Of the 3 new series I've watched in the last few days, this got my attention. Solid cast, tight script with a lot of moving parts, and a wealth of material to explore in future installments. I'm anxious to check out the next few episodes to see if they can sustain the same level of interest.
87 Reviews
Intriguing
cgnmark17 February 2019
Interesting
ji846410 March 2019
The show is good not great, but it is a TV show, it is there for entertainment and for that it does it's job. I am so glad I don't live in America where every thing is analysed for political reasons and nothing is taken on face value, must be a really tough way to live your life.
Absolutely love Kelsey Grammar but this show....
simmonscafe14 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I love Kelsey Grammar because of Cheers and Frasier. He is a great actor and he is good in this show but the show as a whole isn't the best. The lesbian kissing scenes, the inaccuracies of the trails and the fact that they didn't lose a case until episode 9. Can there just be a show without romance and throwing liberalism in everyones face?
Wow
AdrienneGrayceMusic27 February 2019
Lots of trolling here. Only one episode and people can write it off so quick. Most shows take a few episodes before they get good. All of the shows out about law have been about finding people guilty. Its rare to have a show be based off of innocent people. It brings out the truth in our very faulty justice department. Trying to find the faults in the acting as some trollers here have mentioned, but i can't find the bad acting they are referring to. At least not the main characters. Don't listen to the 1 -5 star raters here. Take a chance and watch..and just like most shows, keep watching and it will get better and better. So far, i like it...
gets too preachy
SnoopyStyle12 May 2019
Injustice Defense Group in Chicago is a legal firm led by Madeline Scott (Rachelle Lefevre) who was herself falsely imprisoned. Her law partner Easy Boudreau (Russell Hornsby) exonerated her and her troubled brother Levi from their murder convictions. Ambitious D.A. Gore Bellows (Kelsey Grammer) was the prosecutor and is running for Attorney General on his way to the Governorship. He battles Madeline in court as more prisoners are exonerated. Bodie Quick (Vincent Kartheiser) is the investigator and Violet Bell (Nikki M. James) is the assistant/podcaster.
The show pushes the agenda way too hard. Stylistically, the podcast is too preachy. Substantively, the cases should be less black and white. The show needs finesse. The main saving grace is Grammer. He delivers evil with a small e. I like that it's more ambition and arrogance rather than viciousness. The Madeline side is fine but it could do with more questions about her actual guilt. Her innocence is so absolute so that it lacks the tension of a mystery. Even the reveal of the killer is obvious from five episodes away. There is no subtlety in the writing at all. Otherwise, it's compelling enough until the last episode.
The show pushes the agenda way too hard. Stylistically, the podcast is too preachy. Substantively, the cases should be less black and white. The show needs finesse. The main saving grace is Grammer. He delivers evil with a small e. I like that it's more ambition and arrogance rather than viciousness. The Madeline side is fine but it could do with more questions about her actual guilt. Her innocence is so absolute so that it lacks the tension of a mystery. Even the reveal of the killer is obvious from five episodes away. There is no subtlety in the writing at all. Otherwise, it's compelling enough until the last episode.
Underdeveloped and over acted
mspclare17 February 2019
The bit parts are the best acted parts. Unfortunately the main character over acts her part and drags her costars with her. Too many sarcastic and angry lines and there is no character development at all. Could be good if the director gets to work and the writers learn to edit - just too many quick and underdeveloped plots happening.
Love Kelsey Grammar
ballooncast16 February 2019
Annoying and Smug - UPDATE NOW THAT IT IS DONE.
b_clerkin10 March 2019
So I watched the whole thing - I wanted to know how they were going to get out of this - and it became even worse - increasingly lame and implausible, with a complete cop-out for the resolution. It's like the writers got to a certain point, then couldn't figure out what do to for a resolution. Grammer, probably regretting his choice to join the cast, was a complete caricature by the end. Basically, what I wrote below proved to be true and the series itself received the only measure of true justice - cancellation.
Every show I have ever watched with Rachelle Lefevre looks good at first, but then is a crushing disappointment; largely due to her lack of skill as an actress - she makes other actors look brilliantly natural in comparison, but diminishes the show - but they often remained watchable thanks to decent writing and her more talented costars.
