S01.E21: Welcome Back, Dr. Bull

[MyAimIsTrue]

Bull makes a deal with top criminal attorney J.P. Nunnelly to defend Benny when he goes to trial for misconduct in a case related to his former career with the District Attorney’s office.

[JackONeill]

Probably the best show this season. Bull's ego was kept in check mostly because the show focused on the new atty (actress did a good job). And Bull's team was also kept in check.

Of course, that left us with a run-of-the-mill detective show. Oh, well.

Oh, and Weatherly needs a haircut...and he needs to quit dying his hair.

[Bobbin]

"What would you say if I told you...?" A common trial ploy, and he fell for it. I would have checked that crime scene log to see who went there alone just before Benny did. For all of her trappings, I don't see what the lady attorney brought that any competent trial lawyer wouldn't have done, starting with the ludicrous "plea agreement" (see Sidney Sheldon's "The Other Side of Midnight"). I wonder how many other skeleton's Benny has in his closet.

[JackONeill]

14 minutes ago, Bobbin said:

"What would you say if I told you...?" A common trial ploy, and he fell for it. I would have checked that crime scene log to see who went there alone just before Benny did. For all of her trappings, I don't see what the lady attorney brought that any competent trial lawyer wouldn't have done, starting with the ludicrous "plea agreement" (see Sidney Sheldon's "The Other Side of Midnight"). I wonder how many other skeleton's Benny has in his closet.

Along those lines, if Bull is as "in-the-know" as he seems to be, how did he not know of the woman attorney? Heck, she works in his backyard. True, she was a "fixer," so since she doesn't try a lot of cases maybe that's why he didn't know. Still, he seems to know a LOT of people...but not her!!!  But I guess it doesn't matter. Maybe the writers decided to go for another angle than "Oh, she's an old flame of Bull's."

[jzygayle]

You're all right, but Eliza Dushku, so YAY!

[HurricaneVal]

Faith has aged well!  I thought Eliza Dushku was fantastic...I hope she becomes a regular.

Bull, though, is rapidly becoming my least liked character as Michael Weatherly gets better and better at channeling Dr. Phil. 

[comsimplex]

Devil's advocate here, but what was a sharp, fast-paced ensemble show has turned into Perry Mason meets Moonlighting...and Weatherly is no Bruce Willis.  Attanasio's shows may lean sideways, but they were always clever.  Caron's script is so passe, with so much exposition.  Plus, Eliza may be well-liked, but there was no convincing chemistry.  I may move on...lots of better stuff to stream, including legal dramas.

[sinkwriter]

I think what sold the episode for me was Freddy Rodriguez. When he bellowed at J.P. that it mattered to him whether or not he actually did what he was accused of doing, and that apologizing would mean saying he did something wrong when he didn't... I got very emotional for him. I was glued to him and what this case meant for him throughout the episode.

What didn't quite work for me was the stuff with J.P. Yes, she's an accomplished fixer and attorney, but I don't think the story for her was told very well. First of all, she seemed genuinely surprised and uninformed about what it is that Bull does. Yes, they were probably trying to show her as intrigued, but it didn't work for me, mainly because if she's so smart and in the know enough to be such a brilliant fixer, I don't believe she didn't already know exactly who Bull was and exactly what he does. Otherwise why would she want to hire him and his services for not one but three future cases? I don't believe that she didn't already completely investigate him before she bothered to take a meeting. So for her to be all intrigued and uninformed / confused / doubting of the idea of jury analysis like that didn't fit for me. And the flirting stuff just didn't feel convincing. I wasn't feeling chemistry between them, and I felt the writing was trying to force something. 

