Sarah Shahi is instantly likable. She's attractive, intelligent, and kind-hearted. She seeks insight by talking to her deceased father's urn and champions to exonerate an Ivy League-bound teenager from being an accessory to a felony. There's a lot to like about Fairly Legal. Unfortunately, the tone of the series is still uneven.
I'm quickly reminded of Ally McBeal. From the innocent future Ivy Leaguer to the wrongfully-imprisoned man, cases in Fairly Legal are inherently intriguing. These manage to tug all the right heartstrings, without seeming trite.
Also, of particular note is Michael Trucco, who has developed nicely as an actor from his Pensacola: Wings of Gold days (a guilty pleasure, and yes, I've watched too much TV). He plays an amicable and well-meaning Assistant District Attorney and ex-husband of Shahi's character. Trucco here represents a healthy but sincere dose of pragmatism next to Shahi's lofty idealism.
However, there is some lazy expository writing that is consistently off- putting. Early in the pilot, we see Shahi foil the robbery of a convenience store by "mediating" with the assailant and the store clerk. The point of the scene is to display Shahi's amazing powers of arbitration. A similar moment occurs in the second episode where Shahi brokers a ridiculous peace between a cab driver and a bike rider. Both moments drag on way too long at the expense of believability.
As it stands, Fairly Legal is very watchable. Shahi (am I the only that thinks she looks a bit like J-Lo?) is a fun and quirky do-gooder. With some improvements, the show may be able to find its sea legs in the coming episodes.
I'm quickly reminded of Ally McBeal. From the innocent future Ivy Leaguer to the wrongfully-imprisoned man, cases in Fairly Legal are inherently intriguing. These manage to tug all the right heartstrings, without seeming trite.
Also, of particular note is Michael Trucco, who has developed nicely as an actor from his Pensacola: Wings of Gold days (a guilty pleasure, and yes, I've watched too much TV). He plays an amicable and well-meaning Assistant District Attorney and ex-husband of Shahi's character. Trucco here represents a healthy but sincere dose of pragmatism next to Shahi's lofty idealism.
However, there is some lazy expository writing that is consistently off- putting. Early in the pilot, we see Shahi foil the robbery of a convenience store by "mediating" with the assailant and the store clerk. The point of the scene is to display Shahi's amazing powers of arbitration. A similar moment occurs in the second episode where Shahi brokers a ridiculous peace between a cab driver and a bike rider. Both moments drag on way too long at the expense of believability.
As it stands, Fairly Legal is very watchable. Shahi (am I the only that thinks she looks a bit like J-Lo?) is a fun and quirky do-gooder. With some improvements, the show may be able to find its sea legs in the coming episodes.