She is stilted and clearly "acting". She essentially plays the came character - spunky, feminist heroine with heart of gold and sentiments which check all the boxes for the progressive agenda. When she falls into her default smug persona, she is intolerable in all of those other shows,
Even for this train wreck, she simply is not a good enough actress to carry a series - but at least she is not punching above her weight as far as the ghastly writing and plot devices are concerned. Viewers are used to being regularly lectured - subtly or less that subtly - by the entertainment producers in film and television - about the "correct" positions to take on the many complex issues in society which are not reflective of the majority of viewers according to most polls. However, when done with context and presented by compelling characters and sometimes with challenging views granted more than a cartoonish or casual attitude, most people will watch.
However, this show has all the seriousness and subtlety of Kim Karsashian West's choice of evening wear.
While having one awful actor in a major role, the tone-deaf team behind this bad propaganda joke doubles down on the obnoxious factor bu having Nikki M James, playing her female sidekick, whose default affect is also smug. Her Violet is slightly more giddy than the constantly irritating Monica Timmons on "The Good Wife" - in fact when she was on screen I just wished someone would slap her, preferably Alicia or Diane, for presenting every bad trope of a smart ambitious woman. LeFevre is even more so in this show the same, along with appalling overacting and too much hair tossing. It does seem as though casting directors are enamored of her fabulous curly red hair - it is the perfect symbol of the beloved Nasty Woman that simplistic feminism champions.
The majority of the other cast members are thinly sketched ciphers - seemingly added from a checklist of what is required for a legal TV show - quirky nonconformist CI, female cop whose own quirky nonconformist is raging to break out of the uniform, cynical egomaniacal newswoman, jealous, suspicious spouse whose own ambitions were tamped to allow her husband to rise high in politics...the guest stars are poster children for victims of the justice system and are about as deep as the paper on which posters are printed. It is hard to sympathize with them, a mortal sin if you want to change a guilty verdict in the court of public opinion, let alone a new trial.
I am embarrassed for Kelsey Grammar and Russel Hornsby - whose thankless roles seem to exist to foil the righteous and perfect Warrior Princess, Madeline. Grammar lacks only a Snidely Whiplash mustache to be the perfect caricature of a villain and Hornsby's Easy Bodreu (really? where did they get this name? From the same Colorful Southern Character name generator that gave us Gone with the Wind?) checks all the token boxes. A lesser talent would be unable to present even a one-dimensional version of this insult of a role, but Hornsby manages - with tremendous effort - to make him more than one -dimensional. His last show, "Grimm" - in which creatures from the famous fairy tales are real - was infinitely more fascinating in every episode of that show, not to mention written and acted so well, and with strong back stories and real heart, that the preposterous scenarios were utterly credible.
A viewer with a modicum of intelligence would find even the weakest episode of Grimm far more believable than one episode of this simplistic, proselytizing, implausible lecture fest. Even more insulting - the writers cannot be bothered to conduct research on legal process, actual laws and lots of other inconvenient facts that take away from the main theme of this show.
The concept - the egregious flaws in our justice system in which class and identity stack the deck for the outcome for ill or good. This has been attempted before with the Innocence Project - and with a lot more seriousness and thoughtfulness, with believably characters and plausible plots. This pale and lazy attempt not only diminishes the vital work that the Innocence Project and all current efforts being made to reform the system, it insults the victims of injustice and the righteous warriors who have been in these filthy trenches for years and even more egregiously, it lacks heart.
Every show I have ever watched with Rachelle Lefevre looks good at first, but then is a crushing disappointment; largely due to her lack of skill as an actress - she makes other actors look brilliantly natural in comparison, but diminishes the show - but they often remained watchable thanks to decent writing and her more talented costars.
She is stilted and clearly "acting". She essentially plays the came character - spunky, feminist heroine with heart of gold and sentiments which check all the boxes for the progressive agenda. When she falls into her default smug persona, she is intolerable in all of those other shows,
Even for this train wreck, she simply is not a good enough actress to carry a series - but at least she is not punching above her weight as far as the ghastly writing and plot devices are concerned. Viewers are used to being regularly lectured - subtly or less that subtly - by the entertainment producers in film and television - about the "correct" positions to take on the many complex issues in society which are not reflective of the majority of viewers according to most polls. However, when done with context and presented by compelling characters and sometimes with challenging views granted more than a cartoonish or casual attitude, most people will watch.
