For The People - General Discussion

[tennisgurl]

So, I randomly decided to watch this because I dont have anything else to watch on Tuesday at 10 and I like to have TV on when I catch up on work stuff at night, and I thought it looked like kind of a less edgy How To Get Away with Murder (attractive young lawyers, but they dont keep accidentally killing people) and...not bad. Its not amazing, but I liked it pretty well. The actors are pretty good, and I basically got the gist of most of their characters even without seeing the first episode, and I like the premise. Seeing both defense and prosecutor lawyers in a sympathetic light is an interesting idea, and I like it. Usually on lawyer shows, if the main characters are defense lawyers, the persecutors are usually evil, and if the main characters are prosecutes, the defense lawyers are portrayed as evil, so its cool to see a show where both sides are seen as important parts of the legal system. Like the trial with the Nazi guy, everyone deserves a trail, and we need both sides of the courtroom to form a functional legal system. 

So, some of the characters are kind of annoying, but some seem cool, and the cases seem alright. It seems like the kind of show that I will watch live, but would probably forget to catch up on, unless it gets a bunch better. 

[TV Diva Queen]

US Senator Mom looked familiar.  that's all I got..... I want to like this, but its not happening yet.  I'll give them a few more, new shows usually take a while to hit their stride.  

[biakbiak]

55 minutes ago, TV Diva Queen said:

US Senator Mom looked familiar.  that's all I got..... I want to like this, but its not happening yet.  I'll give them a few more, new shows usually take a while to hit their stride.  

Ann-Marie Johnson I know her from the 80s show In the Heat of the Night where she was Althea Tibbs. 

Since Jill didn't do one tortured baseball analogy I will give the show another chance, donuts are not as annoying.

Why on earth do Sandra and Seth keep turning up their noses at a glorious rent free two bedroom apartment with a huge kitchen in NYC?!?!

[TV Diva Queen]

41 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

Ann-Marie Johnson I know her from the 80s show In the Heat of the Night where she was Althea Tibbs. 

Since Jill didn't do one tortured baseball analogy I will give the show another chance, donuts are not as annoying.

Why on earth do Sandra and Seth keep turning up their noses at a glorious rent free two bedroom apartment with a huge kitchen in NYC?!?!

Yes!  That's her.  What's Happening (the later years)  I always liked her.  Thank you. 

I'm dying about re the bolded part.  I don't get in either.  I may or may not have said out loud last night "they have a spoon drawer in the island, in Manhattan"  

[Kaiju Ballet]

2 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

it looked like kind of a less edgy How To Get Away with Murder (attractive young lawyers, but they dont keep accidentally killing people)

Yes! You just put into words what drew me into watching this. The pleasant surprise is that instead of a case a week (when we're lucky) with a season-long arc, it's three. It's like a Shondafied Boston Legal minus the levity. 

I like the premise, but I'm hoping that Duffel Bag isn't supposed to be the "star." I don't recognize any of the actors playing baby lawyers, so they're going by nicknames except for the two characters that stood out: Littlejohn and Jay. And maybe Seth, because he's been namechecked so many times in this discussion.

While it's true they're all conventionally good looking, there's something in the fact that their appearances are really deceptive. Littlejohn presents very soft, babyfaced--and yet she's all hard edges and about the work.

Seth looks like the classic white frat boy, possibly a legacy admission at an Ivy League, and yet he's total Milquetoast having lived off of his girlfriend and then allowing himself to get pushed around by fellow lawyers.

Jay was a bit like the Simon character from HTGAWM (at first). The pilot set him up to be from an immigrant family, uncaring (or unaware) of social niceties such as not eating smelly food when you're trying to make a professional impression.  It was easy to write him off as the token outsider or window into an immigrant background. This episode's focus on his family and the way he contributes to their business was really interesting. He's a lawyer not to better his family's material circumstances, but to live out the American dream as seen through politically oppressed refugees' eyes.