On a side note, I was on Benny's side all the way. I understand J.P. saying he doesn't need to know how she got certain documents, but surely by everything up to that point she can see that he is a man of integrity and he's not going to win this case by doing something fraudulent. The whole point of him not taking her special deal was because he felt morally and ethically bound not to lie - he did not do what they were saying he did, so he'd rather go to prison than apologize and "confess" to something he didn't do just to get out of going to prison. Bull pushing at Benny, saying "she's busting her butt trying to help you, what's with the attitude," just pissed me off because it felt like they were dumbing down Bull when he should know damn well why Benny was upset. Benny had already been set up by so-called friends at a "lunch", and then offered a deal for everything to "go away" if he just admits to something he didn't do; why wouldn't he be suspicious at this new turn of events and want to make sure everything was completely above board?

Edited May 11, 2017 by sinkwriter

[Netfoot]

Lots of emphasis on the fact that if Benny is found guilty of planting the evidence, the serial killer would go free.   But when Benny was found innocent because the cop had planted the evidence... they conveniently failed to address the point that the killer was still going to go free!

[Sarah 103]

On May 11, 2017 at 0:49 AM, comsimplex said:

Devil's advocate here, but what was a sharp, fast-paced ensemble show has turned into Perry Mason meets Moonlighting...and Weatherly is no Bruce Willis.  

No but given time I think Weatherly is capable of pulling it off. As as soon I saw Glenn Gordon Caron's name in the credits I yelled Moonlighting! It reminded me how I much I missed seeing David and Maddie go at it. They were fantastic in the first three seasons. 

20 hours ago, sinkwriter said:

First of all, she seemed genuinely surprised and uninformed about what it is that Bull does. Yes, they were probably trying to show her as intrigued, but it didn't work for me, mainly because if she's so smart and in the know enough to be such a brilliant fixer, I don't believe she didn't already know exactly who Bull was and exactly what he does.

I think she had some idea of who he was and what he did, but not a very deep understanding, because she had never needed to use his services and since she rarely goes to court has not seen his tactics in action. 

[mtlchick]

Hearing the word "fixer" made me miss Paige Turco on Person of Interest. 

It wasn't bad, but the back and forth between Bull and JP was just...weird.  Like they were trying to build this flirty chemistry quickly and I was bored with it.  I hope it gets toned down for the other episodes. 

 

Quote

I think what sold the episode for me was Freddy Rodriguez. When he bellowed at J.P. that it mattered to him whether or not he actually did what he was accused of doing, and that apologizing would mean saying he did something wrong when he didn't.

Agreed.  This has been hanging around him most of the season so finally having that outburst was overdue. 

[waving feather]

Bull and J.P. have zero chemistry. The dialogue between them were cringe-worthy and J.P. is just not a convincing character.

Bull is so unlikable. Is he supposed to be this suave all-knowing ladies man? Because Weatherly is not pulling it off. The only time Bull is likable is when he is interacting with Benny. They have the best chemistry in the show.

[hoopznyo]

I really wish wrapping up Benny's case took more than one episode after all the build up. I think it may have been good.

[Dowel Jones]

Right away, the course of the trial threw me off.  The first witness we see is Benny, and it is obvious that he has been called as a prosecution witness because their attorney is doing the direct examination, followed by Benny's attorney (JP) on cross.  Why is Benny even answering questions from the prosecution?  He doesn't have to say anything.

[Ceindreadh]

How is it that Michael Weatherly looked much better just woken up with bedhead hair than he did fully dressed and tidied up?

Seriously, can somebody tell the hairdressing department to keep the floppy hair instead of brushing it back?  It takes years off him. 

(why yes, I am shallow, thank you for asking! )

[statsgirl]

On 5/13/2017 at 10:58 AM, waving feather said:

Bull and J.P. have zero chemistry. The dialogue between them were cringe-worthy and J.P. is just not a convincing character.

Bull is so unlikable. Is he supposed to be this suave all-knowing ladies man? Because Weatherly is not pulling it off. The only time Bull is likable is when he is interacting with Benny. They have the best chemistry in the show.

Bull also has zero chemistry with Marissa IMO.  I've seen Weatherly on NCIS, he's got a lot of chemistry when he turns it on. Are they afraid to put Bull into a relationship?