However, this show has all the seriousness and subtlety of Kim Karsashian West's choice of evening wear.
While having one awful actor in a major role, the tone-deaf team behind this bad propaganda joke doubles down on the obnoxious factor bu having Nikki M James, playing her female sidekick, whose default affect is also smug. Her Violet is slightly more giddy than the constantly irritating Monica Timmons on "The Good Wife" - in fact when she was on screen I just wished someone would slap her, preferably Alicia or Diane, for presenting every bad trope of a smart ambitious woman. LeFevre is even more so in this show the same, along with appalling overacting and too much hair tossing. It does seem as though casting directors are enamored of her fabulous curly red hair - it is the perfect symbol of the beloved Nasty Woman that simplistic feminism champions.
The majority of the other cast members are thinly sketched ciphers - seemingly added from a checklist of what is required for a legal TV show - quirky nonconformist CI, female cop whose own quirky nonconformist is raging to break out of the uniform, cynical egomaniacal newswoman, jealous, suspicious spouse whose own ambitions were tamped to allow her husband to rise high in politics...the guest stars are poster children for victims of the justice system and are about as deep as the paper on which posters are printed. It is hard to sympathize with them, a mortal sin if you want to change a guilty verdict in the court of public opinion, let alone a new trial.
I am embarrassed for Kelsey Grammar and Russel Hornsby - whose thankless roles seem to exist to foil the righteous and perfect Warrior Princess, Madeline. Grammar lacks only a Snidely Whiplash mustache to be the perfect caricature of a villain and Hornsby's Easy Bodreu (really? where did they get this name? From the same Colorful Southern Character name generator that gave us Gone with the Wind?) checks all the token boxes. A lesser talent would be unable to present even a one-dimensional version of this insult of a role, but Hornsby manages - with tremendous effort - to make him more than one -dimensional. His last show, "Grimm" - in which creatures from the famous fairy tales are real - was infinitely more fascinating in every episode of that show, not to mention written and acted so well, and with strong back stories and real heart, that the preposterous scenarios were utterly credible.
A viewer with a modicum of intelligence would find even the weakest episode of Grimm far more believable than one episode of this simplistic, proselytizing, implausible lecture fest. Even more insulting - the writers cannot be bothered to conduct research on legal process, actual laws and lots of other inconvenient facts that take away from the main theme of this show.
The concept - the egregious flaws in our justice system in which class and identity stack the deck for the outcome for ill or good. This has been attempted before with the Innocence Project - and with a lot more seriousness and thoughtfulness, with believably characters and plausible plots. This pale and lazy attempt not only diminishes the vital work that the Innocence Project and all current efforts being made to reform the system, it insults the victims of injustice and the righteous warriors who have been in these filthy trenches for years and even more egregiously, it lacks heart.
Jury's still out
fineweb4 March 2019
Great topic ; realistic topic
billieromie18 February 2019
Could be better
marquesmunoz5 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Kelsey Grammer is awesome. This show, not so awesome. Anyways, whomever committed the crime, we'll have to wait forever to find out who they are and why. That is, of course, if the show lasts long. It's a shame that they waste Kelsey Grammer's talents.
High hopes, sadly dashed
graeme-870-33368619 March 2019
I had high hopes for this show. Good cast, great setup and concept. But the writing and stories are just very bad. We don't connect with the characters, the back stories are contrived, and the dialogue is stilted and at middle school level. The actual law in the show is ridiculously bad. Just bad.
Should focus on their own story
pp_123921 May 2019
It was fine. But the first episode shouldn't be taking other cases. The attractive one was the brother and sister case. They think it may be great to overlap but it's boring. The main actress is overacted. I like the brother more.
