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First Look: Raising the Bar

BuzzSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:30:00 -0700

I'm curious about Raising the Bar, TNT's newest drama series, for a variety of reasons. One is that it comes from Steven Bochco, the legendary executive producer of LA Law and NYPD Blue who knows his way around a legal drama. Another is that it's yet another TNT show with strong female characters, including Jane Kaczmarek as a tough, no-nonsense judge. And a third is, well, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, now and forever Zack Morris to me, who has a seriously long, seriously funny hairdo.

The show, which is about two teams of lawyers - public defenders and district attorneys - working in New York City's justice system, premieres on Labor Day, but I've rounded up a couple of clips that give us an early glimpse. In one, we see Jerry Kellerman (Gosselaar), a passionate public defender, and Michelle Ernhardt (Melissa Sagemiller), a district attorney, battling wills. In the other, the actors on both teams introduce us to their characters, interspersed with plenty of clips from the show. Do you think Raising the Bar can transcend the generic legal show? Is Gosselaar's hair awesome or awful? To check out the clips, just read more.

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Buzz Brainteaser

BuzzSugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:30:45 -0700

Welcome to Buzz Brainteaser, the trivia feature on BuzzSugar! Every weekday I'll test your knowledge about TV shows, music, and movies. If you enter in the correct answer, you win points! Many people know Jane Kaczmarek as Malcolm's tough-lovin' mother on Malcolm in the Middle, but she's played many characters on various TV shows.
On what TV show does she have a recurring role as a court judge named Judge Constance Harm?
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TNT and TBS: The Official Networks of Strong Women?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:44:25 -0700

I got a promotional e-mail today touting the Summer programming lineups on TNT and TBS. As I scrolled through looking for a return date for The Closer (July) and a start date for Raising the Bar (September), a banner at the bottom caught my eye:

"Kyra Sedgwick, Holly Hunter, Laura San Giacomo, Jordana Spiro, Nancy Travis, Jane Kaczmarek, and Gloria Reuben are just a few of the strong women coming to TNT and TBS this summer."

And they have good reason to spotlight that: Of the five series featured in the e-mail, only one (The Bill Engvall Show on TBS) has a male character in the lead. The rest are either female-led or have women in the majority of the starring roles: My Boys on TBS and all three of TNT's dramas, The Closer, Saving Grace, and the new series Raising the Bar. And, what's more, three of those four series have leading ladies over the age of 40 - a relative rarity in Hollywood.

I'm not sure if TNT and TBS set out to become networks full of programming featuring women who are tough, quirky, and relatable (and succeeding in roles typically earmarked for men, at that), but regardless, I find it encouraging that it's happened. They aren't the only networks in this game; FX's Damages drew a ton of acclaim with Glenn Close in its leading role. I just like the fact that these networks see their roster of shows with older, female stars not as a risk but as something to be celebrated. What's your take?

TNT Lines Up Mark-Paul Gosselaar for Legal Drama

BuzzSugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:34:37 -0800

With The Closer and Saving Grace, TNT already has two cop dramas in its stable of series. Now, it's adding some lawyers.

The network has picked up Steven Bochco's Raising the Bar, the newest drama from the producer of NYPD Blue, LA Law, and numerous other legal series. The show will focus on "the lives and cases of young lawyers who have been friends since law school, but who now work on opposing sides" and is set to premiere later this year.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who will always be Zack Morris to me, stars as an idealistic public defender, and Gloria Reuben of ER plays his passionate, protective boss. On the other side is a lawyer in the district attorney's office played by Melissa Sagemiller who will stop at nothing to bring people to justice. Those two, and other lawyers from their offices, face off in the courtroom of a slightly crazy judge played by Malcolm in the Middle's Jane Kaczmarek. I'm not sure I'll be able to get her Simpsons character out of my head when she's on screen.

I generally like TNT's original series, and Bochco certainly has the pedigree to pull this off. Plus, the news of any scripted television whatsoever sends my heart all aflutter these days. And it can't go wrong when Zach Morris is involved, right?

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