New ‘L&O’ offers ‘Trial’ perspective
How many “Law & Order” franchises can the market bear?
“Law & Order: Trial by Jury” (10 p.m., NBC) debuts tonight and will air regularly at 10 p.m. on Friday nights. Tonight and Friday night’s episodes offer viewers their last chances to see the late Jerry Orbach in action as Detective Lenny Brisco.
As the title implies, “Trial” tells a crime story from the point of view of the jury, the prosecutor, the defense attorney and the accused.
In tonight’s episode, the guilt of the accused is never in doubt. In fact, the killer, a hot Broadway producer (Tony Bill), discusses his crime in great detail with his slick and expensive lawyer, Maggie Dettweiler (Annabella Sciorra, “The Sopranos”).
Dettweiler doesn’t earn her seven-figure salary as her client’s confessor. Her job is to ensure that a jury deliberates with sufficient reasonable doubt to vote “not guilty.”
And her fee doesn’t include her high-tech jury consultants, who charge a cool quarter of a million to ensure that she gets a favorable audience. “Trial” offers a depressing assessment of how computer technology and marketing savvy have turned the jury into just another “focus group.”
Although the first three episodes of “Trial” feature an impressive list of guest stars and recurring players, including Sciorra, Peter Coyote, Lorraine Bracco (“Sopranos”) and Candice Bergen (“Boston Legal”), the show belongs to Bebe Neuwirth as D.A. Tracey Kibre.
As you might expect, she’s smart and aggressive. She’s hardly the farcical ice-queen Lilith of “Frazier” fame, but neither is she warm and cuddly. Will audiences like her?
Fans of the series should enjoy watching Neuwirth and Sciorra lock horns. And having the former “Murphy Brown” as referee Judge Amanda Anderlee makes this all the more entertaining.
But I liked Neuwirth’s smart, aggressive character in “Deadline,” too. And while that 2000 newspaper drama also featured a great cast, it folded faster than a cheap umbrella.
Given the strength of the “Law & Order” franchise, I suspect viewers will give “Trial” the benefit of the doubt.
What price will teens and college kids pay to belong to a popular clique? Al Roker hosts “The Horrors of Hazing” (10 p.m., Court), a grim look at conformity run amok.
The hourlong expose focuses on the murder of Alfred University junior Ben Klein. He was beaten to death after revealing the secrets of his fraternity’s hazing rituals. Roker travels to other schools where students, male and female, have been intimidated by violence after leaving fraternities and sororities.
Last week, Fox yanked “Point Pleasant” to air “Stars without Makeup.” Tonight, the missing-in-action series will be replaced by back-to-back episodes of “The O.C.,” (Fox) in which Grady Bridges throws a bash (8 p.m.), and Seth and Summer smooch away the soggy season (9 p.m.).
So far, “Point Pleasant” is scheduled to return next Thursday, but the future hardly looks heavenly for the show about the devil’s daughter.
Other highlights
On back-to-back episodes of “Summerland” (WB), shadows lengthen (8 p.m.), and Ava’s dramatic proposal (9 p.m.).
A decorator helps his client bring warmth and personal style to a home with no walls to separate the kitchen, dining room and living areas on “reDesign” (8:30 p.m., HGTV).
Louise Lombard guest-stars on “CSI” (9 p.m., CBS).
Adventures on the golf course on “The Apprentice” (9 p.m., NBC).
A domestic disappears on “Without a Trace” (10 p.m., CBS).
Scheduled on “Primetime” (10 p.m., ABC): a couple who froze to death while high on methamphetamines; formerly conjoined twins.
Cult choice
An insurance sharpie (Fred MacMurray) falls for a femme fatale (Barbara Stanwyck) in Billy Wilder’s 1944 film noir drama “Double Indemnity” (3 p.m., Turner Classic Movies).
Series notes
Tribal council drama on “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS) … Between the covers on “Joey” (8 p.m., NBC) … On back-to-back episodes of “Extreme Makeover” (ABC), a musical change in tone (8 p.m.), and a handyman special (9 p.m.) … Wrestling on “WWE SmackDown!” (8 p.m., UPN) … The kindness of strangers on “Will & Grace” (8:30 p.m., NBC).