Shark

I enjoy the show. Sebastian Stark (James Woods) goes from defending the bad guys to prosecuting them. And he goes with style. Yes, there are better & worse episodes, but every episode so far has been watchable, enjoyable and funny. The "little helpers" from his office might appear to be too good looking for their job but once Woods is on the scene there are all forgotten. Also, Jeri Ryan, who plays Stark's boss, for some reason shows her thin waist in every episode (at least so far). This does not really go with the position she should have but I guess it was a desire of the people who created the show. In addition, she walks like on a catwalk and it looks rather comical. Also, it was probably thought that the show will be more interesting if Shark and his team do not only take on law but also do the police work. Like in Law & Order there are at first the cops who investigate crimes and then there are the lawyers; the creators of Shark decided that Stark will do everything. That's where the show is not entirely believable. With that said I have to add that I don't mind too much, I just sit and watch :)

I love this show for many reasons. One, I love James Woods. He's a great actor and does a terrific job playing the role of a determined ex-defense attorney becoming exactly what he used to defend his clients against. Two, I love the story lines and how fast paced this show is. From the beginning, each episode leaves you on the edge of your seat waiting for more. There are so many emotional elements in each episode that'll make you laugh, cry, become upset, and become anxious all within 10 minutes of one another. Lastly, this show offers what most crime/law dramas don't offer: The personal lives of the main characters (Danielle Panabaker does a terrific job with her role also). You will not be disappointed with this show, it is one of the best dramas out there right now. I really hope CBS will hold on to this show for at least 5 seasons or more.

I've seen the first two episodes, and within the confines of a one hour network TV lawyer drama, Shark is very good, and for James Woods fans, lots of great James Woods moments. Dialogue sounds like it was written for him, and we get that great Woods sarcasm and slashing style.

I had long since abandoned network TV, but this one had a pretty good premise and James Woods is perfectly cast.

Some great chemistry with all these egos (DA, LAPD brass, defense lawyers), and the daughter adds some depth and a human side his character tries hard to hide.

Sure, there's overlap with his character in the McMartin Pre-School movie, but still worth putting down the remote for an hour on Thursday nights.

A must see for James Woods fans, and this show could earn him some new ones.

It's really quite early to tell (series 1, episode 5), but so far this show is excellent. James Woods simply rules the show with his overly sarcastic and yet compassionate character, he should be considered for an Emmy. However, his co-stars are also very good, each one of the young lawyers working alongside Stark represents an aspect of the Shark himself and the actors are very good at conveying that. I strongly recommend this show to "Cold Case" fans, as there are some similar elements: flashbacks showing the play out of the crime, gripping turns of events and especially a lot of charisma from the main character & co. The script is very effective in guiding the viewers through the legal (or not) ramifications of each case, managing to keep them stuck to their seats without the aid of distracting tricks. Everything revolves around Stark's natural habitat, the courtroom, however the underlining story lines are not suffocated by it, nor do they distract the viewers from the main focus. Finally, last but not least, the humour is fantastic, the jokes are always original and witty, not to mention delivered in a perfectly clever way, through the truly masterful performance of James Woods. I don't watch a lot of TV, but I thought this was worth the effort, I hope you will as well.

Shark is a classy, although formulaic investigative/courtroom drama series joining a host of similar efforts coming out of the States, such as CSI, Boston Legal, Law and Order and so on. The premise is nice....former top defence lawyer turned champion of the people for self-redemption...and the performances, scripts, production etc is of the high standard one would expect in this well proved line. But what sets it apart and propels it to a different level is James Woods. Better casting for the part of the sharp, supremely confident and wise-cracking ("Don't shoot, this is a new suit")lawyer is impossible to imagine. In fact it is because he is so good that I rate the series as a 9 and not a 10. How does that work? Well, without Wood's brilliance the few scenes in which he does not appear seem unduly flat and tame by comparison. Unfair, I know, but Woods is that good.

Sadly, the series is a one trick pony (crime-suspect-twist-shark prevails) which means it can't run forever, so get it while you can and immerse yourself in witnessing a true master of his craft revelling in a vehicle tailor made for his talents.