truth? They would show the story from the prosecution’s and defendent’s perspective, leaving questions as to which side got it right. Then at the very end, they’d show what really happened. Anyone remember the name of that show?