I also liked the Senator's Son being schooled by her "Calling in your momma is never a power move." Back to appearances--Senators Son's trying to prove himself in the way I had expected Seth to, except he's the one feeling entitled because of his family connections. While Seth is the one who outwardly looks like he's privileged, but didn't even feel like an equal partner in his relationship of two years.

And -- Manhattan Apartment Dweller. I had her pegged as the Olivia Pope character, but so far she's only shown that she has a need, possibly unhealthy, to be needed. And she draws in people who make her feel rejected or like crap about being so generous. Seriously, she's found the only two people who would turn down free rent and food in a gorgeous Manhattan apartment with fabulous views and decor. It actually makes me suspicious of Milquetoast and Duffel Bag. Like, what is wrong with them, lol?!?!?

[HazelEyes4325]

I'm liking this show more than I expected, which is good.  But, two episodes in, I'm already feeling like the cast is a bit bloated.  I still can't remember anyone's name (although "Duffel Bag" may stick), which isn't a great sign.  But, I can't really put my finger on which character I think is superfluous.  No, that's wrong on two counts--Seth.  I think he's superfluous and I can remember his name.  I'm not so sure about the Senator's son yet...just the way he's set up, he feels like the most trope-ish character.  I hope that they do something unique with him.  I actually like...um, blonde woman with a bob haircut.  I think as far as the characters of the young attorneys go, she has the most potential.  I'm probably least impressed, both with the character and the performance, of the main actress--um, Duffel bag.  She just...doesn't seem quite up to par and she's written in a very heavy-handed way.

Oh, my other issue is Anna Devere Smith.  I love ADS, so this isn't a criticism of her.  I just think she's wasted in that role and that the role isn't big enough for her.  Now, this could remedy itself in coming episodes, so I'm not going to put much energy into bemoaning it just yet...

I do enjoy Hope Davis's character and I like her prosecution counterpart when they are together.

[SnoGirl]

I actually think Sandra was a foster kid. Never unpacking, talking about kids never having toys and only having what they could carry, they were laying it on a little thick. I do think her friend’s look was a look of pity. Like “I’m offering you a home but you’re still one foot out the door like the stories you told me.”

I love Littlejohn. She is my favorite character. She is fantastically unrelenting. 

I also like the relationship between the elders. I like that they seem like they have a deep respect for each other even though they’re on opposite sides of the courtroom. I hope we see them argue against each other AND still be friends afterwards. 

[Neurochick]

Not every light skinned person is mixed race/multi racial.  I’m light skinned and black.  I get tired of every light skinned black person being called mixed race.  Sigh.

[wanderingstar]

Still waiting for this to grab me. The stories are just so-so and none of the characters is really doing it for me. Nice seeing Michael Beach as Gunn's boss and Anne-Marie Johnson as Knox's mother. I know it takes shows a while to find their footing, so I'll give it a few more episodes.

[rhys]

Seth was in a quirky comedy that lasted maybe 2 years about a call center in India. It was great. I, of course, can't recall the name but I highly recommend it. So imagine my surprise at seeing him in dramatic role. I like him with Alison.

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, rhys said:

Seth was in a quirky comedy that lasted maybe 2 years about a call center in India. It was great. I, of course, can't recall the name but I highly recommend it. So imagine my surprise at seeing him in dramatic role. I like him with Alison.

Outsourced and it lasted one season. I didnt realize that was him but i only daw a handful of eps.

[rhys]

Thank you! Ben Rappaport (not sure how many/location of P's).

[txhorns79]

Quote

Jay was a bit like the Simon character from HTGAWM (at first). The pilot set him up to be from an immigrant family, uncaring (or unaware) of social niceties such as not eating smelly food when you're trying to make a professional impression.  It was easy to write him off as the token outsider or window into an immigrant background. This episode's focus on his family and the way he contributes to their business was really interesting. He's a lawyer not to better his family's material circumstances, but to live out the American dream as seen through politically oppressed refugees' eyes.

