Fall 2008 Preview-Raising the Bar

Basic Information

Network: TNT
Premiere Date: September 1st 10/9 C

The courtroom is a battle between the public defender and the district attorney. While battling each other in court, the defense and district attorney’s are far from friends. Outside the courtroom it is a different story though. Raising the Bar looks into the courtroom and outside the courtroom to see how the two sides interract. On the public defenses side there is Jerry Kellerman (who is willing to do anything to help those who can’t defend themselves), Rosalind Whitman (Jerry’s overprotective boss), Richard Patrick Woolsley (gave up a job at his father’s firm to work as a public defender), and Roberta “Bobbi” Gilardi (the newcomer). The district attorney’s office includes Michelle Earnhardt (who has troubles with trying to win cases if she doesn’t feel the person is guilty), Nick Balco (willing to manipulate the law to get his verdict), and Marcus McGrath (will do anything to put criminals behind bars). In the courtroom there is also Judge Trudy Kessler who is positioning herself to be the next DA and her assistant Charlie Sagansky who has his share of secrets.

Cast

Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Jerry Kellerman Known for: NYPD Blue IMDB Profile
Gloria Reuben as Rosalind Whitman Known for: ER IMDB Profile
Jane Kaczmarek as Judge Trudy Kessler Known for: Malcolm in the Middle IMDB Profile
Teddy Sears as Richard Patrick Woolsley Known for: Ugly Betty IMDB Profile
Natalia Cigliuti as Roberta “Bobbi” Gilardi Known for: All My Children IMDB Profile
Melissa Sagemiller as Michelle Ernhardt Known for: Sleeper Cell IMDB Profile
Currie Graham as Nick Balco Known for: Boston Legal IMDB Profile
J. August Richards as Marcus McGrath Known for: Conviction, Angel IMDB Profile
Jonathan Scarfe as Charlie Sagansky Known for: Into the West IMDB Profile

Executive Producers

Steven Bochco IMDB Profile

Writers

Steven Bochco IMDB Profile
David Feige IMDB Profile

Director

Jesse Bochco IMDB Profile

Pros

Raising Bar has an experienced producer and writer in Steven Bochco. He has only worked on NYPD Blue, Murder One, LA Law, Doogie Howser MD, and Hill Street Blues. You can’t really beat that crime drama resume. He obviously knows the genre and has been successful so there is a good chance that success will follow him to Raising the Bar.
The show is actually trying to do something new with the genre. I don’t know of a crime drama that has actually focussed on both the prosecution and the defense. This twist on the formula could breath some life into the show that the rest of the genre is missing.

Cons

I personally am not a huge fan of the crime drama genre. The crime dramas that I do enjoy usually have some humor mixed in and I don’t think Raising the Bar will have much as far as humor is concerned.
Raising the Bar is a crime drama and the genre is not known for it’s originality. If Raising the Bar doesn’t try to do anything different it could just get bunched in with the rest of the crime dramas.

Chances of Success

The chances for success are pretty high for Raising the Bar. Keep in mind though that it is a cable show so it obviously will never reach network numbers. There are several things that lead me to think that Raising the Bar will do well. First it airs after the Closer which is never a bad thing. Second TNT already has the perfect demographic for the show. Finally all the recent crime dramas on the network have succeeded (Saving Grace, The Closer). I would actually be pretty surprised if Rasing the Bar doesn’t get a second season.