Enjoyable but oh so predictable.
horatioe8 March 2019
Give it a chance
pst491124 February 2019
I like it so far I hope it gets a chance to develop into something There are a lot of good story lines here to work with and give the actors a chance to settle in and there could be something great here but just 5 episodes I hope it gets a chance I have got to ep 9 and yes could be better but is ok I just think hope she puts the bad guy down a little AND for all who think it is political shut up it is a show go back to FB and spout off
Lazy Lazy Lazy
vegasmccoy14 April 2019
I found myself yelling at the TV during episode 9 as one absurd script mistake followed another. "The Lord did His miracles in seven days" - I recall it took six days and on the seventh He rested. Okay, not a yell-worthy item but it set the tone. "on a joint task force with the Drug Enforcement Agency" - There is no such thing. It's the Drug Enforcement Administration. Finally regarding an inmate's execution, "Why does a good person suffer the penultimate loss before his time?" Huh? Penultimate means next to last! What is the loss that follows execution? It's hard to take this show seriously with all this sloppy writing. And I'm no expert on jail protocol, but is it okay for prisoners to make out with their lawyers in the visiting room? Seems like it would be out of bounds.
Great show! Really really exceeded my expectations!
lovettstough16 February 2019
This really is a great show. It is far better than the show BULL. This show does not exaggerate how corrupt and bad our criminal justice system really is. Even though in the real world it is still said "innocent until proven guilty" if you pay attention it is actually just the opposite. In reality it is guilty until proven innocent. Especially with all the corruption in one form or another. That is why I say again this show far exceeds my expectations and then some.
This show had some promise
canoegap9 March 2019
But went totally left wing political. I see enough political statements made in the evening news. I don't tolerate them in my entertainment. So Proven Innocent has been flushed from my DVR. I flushed Roswell on the first episode for the same thing. What's wrong with you, Fox?
Much better than I thought it would be
nowego12 May 2019
I am not sure what all the other reviewers watched, but for me this was quite an interesting, if at times frustrating series to watch. Unlike most who have written reviews after one or more episodes I have watched all 13 of the first season.
As a bit of fan of Rachelle Lefevre and Candice Coke, so I am probably biased, it would have been nice to see a bit more of Candice Coke. Having said that I think my favourite characters were played by Vincent Kartheiser and Nikki M. James. Kelsey Grammer is always good, so he didn't surprise.
Like all TV Shows there are lot's of cliche moments and unbelievable moments, but if you are an experienced TV watcher, you should know to expect them and forgive them.
Season one had an ending, so the show could easily end where it finished, but an opening for another season was there to if that is in the works. Either way I enjoyed the show and if there is another season, bring it on, but it would not bother me if it is finished.
8/10 for me.
As a bit of fan of Rachelle Lefevre and Candice Coke, so I am probably biased, it would have been nice to see a bit more of Candice Coke. Having said that I think my favourite characters were played by Vincent Kartheiser and Nikki M. James. Kelsey Grammer is always good, so he didn't surprise.
Like all TV Shows there are lot's of cliche moments and unbelievable moments, but if you are an experienced TV watcher, you should know to expect them and forgive them.
Season one had an ending, so the show could easily end where it finished, but an opening for another season was there to if that is in the works. Either way I enjoyed the show and if there is another season, bring it on, but it would not bother me if it is finished.
8/10 for me.
Enough is enough!
mtmihai6 May 2019
It started ok, not a masterpiece but enjoyable, then it went down the drain really quick, becoming a annoying, neverending story about nothing. Well at least I've consolidated my two basic representations of the U.S. society (as shown in the movies/tv shows): 1. Almost every U.S. citizen is a proud member of the LGBT clan and 2. Every member of the law enforcement system is either corrupt or plain dumb if not both.
Good show, worth the watch...
bobzunt24 February 2019
It's preachy and annoying
srijasingh-4174625 March 2019
I was very excited to watch this series because the premise seemed intriguing and I enjoy shows that mix the personal and the larger aspects of life. The Scott siblings' back story is interesting and it's a good plot point to build on. However, Madeline's oversimplification of cases presented to her on the basis of her own experiences makes her appear emotionally and intellectually stunted and vindictive. This characterization of the protagonist may (and often does) alienate the audience. The show needs to strike a balance between the long running plot point of Rosemary's death and the Scotts' conviction in the case and the individual cases they pick up for each episode. For now, the treatment of the topic seems childish and unrefined.
Interesting enough for a second season
chinnico94964 March 2020
. There's something about shows that fight for someone's innocence. I really like this show! Writing is ok and with a bit of humor and wit.
I think EZ's wife looks like his mom, not his wife. Poor acting of this actress, sorry.
I think EZ's wife looks like his mom, not his wife. Poor acting of this actress, sorry.
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