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Mark-Paul Gosselaar in "Raising the Bar"
courtesy of TNT
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“Raising the Bar” (TNT)
One of the more pleasant surprises of last year was the arrival of “Raising the Bar” on TNT. This legal drama from TV producer extraordinaire Steven Bochco was a hit from the first episode onward. Audiences warmly welcomed Mark-Paul Gosselaar and his fellow cast members into their homes. Now the show is returning for its second season and expectations and anticipation are high.
One of the few complaints about last season concerned Gosselaar’s hair. As Public Defender Jerry Kellerman he had all the right words and moves but his haircut was something left over from the sixties. This season that problem gets taken care of in the first episode.
The romantic dynamic between Jerry and co-worker Bobbi Gilardi (Natalie Cigliuti) is still a work in progress but they are getting there. Blonde and beautiful Michelle Ernhardt (Melissa Sagemiller) of the District Attorney’s office still has feelings for Jerry too and she doesn’t plan to stand idly by and let him be taken away.
Gloria Reuben and Currie Graham play characters who are polar opposites. Roz Whitman (Reuben) is the head of the Public Defender’s office and she is the stable force in that arena. She is a sharp attorney who knows how to motivate her staff and pull them through the tough times. Graham on the other hand plays Nick Balco, the District Attorney who is flamboyant, meteoric, crass and deadly. When he and Roz go head to head you can look for fireworks.
Best of the cast is Jane Kaczmarek who plays Judge Trudy Kessler. She is a sexually charged woman who runs her court as she wants it run and God help anyone who crosses her the wrong way. Jerry has been known to cross her the wrong way.
Each week the cases in which the attorneys are involved are interesting, delving into new areas of the law. The characters are always believable and though the right side may not always win, the resolutions are almost always satisfactory.
If you didn’t watch the first season of this powerful series you can still jump in and join the fun this year. Plus the first season is now out on DVD so you can do a marathon catch-up and be ready and able to plunge right in to the new stuff.
Bochco is known for his ability to create strong dramas. Just think what he did with “Hill Street Blues,” “LA Law” and “NYPD Blue.” This latest series continues his winning streak.
“Raising the Bar” starts its new season June 8 at 10 PM on TNT. Believe me, you don’t want to miss a single episode. |
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©2009 Jackie K. Cooper |
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