Canterbury's Law

I disagree with the previous viewer. I actually am enjoying this new show. The dialogue is smart, and the plots so far have been interesting. I also think it is more multi-layered than most shows of this ilk on TV presently. It's a different role for Julianna Margulies, and I love the character she is playing. It's nice to see a strong "over-29" woman, who is complex and able to think on her feet. She (the character) has been through a huge tragedy, and it gives me pause to think how that might affect her. I also enjoy Ben Shankman in his role and hope Aidan Quinn will get a bigger role in future episodes. I just feel like the series needs time for everything to gel. The cast feels a bit rough in the way they interact, but that often gets resolved within the first season. Give it some time and another view or two!

I was looking forward to this because I'm a fan of Julianna Margulies' previous work.

What a disappointment!! It's all I could to keep my eyes open through the pilot.

The script was clunky and clearly would have been better served by being a two-hour pilot. The characters were poorly drawn, with very little given to the actors to use. The photography was very poor, with many shots extremely grainy or out-of-focus or plain badly lit.

But most galling was the poor directing by Mike Figgis, who joins a longer and longer list of "feature directors" doing a very poor job directing a pilot. The show had no visual style to speak of, unless shaking the camera and underlighting all the scenes in Canterbury's Office is supposed to pass off as a style.

On the plus side, James McCaffrey was excellent as usual, so was Julianna, but Ben Shankman killed every scene he was in. He looked like he was fresh from amateur hour.

I might give it another try, but I doubt this will last more than a few episodes.

Yet another disappointment in a horrible season for network TV.

Canterbury's Law is a breath of fresh air. In a time where reality TV has taken over, this is a truly creative and refreshing show with real story lines. The actors were well cast and really have added to the power of the show. Trieste Kelly Dunn may be a newcomer but she is a wonderful actress with a powerful presence. She is a force to be reckoned with. She will definitely be someone to watch. She is not only beautiful but also a very good actress. Julianna Marguiles is such a fascinating and powerful actress and is a joy to watch. This show may be new but it needs to be given a chance by FOX. Given the chance, this will develop into one of those memorable shows people will be talking about for years to come. I am hooked and won't miss one episode.

Defense attorney Elizabeth Canterbury (Julianna Margulies) is willing to cross the ethics line to defend her clients. She and her husband Matt Furey (Aidan Quinn) are still struggling after she lost their son three years earlier. Her law partner Russell Krauss (Ben Shenkman) is a former prosecutor who likes the straight and narrow path. Russell's former boss, Deputy Attorney General Zach Williams (Terry Kinney), is out to get Canterbury after losing to her. Her investigator Frank Angstrom is also her former lover. Her associate Chester Fields is rebelling against his political father. Her other associate Molly McConnell is struggling to pass the bar.

There is an issue with some of the characters. Canterbury is always the one who believes in her clients' innocence and nobody else believes it. It happens far too often. It's silly that her underlings keep harping on their clients' guilt. They're defense attorneys whether the clients are innocent or guilty. There are some issues with believability. The acting is all solid. This mid-season replacement was quickly cancelled. That's probably for the best since Margulies would go on to lead a better show although the two lead characters have many similarities. In The Good Wife, she has a softer edge with more rooting interest. She's not as militant. In this one, her strident nature is problematic. It's an intriguing show but I need recalibrations with some characters.

I think Canterbury's Law is a compelling story line with a strong lead female character. The approach taken in the story line is totally different from other law shows and a welcome change from all the superficial reality shows. The great theme song sets you up for an exciting roller coaster ride of a show!!!! Give this show a change, it's bound to gain viewers each week! Word of mouth will surely spread the news that Julianne is back and she's brought some great talent with her. I do wish Aidan Quinn had a larger role in the show each week. In my opinion, he is one of the outstanding actors of our time.

In closing, those of us who are already fans of Canterbury's Law need to introduce this wonderful show to others.