Conviction

Dick Wolf, the creator of the acclaimed Law & Order and its spin-offs, has yet again been dipping his creative pen into the world of law and order in a new NBC series. Set in the New York District Attorney's office, Conviction gives us a peek at the lives of the assistant district attorneys in Wolf's imagination. Joining NBC's lineup mid-season could be a death sentence to any new drama series. However, Conviction has the potential to follow in 2005's Grey's Anatomy's successful footsteps. There are, in fact, similarities in the two series' plots. Though in a legal setting, Conviction is a show about twenty-somethings starting their careers after graduate school. These smart young attractive lawyers, through their uncertainty and eagerness, appeal to the audience. Viewers will respond to this smart show positively, that is if they are open to another sex-in-the-workplace melodrama.

In the first episode of a show that I turned on halfway through, the one thing I felt stood out was the acting of a few members of the cast...I felt that they portrayed an amateur or younger lawyer or DA perfectly in comparison to what we see on Law and Order. As for the rest of the show, it is different enough from the other Dick Wolf stuff that I find it more than interesting and will be marking this on the list for next week's show.

I realize that 12 or so years ago this show might not have legs, but compared to what we see now, this makes the short list with The Shield, The Office, and My Name Is Earl as shows to watch in 2006 for me!!!

I was impressed by this show, of which I've seen two episodes. The theme seems to be that the pace of life and of crime today is so fast that one can no longer seek truth or justice--one must just keep doing what one is doing and perhaps try to be kind to those who can't keep up.

The classic crime show follows the track laid down by Sherlock Holmes and beloved of all mystery readers: the Good Guys are the recurring characters, and they are completely dedicated to Justice, and in each episode/story they track down Bad Guys who have violated the law or morality in some way and try to see that the legal system punishes the Bad Guys for what they have done. Maybe sometimes it turns out that there is no crime actually committed--no Bad Guy this time; maybe sometimes the Bad Guy turns out to be sympathetic and virtuous; sometimes legal system is unable to follow through. But all these conflicts are registered for us through the wisdom of the Good Guys, who represent the desire for Truth and Justice.

In Conviction, the protagonists are not in fact particularly Good Guys. The head of the group of DAs, Cabot, will bend truth, justice, and/or the law to obtain a desirable conviction, and clearly gets a personal thrill not out of Truth or Justice but out of Winning. In another show, she would be shown up as stupid or incompetent, but here she is the smartest and most competent person around. The assistant DAs who make up most of the cast could be divided between those who will bend the law to protect themselves and those who are naively committed to some version of Justice--except that the law-benders have consciences and the committed ones find themselves compromising, and compromised too. Winning a case can be worse than losing one, even if Justice is served for a few minutes in the courtroom. What's more, in some cases even we the audience don't get to know the truth about a case--all we get to know is what the DA knows, and that may not be conclusive.

It is really impressive to have such a large cast, each member with a case, all moving around, bumping into each other, often lying to each other, in one episode. The plot is just a pattern glimpsed in chaos. There is no illusion that when one case ends, the DAs can sit down and congratulate each other; more crime is out there, other cases are bubbling up as the criminals and victims of the preceding one sink into the background. I feel that this could be a very truthful and moral show, precisely because it does not comfort one with the triumph of Truth and Virtue.

This was one of the best things on TV in the past 25 years. I don't see why it was cancelled. All the cast was perfect.

I especially liked Stephanie March, Milena Govich, Jordan Bridges, and Eric Balfour.

This legal drama show, created by Dick Wolf, was a spin-off of Law & Order and about a group of young district attorneys who were eager to make a name for themselves. The professional and personal lives of each one was played out to the fullest as you came to know their histories, families, feelings, and beliefs.

This is the one show that should have lasted. I am glad I bought the DVD's!

As I am only two episodes into 'Conviction', I will restrict my comments to cursory observations rather than critical analysis.

The visual tone of Conviction is unlike any other show from the Dick Wolf stable. It is filmed in a much more accommodating, easy-to-swallow manner – i.e. LESS grit MORE gloss. It undoubtedly has a more light-hearted backbone than the Law & Order franchise– owing in most part to quirky incidental music reminiscent of Boston Legal, and cast interplay akin to that of Ally McBeal (Look out for ex-Ally actress Julianne Nicholson).

In addition to the above points, the romantic sub-plots threading through each episode offer the viewer a more 'soap-like' viewing experience – (make your own mind up as to the merits of this gambit).

The acting is solid, with the odd shining light raising the bar (no pun intended) – namely Eric Balfour; who manages to make the creepiest of moustaches look fractionally cool. Stephanie March is of course as effortless as ever, with accomplished support from J August Richards and Anson Mount.

Although there's nothing particularly groundbreaking about this show, it does sustain viewer interest by combining brisk filming – intertwining 2-3 cases in each episode – with office romps, office politics and office banter. Blend all of this with an attractive cast, quirky music and glossy camera filters – and hey presto, another watchable Dick Wolf production.

My only criticism, and believe me, this is being hyper-pedantic, is what a terrible choice of names! 'Conviction' as a show title is far too abrasive, and in no way reflects the actual tone of proceedings. I told you it was pedantic didn't I?

In conclusion, after watching two episodes, I will probably seek out a third, but if my TV explodes later today - rendering me unable to watch any more Conviction - I will be more upset that I have to buy a new television than missing out on episode 3,4,5 etc.