I think my eyes stayed permanently rolled throughout his and duffel bag's storylines.  No, the court does not let you call up random people to the stand to essentially accuse them of the crime your client has been accused of committing.  For example, the fact that the woman had reposted a picture of the candidate with with a target on her, happened to attend the rally and owns a gun is evidence of nothing.  And I can't even begin to understand the concept of giving a lawyer who was ridiculously unprepared for his last case, a high profile attempted murder claim as  some kind of proving ground for his skills.  It's like getting a promotion after failing spectacularly.  

And duffel bag, while I appreciate your ability to nearly bring yourself to tears during an argument regarding a case that you are taking too personally, it's absurd you are still trying to live like the sad little evicted duffel bag you are.  At least hang up your stuff so it doesn't get wrinkled.    

[DearEvette]

22 hours ago, tennisgurl said:

So, I randomly decided to watch this because I dont have anything else to watch on Tuesday at 10 and I like to have TV on when I catch up on work stuff at night, and I thought it looked like kind of a less edgy How To Get Away with Murder (attractive young lawyers, but they dont keep accidentally killing people) and...not bad.

Yeah, same with me.  I decided to give it a whirl.  It is the sort of tv eye-and-ear candy I can digest easily.  And your description of it for me is spot on.  LOL.

 

19 hours ago, Kaiju Ballet said:

Milquetoast and Duffel Bag.

HA!  I love this.  Totally describes both of them.

I mean, what does Allison see in Seth?  I sat there thinking the whole time, oh honey, you can do better.

My impressions are:

Sandra.  She seems to be the most lead of the ensemble cast.  I guess.  She is just so earnest.  Of course the show would have her type at the center.  She is a textbook Shonda character.  Honestly, she could be cast as Sarah Drew's (April Kepner from Grey's) sister.  Her look and voice sounds so similar.  I think she is fine for the most part. 

Jay. I like Jay  much better this episode than last.  The glimpse into his family life was nice but his case was pure Shondaland.

Littlejohn.  I like her but I can see how unless they give her some nuance her tough-competent thing is going to become one note.  So far she resonates because the actress sells the hell out of her (it might also be the haircut) but she also seems the one that feels the most defined as far as actual personality goes.

Seth.  Milquetoast whiner.  I dislike him and his passive-aggressive ass.  As his need for validation from Littlejohn was sad.  No wonder Allison was able to make all the decisions in the relationship.  He did her a favor by leaving.  I hope she can move on. 

Knox.  I can't warm to him.  I can't with pretty boy, slick, super ambitious types unless they have some sense of humor or deviltry thrown in.  He's utterly humorless.  I can tell they'll probably sell that he's secretly insecure under it all.  I do like the friendship that seems to be building with him and Littlejohn though.  And Loved that Anne Marie Johnson is cast as his mother and she's rather salty!

Allison.  Other than the ruthless move last episode she doesn't really pop yet.  I hate they so far seem to have relegated her to being lovelorn and nurturing.  It is a shame because the actress is capable of more.  She did a guest episode on Grey's last season (as a lawyer, even) an she absolutely stood out.  She was one of the best aspects of the whole episode.  I am getting the vibe that her parents have rather been benignly neglectful or maybe emotionally absent and she gathers people to fill the void?

Of the cast outside of the baby lawyers, I am enjoying Hope Davis and Ben Shenkman a lot.  Vondie Curtis Hall is great.  Anna Devere Smith is being wasted so far.  Missed opportunity for such a good actress.

One thing, I do find it interesting that of all the baby lawyers, the two black characters seem to be presented as the most wealthy and privileged.  Which is atypical but welcome.

[UNOSEZ]

I didn't wanna cheat so I didn't Google or imdb this.. But what is Knox' first name... I know everyone else's even the characters I don't like ( of the babies)...  I don't even recall a post calling him anything other than Knox.  I know mine didnt.  

I do appreciate the show portraying black wealth... Some of us do come from means.. 

