Benched

Here's one show I hope will last. Benched is a really good half hour comedy show about a woman attorney who leaves her white shoe law firm for the public defender's office. Not that Eliza Coupe did that willingly, she threw a hissy fit when another female lawyer made partner. After that she burned her bridges in corporate law.

So there's no sense of obligation that Coupe has in terms of her job, but a girl has to eat and the scene she made leaving her old firm has not exactly enhanced her resume. The comedy of this show centers around Coupe learning a whole different world than what she's used to.

Eliza Coupe has a nice sense of comedy timing, she reminds me a whole lot of Jennifer Aniston. One wonders if Anniston was offered the series before Coupe. Never mind because Coupe is really good in the lead. I do hope this show finds an audience.

Benched is something special, IMHO. The characters are flawed but are fighting the good fight. The supporting cast is excellent and create a quirky and rich environment. I've had real laughs watching this show and that's the highest praise I can give. Thumbs up, way up!

Let me add that for a show to be great, like this one is, it has to hit on all cylinders. From writing to acting to directing, this show has what it takes. If it doesn't get renewed for another season it's a TV travesty.

If it were up to me I'd give this show two Golden Globes, so Nina could have a matching set.

Caught this on Disney+ and right after finishing Raising the Bar. So went from a serious-ish look at the public justice system to one that used it for the setting of a comedy show; and it worked. The lead and the characters play their parts perfectly and the episodes are very entertaining. Shame, they didn't make a couple more seasons.

Corporate lawyer Nina Whitley (Eliza Coupe) loses her boyfriend and then loses her expected promotion. She explodes and quits. Her outburst becomes legendary and she can't find any work other than as a lowly public defender. Her new co-workers include Phil Quinlan (Jay Harrington) and Carlos (Oscar Nuñez). The best worker in the office may be the intern Micah (Jolene Purdy). Nina finds herself facing off against her ex-boyfriend ADA Trent Barber (Carter MacIntyre) in court.

I don't know who Damon Jones is but I really like Michaela Watkins in her work. She always seems to be very smart in her comedy and a bit offbeat. This has a nice slice of that. It's not that edgy but Eliza Coupe is terrific as the traditional flustered single gal. Jay Harrington is setting up nicely as the romantic lead. However it's canceled after it's 12 episodes first season.

If you're into comedies about lawyers and courts you might find your new favorite show in this one.

A woman lawyer loses her job after an incident in her high-powered corporate firm and ends up in public defender's office, defending cases faaaar from glamorous! So it is basically a "fish out of water" comedy. The fancy attorney goes to defend poor people in a smelly courthouse.

Obviously you can expect lots of awkward moments that our heroine is getting into and this is where Eliza Coupe (as Nina the lawyer) is shining. The supporting cast is also very good and especially Fred Melamed who plays the sarcastic (but fair) judge.

Overall seems like a good comedy, way better than the ridiculous "Bad Judge", so if this is your thing, check it out!