(S01E05) Little by little, this show is growing on me, especially the last couple weeks when they've decided to stretch out of the initial formula a bit more. Stark has the stones to call in a football bet to his bookie before actually jumping into the case of the three (maybe two) college football rapists, which was a characteristically accurate touch for this lawyer for whom winning is everything.Rather than wait for the climatic trial, Stark leans on the quarterback early in the episode. One thing about this guy: he seems more psychic than Patricia Arquette, and gives the impression he's got the whole thing figured out from the get-go. This week's case also hints that Stark might end up in opposition with his boss Jeri Ryan's reelection ambitions. Jeri's character is revealed to be quite the calculating politician.
Parallel plot development reigns, while at the same time the university's star football players are accused of raping another student, Stark is doing everything in his power to protect his daughter from expulsion from college prep school for plagiarism. Julie does do a good job of playing the injured innocent, especially since we saw her visit the term paper website in question last episode. She even goes so far as to bemoan the fact she'll have to "look guilty" until she and her father can face the board of inquiry. What a future she might have as a lawyer just like her father.
Madeline (Sarah Carter) is the lawyer on Stark's crew to take the point tonight, at least for a stretch, after Stark tells her the case is not winnable. It's good to see at least one of the other lawyers getting used for more than just scenery, and as fodder for Stark's lectures and rants -- funny as those can be. And this way, we get to find out that Stark's not the only one who will say anything to win.
But the best moment comes right at the end, when Stark is telling his daughter Julie how he's going to really give it to the university for accusing her falsely. The expression that flashes just briefly across James Woods' face when his daughter finally confesses the truth to him, really captures the moment. He's some kind of great actor all right -- even in the quiet moments. That's worth watching.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-20-2006 @ 10:09AM
J-Spot said...
I really enjoyed the episode as well. I've found the subplots with his daughter to be the weakest aspect of the show, but it was actually decent last night. If they can avoid having her get mad at Stark's little insensitivities every episode, they could make that part of the show work.
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10-20-2006 @ 11:21AM
Georgia said...
I like to Shark on CBS inner tube. Now the episodes for Shark are missing. I like to watch shows online rather than TiVo them. So...... I've learned a lesson, don't count on online TV if you really want to see something.
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10-20-2006 @ 12:33PM
Margaret said...
Since this is one of my very favorite programs, I'm still hoping it gets picked up by the network on a permanent basis. To me it seems that the subplot with his daughter would take some time to develop - a little bit each week. Since I think James Woods is about as good as it gets, I really wanted to see the expression on his face when Julie breaks down and admits she downloaded her paper from the Internet. To me, it's those quick little moments of facial expression that really let you know how good an actor really is. I saw initial surprise and then love on his face as he held her while she completely broke down. I'm curious to see how/if there is more development of the storyline that she really did cheat and that her dad never believed she'd do something like that. It seems natural to me that a teenaged daughter who isn't used to living with her father (due to divorce) would be irritated by what she considers his little insensitivities. Don't teenagers do that even in homes with happily married parents? I keep wondering if the actress playing Julie is/was intimidated by playing opposite someone like Woods. I've watched the first couple of weeks of several new TV programs and this is the one that has really grabbed me and keeps drawing me back in. Of course, the others don't have James Woods either.
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10-20-2006 @ 4:09PM
Sonya said...
Me too Georgia. I went looking for it and alas no Shark on Innertube. The Unit's gone missing too. Guess I'll have to wait for reruns or.....
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10-23-2006 @ 6:45PM
Cathy said...
I can't believe I'm saying this, but James Woods is as amazing an actor as Hugh Laurie, whose "House" is the only other *must-see-tv* I'm actually addicted to this season. I make this comparison mostly because last night I found myself hooting out loud at some of the *SharkSnark* and realized it's the same reaction I usually have to Greg House's take on the world. Cynical? Yeppers, and I love it!
BTW, just for the record, you might want to note that Stark's daughter Julie is sixteen and in HIGH SCHOOL - not college. C'mon, I'm sure one reason she was so upset about possibly getting kicked out of prep school was that it would mess up her college prospects, and I believe Stark made a crack about his future payments to Stanford. *g*
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