Don't totally love that Knox is kinda portrayed as the stereotypical light skin dude (better off financially... Pretty boy.. cocky etc) not that they don't exist.. But even less of us show up on TV than dark skin sistas.. And we tend to be shown one way.. And overall he does need a bit if fleshing out so far we know he was at the supreme court.. Is ambitious and his mom is a senator

 

Still enjoying the show and like someone said upthread... And I agree I enjoy the Knox / Littlejohn friendship hope it continues its kinda oddball they don't seem the tyoe to be friendly with each other... 

[J-Man]

On 3/22/2018 at 9:44 AM, UNOSEZ said:

I didn't wanna cheat so I didn't Google or imdb this.. But what is Knox' first name... I know everyone else's even the characters I don't like ( of the babies)...  I don't even recall a post calling him anything other than Knox.  I know mine didnt.  

I don't mind cheating --IMDB says his first name is Leonard.

Donuts? I wonder how often that ritual takes place. Because most of those women look like they haven't eaten a carbohydrate since the Bush administration.

[Emily Thrace]

On 2018-03-20 at 10:30 PM, UNOSEZ said:

Ughhhh for Sandra so damn self righteous and rude.   Ur homegirl  lets you stay at her swanky pad... I'm guessing rent free as its her parents place.. Gives you a closet... And you just keep ur stuff in a bag.  And have the nerve to put it back in the bag talking about I like it how I like it??..  Baby girl you can like paying rent for some rat infested studio apartment then..  And then her case.. Which she got by giving her work to someone else... Man ima stop now before I get real hot.   

Thankfully the show also has Ms.  Littlejohn who was delightful again. Great with annoying Seth and even putting up with self involved and gleefully oblivious Mr. Knox  those two and their kinda friendly  relationship 

 Letting Sandra stay doesn't give Allison the right to go through her stuff and move it all around. Sandra might have been nicer about but if anyone was truly rude in that situation it was Alison. What does it matter if Sandra keeps her stuff in a bag? Especially since these two seem to know each other well enough for Alison to know Sandra has boundaries. To me it felt more like Alison was being passive aggressive and a little controlling. Her heart was on the right place but her privilege was showing in that scene. You don't touch anybodies stuff without asking thats ghetto 101. 

Edited March 24, 2018 by Emily Thrace
Posted early by accident

[UNOSEZ]

39 minutes ago, Emily Thrace said:

 Letting Sandra stay doesn't give Allison the right to go through her stuff and move it all around. Sandra might have been nicer about but if anyone was truly rude in that situation it was Alison. What does it matter if Sandra keeps her stuff in a bag? Especially since these two seem to know each other well enough for Alison to know Sandra has boundaries. To me it felt more like Alison was being passive aggressive and a little controlling. Her heart was on the right place but her privilege was showing in that scene. You don't touch anybodies stuff without asking thats ghetto 101. 

I take ur point.. I still don't particularly like the Sandra character yet.. And I think the traits I pointed to earlier are worrisome but yeah maybe Allison overstepped.. She prob took it as a slight that you Ben tho she's opened her house and told Sandra she's home Sandra was basically treating the place like a hotel... Probably thought she  needed a push so she hung it all up... Right then and there woulda been a good time for the two of them to have a talk.. But of course that didn't happen.. Sandra kinda snapped and Allison got the message because she bought her the stand for her bag..  

[hoosiermom]

Could someone please tell me how the cases turned out? The station had technical difficulties the last 10 minutes and I just now got to watch it on DVR. So frustrating!

[biakbiak]

1 hour ago, doram said:

The Nazi White supremacist was acquitted thanks to his Jewish defender while the Muslim boy that was basically framed by the FBI, got convicted in the previous episode.  

When did they say his character was Jewish? I assumed he wasn't because the Nazi said that he thought the worst thing he would get was a Jewish lawyer. There are obliviously Egyptian Jews I just didnt hear them mention it.

