Conviction

Were it not for the excellent cast, I would have rated this series a 5 out of 10. Whose idea was it to cancel the refreshing Agent Carter, and put Hayley Atwell in yet another (unnecessary) crime drama? Conviction is self-satisfied, lazy, and holds no surprises. The cast is lovely and does what it can, but I can't imagine this show being at the top of the list for anyone under the age of 55. It tries too hard to be relevant and doesn't succeed. One has to wonder what the plan is for the show. 2 seasons? 3 seasons? Maybe 4? I'm already exhausted thinking about it.

A show like this should be limited to a run as a miniseries. That way, some success may be achieved. But please, please don't make us wince through hours of uninspired story lines. There's so much better on television these days, and this show does not even compete.

It's a shame, didn't find this earlier. Of course, it's canceled. Dunno why, except of that their way of switching between scenes was really annoying.

I don't know if it is the upcoming U.S. elections to blame but this season is full of new shows with larger-than-life women who are sexy and famous and "the best" on what they do...and...and...

Of course there were many TV series and movies and franchises with strong women in the past, but the "flavor" has seriously changed for the worst.

So, "Conviction" is another show starring "the woman about whom everyone is talking about". She was "the First daughter". And "she is the best" and she is ...busted for possession of cocaine and the District Attorney (who might be also an old boyfriend) ...blackmails her to lead something called "Conviction Integrity Unit".

The premise of C.I.U. is good and potentially interesting (as of Cold Cases Units) for a TV legal drama, but this is pretty much where the good stuff ends.

The pace of the pilot episode is unnecessarily fast. Trying to create a hype as soon as possible, and lots of hasty delivered facts to build the whole show in under 2 minutes, so the team of C.I.U. to be ready to begin its first case. It is obviously a procedural drama from now on.

The dialogues are trite (lots of "I didn't kill her because I loved her" yada-yada) and the situations too unbelievable to tolerate: About the previously mentioned possession, the first daughter is blackmailed ...3 times during the first 10 minutes of the pilot (by the DA, a member of her unit, and the ...mother of the guy who is her first case).

Overall: The writers and the producers of Network TV nowadays are short of ideas (judging by the number of "reboots", "remakes", "based on" etc. especially this season). But the main problem is the way they produced and deliver their shows. They are trying to impress with gimmicks and hype but they fall short in the substance. Conviction might get more interesting if its writers calm down and focus less on the "gossip girl" stuff and more on the material. I'm pretty sure there are many actual cases of wrongfully accused people out there that they can get inspiration of.

At the end of this week's episode of "Dancing With the Stars", Tom Bergeron confessed his love for Hayley Atwell. It's easy to see why he is so taken with the former star of "Agent Carter", now the star of "Conviction". She is beautiful, strong and one great actress.

In "Conviction", she plays Hayes Morrison, a complex character with obvious flaws. She is the daughter of an ex-President and a politician running for Senator. First an attorney, then a law professor, she was always a rebel and a liability for her parents due to her "extremely controversial lifestyle" and run-ins with the law. She is blackmailed into heading the CIU, a new department in the DA's office dedicated to investigating possibly wrongful convictions. She has all of the necessary tools, including a dedicated staff, but she lacks the...conviction.

The pilot moves quickly, allowing Hayes to experience many emotions. You will not see a finer job of acting in a pilot. Ms. Atwell is remarkable. Her character is uncaring, self-indulgent and the product of years of political posturing (by her family) and being in the spotlight. She knows how to paint on a smile, but she shows us so many levels beneath it.

Her character might seem unlikable and this might look like just another crime solving drama, but the writers have given the viewer plenty of hints at how this show might develop, along with the characters in it.

The supporting actors are also excellent, including Shawn Ashmore ("The Following") Merrin Dungey (who appeared in "the Following", Emily Kinney, Eddie Cahill, and Manny Montana (who also appeared in "The Following"). Her team of investigators have diverse backgrounds and very different perspectives.

The twist is that they only have five days to investigate each case--a factor that sounds contrived but it fits the story. In the first episode, they investigate an 8-year old conviction and Hayes has a crisis of conscience, proving she has one. Hopefully, the show will continue to focus on the characters though it must develop the investigations, much like "Elementary". I hope this show lives up to its potential, because it has plenty.

Update 11/22/16: Unfortunately, this show did not live up to its potential. The episodes were too repetitious, the show failed to focus on the characters enough, and it felt like the writers were more concerned about making social statements than about writing compelling stories. I am lowering my grade to "6", but the first few episodes are worth watching.

I really love this show. It's the right amount of legal and drama. I love watching legal shows and am so glad I watched this one. I'm really sad they canceled it.