Mixed
Hayley Atwell is fun. She plays the tough, but still has a heart, charming, not perfect but likable, leading lady quite well. The show is an interesting attempt at something slightly new, but only slightly.Haley's Mom is a senator and Dad is a former president now incarcerated (The Clinton comparison is impossible to miss). The show is all about the dynamics of the team, so much so that there's very little time left for investigation even though it's one of those law and order, investigate the case kind of things, the investigation aspect of the show is quite weak, with basically one, two minute "re-imagine the crime" and a few interviews, but it's basically handed to the audience with little suspense or mystery.
Shawn Ashmore, who's usually very good, plays her conflicted #1 man and he's part self serving politician, part good guy, but it's not clear which side he's fully aligned with.
Merrin Dungey plays a former cop with a strong sense of morals.
Emily Kinney, the wide eyed youngster who almost believes everyone is innocent, in part because of her past of identifying the wrong person and putting them in jail.
and Manny Montana plays a former convict who's part of the team (I forget why), but mostly just so they could have 5 people who are enormously different from each other.
Add to that a loving brother, a tense and controlling senator for a mother, a cocaine conviction that was undone, and the implication that Haley is smarter than everyone, with just enough of a self-destructive streak that she still manages to get herself and others in trouble and a politician, who, for some reason, thinks that Hayley's team reviewing convictions will help him get elected someplace in the future.
Basically it's a big hot mess where, you don't get the feeling that any of these people are friends, it's all about individuals with their own sense of morality and stuff not always working out, but there's enough personality on the screen that she show kind of works, at least, for now. It's hard to imagine anyone caring much of Hayley faces jail time or if she gets her politician who hired her kicked out of office, just because nobody really feels like they're in this together, it's all about "look how smart Hayley is".
Still it's not the worst show on television. 4 shows in, it's watchable so far.
score 7/10
Elewis1195 29 October 2016
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3570769/14386
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