The doctor was arrested for drug trafficking and Littlejohn and Seth asked the judge to award $5 million of his assets to his slave housekeeper.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

As others have noted, it is absurd to think for a nanosecond that any of the newbie lawyers would be anything but a second-chair, at best, for the important trials.  

What on earth is the basis for the "love" between the now split couple?  We already know that the dude has few scruples.  She has displayed few in this relationship, as well.  But!  SHE is the "nice" one?  Really?  Turrible character development.

I can't get past the unreal leaps in detail and plot in order to have the "big moments" work.  None of them were earned.  Not one.

[Lonesome Rhodes]

They go to a Federal judge for a weak warrant at HOME, and he is famous for being a stickler for individual rights?  Uh huh.  Just because that guy is new to us does not mean his reputation would not have been very, very well established IRL.  

For me, the only real moment was when wimpy finally said he would have to wear the pants in the relationship.  I am not saying he ever really could, though.

The very last scene bugged, too.  She is eating "Soy Flakes" with whole milk?  Soy flakes?  Ew.  But, that would so be accompanied by soy milk.

The ADA arc was beyond ridiculous.  She may have ultimately prevailed on the merits, but the hoops opposing counsel would have demanded she jump through, and rightly, would have crushed her from a cost POV. 

There was actually talk of the horrid doctor getting a soft sentence?  In with a cartel and having an indentured servant?  Dude was going to pay.  Large.  The proverbial example - or did I misread DOJ's intentions that they get a major "opioid" win???? - would have been made of him. 

[biakbiak]

2 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

The very last scene bugged, too.  She is eating "Soy Flakes" with whole milk?  Soy flakes?  Ew.  But, that would so be accompanied by soy milk.

The Soy Flakes were Seth's not hers so perhaps he didn't leave any soy milk and she wasn't eating them because of dietary restrictions.

 

2 hours ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

There was actually talk of the horrid doctor getting a soft sentence?  In with a cartel and having an indentured servant?  Dude was going to pay.  Large.  The proverbial example - or did I misread DOJ's intentions that they get a major "opioid" win???? - would have been made of him. 

 Because he was one doctor in a massive drug cartel, so there is a chance he could get a decent deal if he turned state's evidence.

[UNOSEZ]

Ima pretty progressive liberal guy... I kinda like how the show got me actually rooting against a leaker... Tho I do feel she had a great cause... Also I truly hope that I don't come across as obnoxious as Sandra to my non liberal friends or ppl who don't know me.. Cuz Geesh... 

Seth wasn't too bad.. 

Kate was my fave again

Knox was a snake and I enjoyed all of it

Hope Davis and Ben shenkman continue to do great work... Looking fwd to more episodes... 

 

Would public defenders really get all these types of big cases??... 

If watch a show just about the prosecutors.. Even some of the back channeling and jockeying with other districts

[Lady Calypso]

The third episode hit higher numbers than the pilot (likely due to Roseanne's insanely high numbers helping to carry ABC to top the night): 0.9 in the demo, and 3.58 million viewers.

All the shows last night on ABC did insanely well. 

[doLLish]

I thought it was another solid episode. I liked Allison’s storyline a lot. Sandra vs Kate was great as well. Loved their initial negotiation scene and the final one.

[Bobbin]

Not really an apt comparison -- brat vs whistleblower, and the field trip wasn't canceled because one student thought he was "above the law," but because the teacher lost control. But the compromise was logical and fair considering that there was no way the government would allow the case to go to trial.

Hmm. Does compassion in sentencing really equal bias? Certainly, a judge with a personal agenda punches the bias button. Better that a judge take the software's recommendation under advisement, but exercise his or her discretion in sentencing. Like the human sitting behind the wheel of an "autonomous" automobile.

[TV Diva Queen]

I call BS on Littlejohn never having been to DC?  Really?  

[Lonesome Rhodes]

Why oh why can't shows have a Frank Burns character who is actually reasonable - as Littlejohn most certainly was portrayed in the first 2 eps?  Hawkeye needed a foil and Burns was it.  The PD office needs a boogie man (person) and Littlejohn was it - except she was entirely Spockian about it - logic prevailed in her ethos.

