The Deep End [tonight, 8/7C] is ABC’s newest primetime addition – a soapy legal dramedy that brings a cast of nine extremely presentable lawyers of various ages into our living-rooms. It’s a mix of law, sex, ethics [and/or lack thereof], humor and drama. What makes it different is that takes the perspective of five first-year lawyers with a prestigious Los Angeles law firm – Sterling Law – we see them learn, fail, grow and all that good stuff. We also get to see into their private lives – and see how they function at a firm where the two senior partners are at war for control. It’s a volatile mix and the results aren’t always predictable.
For most of the premiere, we are dealing with four of the five newbies [one is hired later – and is the first shot fired in the war of the senior partners]: Addy Fisher [Tina Majorino, Big Love], Ben Lawson [Liam Priory, Neighbours], Beth Branford [Leah Pipes, Life is Wild] and Dylan Hewitt [Matt Long, Jack & Bobby]. Addy is shy, polite and a bit of a doormat; Ben seems irresistible to women; Beth has ethical issues, and Dylan wants to be a hero.
The partners in the firm are a blend of caring, ruthless, balanced and careful: Hart Sterling [Clancy Brown, Carnivale] the senior partner who believes that the firm should care about more than corporations; Cliff Huddle [Billy Zane, Samantha Who], the ruthless senior [aka The Prince of Darkness]; Susan Oppenheimer [Nicole Ari Parker, Black Dynamite] the balanced one [also married to The Prince of Darkness – go figure], and Rowdy Kaiser [Norbert Leo Butz], the careful one until Sterling reignites his passion.
To add to the confusion, there are smaller and recurring roles that include a hot receptionist, a winsome, redheaded paralegal [Twilight’s Rachelle LeFevre] and more…
With its sprawling cast and wildly varying dynamic, I’m sure some critics/reviewers will have already dubbed The Deep End, Grey’s Anatomy in a law firm – and while that might be somewhat appropriate, it might be a little premature. As with any pilot, The Deep End’s is essentially a quick sketch in terms of character and a hectic mix of office politics, an array of cases and an initial exploration of cast [and therefore character] chemistry.
It is beautifully shot, well-paced and makes effective use of its first guest stars, Kate Burton and legendary character actor William Schallert. David Hemingson’s script packs a lot of exposition and character into the ep and Michael Fresco’s crisp direction keeps it all from being overwhelming.
Undoubtedly, ABC is hoping that The Deep End can be its next Grey’s Anatomy [check the scheduled time here…], but that will depend on balancing all those characters and keeping a delicate balance of humor and drama. In other words, the pilot’s sizzle will attract attention; it’ll take some steak to become a success.
Final Grade: B
Photo: ABC/Bob D’Amico