High-powered L.A. defense attorney Ted Hoffman (Daniel Benzali) is frustrated with his arrogant Hollywood actor client Neil Avedon (Jason Gedrick) and fires him after cleaning up another one of his messes. His client Richard Cross (Stanley Tucci) comes to him as a suspect in the murder of 15 year old Jessica Costello while dating her older sister Julie (Bobbie Phillips). Annie (Patricia Clarkson) is Ted's frustrated wife. Miriam Grasso (Barbara Bosson) is the lifelong prosecutor. In the second season, Ted has left the firm. The remaining partners Justine Appleton (Mary McCormack), Chris Docknovich (Michael Hayden), and Arnold Spivak (J.C. MacKenzie) struggle without their leader. Flamboyent prosecutor Jimmy Wyler (Anthony LaPaglia) is angered by being passed over for a promotion by District Attorney Roger Garfield (Gregory Itzin). He resigns to defend a woman accused of killing the governor who was crushing Garfield in the polls. A second case develops with the firm defending NBA superstar Rickey Latrell. A third case has Wyler accepting the case of the serial killer Street Sweeper Clifford Banks (Pruitt Taylor Vince) from his dying mentor.
The first season is the best of network TV. Its near perfection serial crime drama makes it more compelling as a binge show. In this way, it's a precursor of peak TV and the streaming services. It comes a year after the OJ trial and it borrows heavily from the experience. That season is top ten in terms of quality. Benzali's slow forceful draw is magnetic. My only complaint is the killer reveal from the murder mystery. There is one obvious choice and one terrific shock choice. The eventual choice is a bit underwhelming.
The second season is without Benzali and the show suffers mightily. LaPaglia is completely different and his tone starts opposite to Ted. Hoffman has a moral backbone while Wyler is self-serving. Eventually, Wyler does turn into something closer to Hoffman. Apparently, Bochco fired Benzali for one of the weirder reasons. There are problematic writing throughout the second season. The initial money problem is infuriating. It's a bad way to start the second season and the show never recovers. The attempted blackmail seems perfect to bring into the court if only to add credence to the other possible suspect. He does bring it into court but only after some convenient gymnastics. A simple thing like getting arrested for expired tag seems like a perfect thing to bring to the attention of the jury to suggest police malfeasance. Instead, the show tries to play it off as embarrassing for Wyler. While I like the case, the show struggles with this first one. The second case is fine but has only one dramatic twist. The third case is the best of the season. It helps to have a great actor playing the serial killer. At least, the show ends on a high note.
The first season is the best of network TV. Its near perfection serial crime drama makes it more compelling as a binge show. In this way, it's a precursor of peak TV and the streaming services. It comes a year after the OJ trial and it borrows heavily from the experience. That season is top ten in terms of quality. Benzali's slow forceful draw is magnetic. My only complaint is the killer reveal from the murder mystery. There is one obvious choice and one terrific shock choice. The eventual choice is a bit underwhelming.
The second season is without Benzali and the show suffers mightily. LaPaglia is completely different and his tone starts opposite to Ted. Hoffman has a moral backbone while Wyler is self-serving. Eventually, Wyler does turn into something closer to Hoffman. Apparently, Bochco fired Benzali for one of the weirder reasons. There are problematic writing throughout the second season. The initial money problem is infuriating. It's a bad way to start the second season and the show never recovers. The attempted blackmail seems perfect to bring into the court if only to add credence to the other possible suspect. He does bring it into court but only after some convenient gymnastics. A simple thing like getting arrested for expired tag seems like a perfect thing to bring to the attention of the jury to suggest police malfeasance. Instead, the show tries to play it off as embarrassing for Wyler. While I like the case, the show struggles with this first one. The second case is fine but has only one dramatic twist. The third case is the best of the season. It helps to have a great actor playing the serial killer. At least, the show ends on a high note.