So, now we get the softening of her.  Booooooooooo.

The whole arc around the media silence in the whistleblower case was just too much.  It would have been a glaring omission to the PD office immediately.  It would not have been a light bulb moment so far into things.

I want a judge who is the opposite of the super cool one who seems to be the only one.  There could be some great tension and some great backstage wheeling/dealing over jurisdiction amongst our intrepid youngins.  The one really good thing for me in this ep is there were some very tough and important issues brought out where each side has one helluva point.  I appreciated that the stick in the mud prosecutors were not seen to be ogres.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Lonesome Rhodes

[biakbiak]

The only thing I got out of Littlejohn's story is that Ms. Diller was a really shitty teacher and chaperone. 

Edited March 29, 2018 by biakbiak

[Lady Calypso]

Quote

After Seth learns that the people of his hometown and former elementary school in Lincoln, Nebraska, have become seriously ill due to groundwater contamination, he becomes invested in seeking justice, potentially jeopardizing the future of his career. Sandra, Jay and Allison assist Jill with a potential murder case, but as they grow skeptical of their client, Jill only grows more passionate.

[partofme]

I call foul on Littlejohn having sat in the back of the bus.   No way that happened.

I hate all the prosecutors on this show.

[txhorns79]

So basically Kate Littlejohn is just batshit crazy, right?  She's holding onto a grudge from 7th grade class trip as her reason for being a prosecutor?  That makes her sound petty, at best and crazypants at worst.   

Quote

I call BS on Littlejohn never having been to DC?  Really?  

 

Yeah, it's hard to believe that someone who apparently is so deeply passionate about visiting that a botched trip as a teenager changed the course of her life, has never been to a place that maybe is three hours away by Amtrak.   

I also have trouble believing the federal defender office is so casual that attorneys wear t-shirts to work. 

[biakbiak]

4 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

also have trouble believing the federal defender office is so casual that attorneys wear t-shirts to work. 

My friend is one and if he isn't in court or in meetings he dresses like shit. Once when we met for a drink I asked him how his workout was because he looked like he had come from the gym because of what he was wearing but nope work!

Edited April 1, 2018 by biakbiak

[txhorns79]

Quote

My friend is one and if he isn't in court or in meetings he dresses like shit. Once when we met for a drink I asked him how his workout was because he looked like he had come from the gym because of what he was wearing but nope work!

I guess they do dress very casually then!  My mistake. 

[TV Anonymous]

On 3/26/2018 at 10:19 AM, Lonesome Rhodes said:

The ADA arc was beyond ridiculous.  She may have ultimately prevailed on the merits, but the hoops opposing counsel would have demanded she jump through, and rightly, would have crushed her from a cost POV. 

Remind me, which one is that one?

[Lonesome Rhodes]

1 hour ago, TV Anonymous said:

Remind me, which one is that one?

The ADA guarantees certain rights, mostly access, to the disabled.  The discovery and expert testimony required to get to such a determination is unreal.  Her claim had a bit of validity, but not enough to risk the thousands and thousands required to prove it.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Lonesome Rhodes

[TV Anonymous]

15 minutes ago, Lonesome Rhodes said:

The ADA guarantees certain rights, mostly access, to the disabled.  The discovery and expert testimony required to get to such a determination is unreal.  Her claim had a bit of validity, but not enough to risk the thousands and thousands required to prove it.

Ah, ADA as in the Americans with Disabilities Act. I thought it was Assistant District Attorney and I was wondering which one that was. Gotcha.

[biakbiak]

5 minutes ago, TV Anonymous said:

Ah, ADA as in the Americans with Disabilities Act. I thought it was Assistant District Attorney and I was wondering which one that was. Gotcha.

Me too! I was so confused.

[TV Anonymous]

How did NYPD officers arrest someone in Bayonne, NJ particularly when they were off-duty?

