The Defenders has that spontaneous Las Vegas spirit: A roll of the dice, a spin of the roulette wheel, and a sudden decision to do something slightly crazy and maybe a little silly. Sure, it's another law show, and maybe it's not exactly the way "real" law is done, but damn, is this entertaining. Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell starring as Nick Morelli and Pete Kaczmarek are a bit nuts. They play the law like it's a game. They enter pleas, then withdraw them the next day, they throw water on witnesses to prove a point, and they parlay a one night stand with a prosecuting attorney into a better plea deal for a client.
The characters are real and fun, but also heartfelt. They have a sense of humor in places and moments when they really shouldn't, which makes the jokes all the more funny. And the case in the episode is interesting, but it doesn't overwhelm the characters. While the episode is primarily about the case, the characters weren't subject to its plot points. You believe that this really is two guys acting and reacting to the circumstances as they happen.
The Defenders is one of my favorite pilots of this season. I'd like to rate it higher, but I've got concerns for the future of the show. I can enjoy an episodic show as much as the next guy, but I'm really hoping to delve more into Morelli and Kaczmarek. While they both have personal storylines that appear and will most likely progress, I don't find myself rooting for them very much outside of the courtroom. O'Connell largely just chases tail and puts his new junior associate into difficult situations, while Belushi goes to his son's baseball game and has his wife followed. It is humorous but lacks an emotional punch. I'd like to see more happen, but I'm not sure much else can be expected. This episode is a blast, and I'm sure the rest of the season will be pretty entertaining television as well. But if the show doesn't grow, the premise could get old quickly. If you like the concept of a law dramady, check
The Defenders out. O'Connell is great as the goofy womanizer, and Belushi is stunningly convincing as a good-natured, grumpy defender.
3 out of 4 stars.
Even with Arnett helping out, this show was short on emotion and laughs. He can't do everything. Russell carries no weight, and this is a result of poor writing. We should have felt a sense of inevitability behind Russell and Arnett's relationship. We should have felt that Russell loved her daughter and wanted what was best for her regardless of her own personal goals. We should have felt that this show was something more than just the occasional joke that required five minutes of setup.
