Just Right: A review of the WB's newest series Just Legal.
Cast: Jay Baruchel - - - David "Skip" Ross Don Johnson - - - Grant Cooper Susan Ward - - - Kate
So I'm sitting down getting ready to watch the hour-long season premier thinking I'm going to skip (no pun intended) through the old Toshiba during the show, however after the first fifteen minutes of the court drama, (which isn't on the top of my lists for show basses) I'm surprisingly hooked.
Created by the Jonathan Shapiro, the father of TV's "The Practice" and "Boston Legal" and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, the show stars Jay Baruchel as Skip Ross, an eighteen-year old law school graduate with a large IQ and passion for justice who teams up with Grant Cooper (Don Johnson) an alcoholic ambulance chaser with a passion for money. They embark on court cases that deal with the wrongfully accused, issues of racism and hard evidence all wound up with an outside conflict like the dirty cop in episode 1 or Jay's infatuation with a bombshell beauty from Law School who is jealous of his quick rise to fame in Santa Monica. The two of them spark chemistry where each one balances the other out with their gritty street smarts or conservative, bythe-book character traits as they eagerly fight for various clients who seem guilty from the get-go. Now let's talk about Jay and Don. Awesome casting. Jay Baruchel's youthful appearance and back-of-the-class disposition makes him a stunning fit for his character of Skip Ross. And Don Johnson, aka Sonny Crockett of "Miami Vice," battles his frustration with the failures his profession has brought him in the past, but begins to slowly regain hope with the company of his associate Skip.
The two characters present us with the majority of the dialogue, and the writing has required them to carry plot on their shoulders, which is a make-or-break situation. In this case Grant and Skip pass with flying colors. The dialogue and plot is well formulated, giving us a wonderful balance of drama and comedy, and moves quick enough to grab our interest and stay through the commercial breaks. The writers have thought up a clever equilibrium of elements that prevents any one person or critic from writing off the show as "another court drama" or "sappy WB drama." So who is this show for? In my opinion the younger generation seems to appreciate the show more than that of their parents or great-uncles who, actual quote say "it has potential, but it's not grabbing my interest enough." Well Uncle Joe, I'm sorry 9 to 10's past your six-thirty bed-time and you're dozing off, but there's really nothing I can do about it. I'll loan you the DVD when it comes out so you can judge it when you're up and at 'em. All in all, "Just Legal" is a fun, snappy show with massive potential wrapped in a bag that slowly opens and spills out more of it's content each week. So on Monday's flip to the WB after the Camden's are done with their daughter's pregnancy battles and take the nine to ten ride dubbed: "Just Legal." Check you later
~ Sam Jones