[UNOSEZ]

Wow Seth stepped up.. Good episode... I assume Mary McCormick will pop up again.. Seems odd to bring in somebody so well known just for one episode..  Got some insight into hope Davis' character... I laughed when Sandra teleported to try and get on the murder case... Jay and Allison were like... Whaaat?.. Looks like they may try for a Littlejohn /Knox romance... Those are my two fave characters... And they do have a certain energy.. But I was kinda hoping the show would keep them as oddball friends... Only because I'm not sure the show can do a real relationship between two young hyper competitive lawyers without making one or both of them look bad

[funnygirl]

As each episode passes, I like the show more. I think it's found it's groove, and I see it as the Shondaland show that's on the lighter side. It's not too soapy like Grey's, and not dark like Scandal or HTGAWM. I'd prefer it to be part of TGIT over Station 19. For the People could certainly benefit from the ratings boost that would bring. 

[HazelEyes4325]

On 3/28/2018 at 12:04 PM, TV Diva Queen said:

I call BS on Littlejohn never having been to DC?  Really?  

Yeah, I'm with you on that.  It's too bad because, in many ways, her retelling of her story was the most effective thing this show has done so far...except it didn't make it any sense.

 

Still, Littlejohn remains my favorite character so far.    I think she is, by far, the best performed character, which probably makes her seem better written than she really is.  I'm interested to see if they actually develop her more as the series progresses or just let her languish with her legos.

[biakbiak]

The chemical company should have hired a better law frm if he didnt want to go to jail since we were hit over the head with the fact that Seth was a lawyer at a midlevel law firm in the first episode.

[HazelEyes4325]

9 hours ago, UNOSEZ said:

Wow Seth stepped up.. Good episode... I assume Mary McCormick will pop up again.. Seems odd to bring in somebody so well known just for one episode..  Got some insight into hope Davis' character... I laughed when Sandra teleported to try and get on the murder case... Jay and Allison were like... Whaaat?.. Looks like they may try for a Littlejohn /Knox romance... Those are my two fave characters... And they do have a certain energy.. But I was kinda hoping the show would keep them as oddball friends... Only because I'm not sure the show can do a real relationship between two young hyper competitive lawyers without making one or both of them look bad

Yeah, that was the first time I was interested in anything beyond the cases of the week.  I really wish they'd give more focus on Littlejohn--she's by far the most interesting of the female characters.  I generally see more potential with the male characters, although there seems to be more of them than I realize.  I guess a couple of them just sort of merge together in my mind.  Personally, I'd be fine with a bit of will they/won't they between Littlejohn and Knox.  I agree that the two actors seem to work well together, but I don't see the two characters making sense as a romantic couple, at least long term.

 

4 hours ago, funnygirl said:

As each episode passes, I like the show more. I think it's found it's groove, and I see it as the Shondaland show that's on the lighter side. It's not too soapy like Grey's, and not dark like Scandal or HTGAWM. I'd prefer it to be part of TGIT over Station 19. For the People could certainly benefit from the ratings boost that would bring. 

I agree that this show would definitely fit better on Thursday night.  I think the ratings are struggling because it was on Tuesday (even though Roseanne--eyeroll--seems to be helping things on Tuesday).

[UNOSEZ]

25 minutes ago, HazelEyes4325 said:

Personally, I'd be fine with a bit of will they/won't they between Littlejohn and Knox... This show would definitely fit better on Thursday night.  I think the ratings are struggling because it was on Tuesday (even though Roseanne--eyeroll--seems to be helping things on Tuesday).

This is a gross generalization but I don't think the demographic for roseanne and FTP are the same... Odds are the ppl drop off after roseanne is done... I guess some will they won't they isn't so bad mainly because the two of them don't seem destined to be together... Sometimes shows just have couples that you know they are gonna out together no matter what.. And all the preamble and silly fights and unfortunate love  interests  just feel like stops along the way of destiny and I don't like it... But those two.. Could work.. Or they could blow up... Or they could just stay weird friends.... I could be interested in all 3

[Kaiju Ballet]

11 hours ago, biakbiak said:

The chemical company should have hired a better law frm if he didnt want to go to jail since we were hit over the head with the fact that Seth was a lawyer at a midlevel law firm in the first episode.

