Trial & Error
NBCUniversal
In an almost blink and you’ll miss it run, the NBC mid-season replacement Trial and Error ended it’s 13 episode run last week with the finale, “The Verdict.” The show stars Nicholas D’Agosto (Heroes), John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun), Sherri Shepherd (Less Than Perfect), and Jayma Mays (Glee) as members of two opposing law teams. The season’s arc was inspired by the trend of true crime documentaries, and the comedy structure of shows such as Parks and Rec and The Office. With a cast made up of television veterans, and some interesting newcomers, the ensemble worked well off one another and created a short, possibly singular season that felt fresh and yet in sync with former quirky shows like Better Off Ted and Selfie.
The show has a very straight forward premise: poetry professor Larry Henderson (Lithgow) is charged with the murder of his beloved wife Margaret, and it becomes increasingly difficult to defend him as numerous pieces of information come to light throughout the trial. New York lawyer Josh (D’Agosto) comes down to the sleepy Southern town where the trial takes place, to scope it out for his boss, and he is suddenly thrown into the mix. The show is strenuously trying to stay in keeping with true crime documentaries, though the actual tone and shooting style mirror modern ensemble comedies.
To reiterate, this is definitely a show to watch if you are a diehard Parks and Rec fan. The setting is a small town in South Carolina, so local color and small town values are at the forefront, much like Parks and Rec. It also utilizes the documentary format and talking heads. The characters are each unique with their own sets of interests and quirks, like Anne Flatch (Shepherd) who has numerous psychological disorders, including prosopagnosia, a disorder that causes facial amnesia, as well as dyslexia, spindle syndrome, and laughing at inappropriate times. Newcomer Steve Boyer plays Dwayne Reed, a disgraced former deputy who helps investigate the murder case alongside Josh and Anne. Mays plays the vicious prosecutor Carol Anne Keane, who is trying to fry Larry in a bid for district attorney.
Because the show follows one case, and wraps itself up fairly quickly, it’s unsure what will become of the show, and if the network will order a second season. The humor was a tad odd compared to current network comedies, which often spooks execs into renewing. Larry’s character relies on dark comedy and ignorance of social norms, which makes him perfect for Lithgow, most famous for portraying an alien of much the same caliber. The humor varied in tone, but every episode had a couple of really funny chuckles. Still, it’s highly rated online, critics have swarmed to review its quick, fun humor, and it had some great native advertising through Buzzfeed. Fingers crossed that this show, another great comedy, gets the needed love it deserves.
