On most TV shows the job is to solve the crime. On “Justice,” premiering at 9 ET tonight on Fox, the job is to spring the person accused of the crime.
This simple but fundamental shift across the courtroom aisle makes for a very different kind of drama, though in “Justice’s” case, it will be a tough sell to the Nielsen jury.
The defense attorney is often portrayed as some kind of hopelessly compromised legal prostitute, or else as an overworked, none-too-bright court-appointed stooge. On “Justice,” however, he is the high-powered, super-competent Ron Trott (Victor Garber, pictured, who played Jennifer Garner’s titanium-tough dad on “Alias”), a black belt at spinning the media and an expert strategist who doesn’t let subtleties like guilt get in the way of a favorable verdict for his clients.
The idea of setting the falsely accused free is innately interesting. Tonight’s slickly produced premiere, in which Trott defends a rich husband of a dead woman, makes defense work look as sexy as anything on the high-tech “CSI.”
But “Justice” makes clear that Trott’s agenda is about winning, not justice. One of the show’s producers recently invoked the name of Atticus Finch. Excuse me, but Atticus didn’t work for a high-powered law firm, his clients didn’t have deep pockets and, oh yeah, he lost his big case.
Perry Mason comes to mind of popular TV defense attorneys--but was he of another era that wouldn't translate today?
Posted by: Mark Jeffries | August 31, 2006 at 09:05 AM
The defense team at Mackenzie, Brackman on "L.A. Law" had a pretty good run in the ratings and the Emmys.
It's telling how many of cases on "Perry Mason" would have been thrown out if even 1980s-era forensics had been available. Too often the evidence consisted of a bloodstain that they couldn't even prove was human blood or, at best, they might determine what blood type it was. Perry Mason also had the benefit of almost universally innocent clients and too many murderers with fragile psyches ready to break down on the stand or leap angrily out of their seat to confess.
I did enjoy this first episode of "Justice" and look forward to watching it right up to the point "Lost" vaporizes it in the ratings and FOX replaces it with "When Police Animals Attack Bridezilla: Caught on Tape."
Posted by: Ed Dravecky III | August 31, 2006 at 10:26 AM
Isn't the "Idol" results show and "The Loop" going in that time slot on Wednesday in January (or after the "Idol" audition shows are done) anyway?
Posted by: Mark Jeffries | August 31, 2006 at 01:18 PM
Actually its supposed to move to 8:00 come January. As for the whole Lost thing up till that point, it will only face Lost for about 2 to 3 weeks in November because it is going off for baseball before Lost premieres. Fox should've given this show the time period before or after House because it is the most quality show. Besides, Standoff looks more like a good fit to Bones anyway.
Posted by: Jason | August 31, 2006 at 02:58 PM