Yes, I had to handwave that away, especially since the CEO’s lawyer was the newly minted partner who was friends with Seth. The press which was managed in last week’s case with Littlejohn wasn’t even a factor in this one. Which was odd, given that they mentioned some of the existing bad publicity the CEO had. I think the writers expect that a lot of these inconsistencies won’t be caught with the fast pace of each episode.

Right now, it feels like they’re cramming too much into a 43 minute show. Each case could have merited a full episode on its own (with the two subplots). As it was, the full emotional weight of Seth’s closing argument didn’t have the time to sink in. And it’s astonishing that the CEO’s law firm apparently had the means to dig into the backgrounds of the other two witnesses but didn’t have anything on the secretary whose testimony was pivotal.

I also didn’t think that the scenes between Seth and his ex rang true. It was too pat. She was coming off more like an Obiwan Kenobi, than a former love that he had been dependent on for two years. Someone who had as of last episode still wanted him back. I get what they were trying to do, but maybe it was because of the rushed pace it just felt clunky and unbelievable. (Another nitpick is that his new apt’s pretty gorgeous. It was a missed opportunity to give him a crappier type of living situation to really show what he was giving up by not getting back together with her.)

Similarly, the case with Mary McCormack’s character could have been drawn out more, if it was something that Hope Davis’s character felt she needed to handle the case personally. And if you blinked, you’d miss the beautiful moment about the craftsmanship that went into the wooden spinner box.  

10 hours ago, HazelEyes4325 said:

I really wish they'd give more focus on Littlejohn--she's by far the most interesting of the female characters.  I generally see more potential with the male characters, although there seems to be more of them than I realize.  I guess a couple of them just sort of merge together in my mind.  Personally, I'd be fine with a bit of will they/won't they between Littlejohn and Knox.  I agree that the two actors seem to work well together, but I don't see the two characters making sense as a romantic couple, at least long term.

Yes, she really does stand out--even before the previous episode which focused on her. I like the fact they have this friendship based on mutual respect, given how hard it is to gain either of their respect.

I do like this show, though, and I think if it’s given a series pickup it’ll work out a more confident pacing with room for some of the more compelling moments to land.

Edited April 5, 2018 by Kaiju Ballet
Getting my Marys mixed up!

[Lady Calypso]

Quote

Judge Byrne finds himself at a crossroads in his career when he presides over a case that requires a disproportionate mandatory minimum sentence. Allison represents a charming defendant in a fraud case while on duty for the first time, and Leonard struggles to decide whether or not to bring charges against a political figure.

[nilyank]

5 hours ago, Kaiju Ballet said:

I also didn’t think that the scenes between Seth and his ex rang true. It was too pat. She was coming off more like an Obiwan Kenobi, than a former love that he had been dependent on for two years. Someone who had as of last episode still wanted him back. I get what they were trying to do, but maybe it was because of the rushed pace it just felt clunky and unbelievable. (Another nitpick is that his new apt’s pretty gorgeous. It was a missed opportunity to give him a crappier type of living situation to really show what he was giving up by not getting back together with her.)

 

He was living in the horrible airbnb in which he had to share a bathroom with a roommate that he was complaining about before moving into his new apartment. He was still holding back from moving all the way in because he only set up the couch/painting for his skype call with his mother. By the end of the show, he had everything unpacked and his place looked gorgeous with all that new furniture. However I did appreciate that it was small apartment instead of the usual huge ass apartments that tv shows usually give to NYC resisdents/

[J-Man]

8 hours ago, Kaiju Ballet said:

Similarly, the case with Mary Stuart Masterson’s character could have been drawn out more, if it was something that Hope Davis’s character felt she needed to handle the case personally.

That was Mary McCormack.