After leaving his popular role of Anthony Dinozzo on CBS's "NCIS" last season, Weatherly is back this season as Dr. Bull on the legal drama "Bull," which is inspired by the real life of Dr. Phil himself, Phil McGraw.
"Bull" follows Dr. Jason Bull as he runs a trial consulting firm. According to cbs.com, "Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick. Bull employs an enviable team of experts at Trial Analysis Corporation to shape successful narratives down to the very last detail."
Joining Weatherly on the brand new series are Geneva Carr ("Law and Order: Criminal Intent"), Annabelle Attanasio ("House M.D."), Freddy Rodriguez ("Ugly Betty"), Chris Jackson and Jaime Lee Kirchner.
It's a sigh of relief to those of us who were fans of "The Good Wife" that we'll get to see CBS launch a brand new legal drama. There is something absolutely fascinating about television shows that highlight the court room. When done well, the shows are often even more compelling than cop shows.
Now, they never truly went away thanks to every iteration of "Law & Order," but "The Good Wife" delivered my favorite formula within the genre. And with a powerhouse actor like Weatherly headling the show, look for "Bull" to grab fantastic early ratings.
And for fans of "The Good Wife," be sure to stick around at least until the fourth episode of "Bull." Sarah Steele, who played fan favorite Marissa Gold on "The Good Wife," is set to make a guest appearance as a pesky journalist.
"Bull" premieres Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. on CBS.
"Conviction," ABC
 ABC's "Conviction" stars Hayley Atwell as Hayes Morrison. (Photo: Bob D'Amico / ABC)
All is well, "Agent Carter" fans. Our darling Englishwoman, Hayley Atwell, is back as the star of another television show.
Atwell returns in "Conviction," a legal drama that follows a team of lawyers, investigators and forensics experts as they set out to prove the innocence of people who may have been wrongly convicted of crimes.
Atwell's character, Hayes Morrison, is the former daughter of a U.S. president and leads the Conviction Integrity Unit in Los Angeles. Joining Atwell are co-stars Shawn Ashmore (the "X-Men" movies), Eddie Cahill, Merrin Dungey, Emily Kinney and Manny Montana.
Though "Marvel's Agent Carter" had a loyal cult following, it didn't draw in the kind of audience needed to consider Hayley Atwell a star. So while Marvel fans will immediately recognize Atwell, the premise of "Conviction" is what needs to be strong to carry it through the fall chopping block. The fact that it's taking over the Monday at 9 p.m. time slot left behind by "Castle" should help cushion it in the early episodes. But it will still need help.
If you love Hayley Atwell and want to see her star in her own TV show for years to come, you need to watch this show live.
"Conviction" premieres Monday, Oct. 3 at 9 p.m. on ABC.
"Notorious," ABC
 ABC's “Notorious" stars Piper Perabo as Julia and Daniel Sunjata as Jake. (Photo: ABC)
Another former TV super spy is starring in a legal drama this fall.
Piper Perabo ("Covert Affairs") and Daniel Sunjata star in "Notorious," a series that follows the cases of TV journalist Julia George and defense attorney Jake Gregorian "as they attempt to control the media, the justice system and ultimately each other," according to abc.com.
This one seems like it will be less of a legal drama and more along the lines of "Scandal" or "The Catch," but it certainly has an intriguing premise and a powerhouse star duo that has the potential to rival Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic.
"Notorious" premieres Thursday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. on ABC. |
