It’s familiar stuff, which is both a strength and a weakness. For fans of producer Stephen Bochco (creator of Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, and much more), Raising the Bar will work like comfort food. Each case unfolds capably, with thorny moral conflicts and compromising private interests, complicated by human weakness and bureaucratic callousness. Maybe too capably; the gears spin so smoothly it’s hard to get emotional traction with the characters, whose personalities seem secondhand from other legal shows. Entertaining histrionic cross-examinations abound, as do wild case-saving coincidences and compassionate looks between lawyers and defendants. The 10-episode collection of Raising the Bar: The Complete First Season also has an engaging featurette focused on the show’s other co-creator, David Feige, a real-life public defender whose experiences are the series’ inspiration. Feige's genuine enthusiasm and engagement may inspire viewers to give the show a chance. --Bret Fetzer

Stills from Raising the Bar: The Complete First Season (Click for larger image)