Case closed: ABC’s ‘For the People’ wraps rookie season
There’s something about courtroom drama that has fascinated TV viewers for decades. Such shows often rank among the most popular prime-time programs, even among today’s fickle audiences. As one legal drama wraps up for the season, ambitious young lawyers argue their cases in the high-profile “Mother Court” of the United States.
Attorneys are put to the test as they face off in the Southern District of New York Federal Court in the season finale of “For the People,” airing Tuesday, May 22, on ABC. All eyes are on the lawyers as they tackle some of the most controversial cases in the nation, but they refuse to back down until justice is served.
Created by Paul William Davies (“Scandal”), the 10-episode Shondaland production stars Vondie Curtis-Hall (“Chicago Hope”) as Chief Judge Nicholas Byrne, Hope Davis (“About Schmidt,” 2002) as lead public defender Jill Carlan, and Ben Shenkman (“Royal Pains”) as Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Gunn. The talented group of young lawyers includes Jasmin Savoy Brown (“The Leftovers”) as Allison Adams, Susannah Flood (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”) as Kate Littlejohn, Wesam Keesh (“Awkward”) as Jay Simmons, Regé-Jean Page (“Roots”) as Leonard Knox, Ben Rappaport (“Mr. Robot”) as Seth Oliver, and Britt Robertson (“Tomorrowland,” 2015) as Sandra Bell. Anna Deavere Smith (“The West Wing”) rounds out the cast as nononsense court clerk Tina Krissman.
The cast of the ensemble drama is now part of the Shondaland dynasty, which includes hits “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away With Murder.” The distinction was not lost on Rappaport, who spoke with tvinsider.com in early April about landing a role in “For the People.”
“I would describe getting into Shondaland like getting an acceptance letter to an Ivy League school,” Rappaport explained. “You feel like you’re a part of a very special group and club. The whole company, top to bottom — I mean everybody — it’s just a great culture of respect.”
Rappaport plays one half of the show’s will-they-won’t-they couple, Seth and Allison, who broke up after she used information gleaned from a private conversation to win a case against him. The tension between them is just one example of how the show delves into both the professional and personal lives of the characters. It’s a formula familiar to fans of Shonda Rhimes, who’s an executive producer of “For the People,” along with Davies, Betsy Beers (“Grey’s Anatomy”), Donald Todd (“This Is Us”) and Tom Verica (“How to Get Away With Murder”).
“For the People” has continued the Shondaland tradition of primetime winners. It showed promise right out of the gate as the series debut pulled in ABC’s highest ratings in its Tuesday night time-slot in the key 18-to-29-year-old demographic in five months, with more than 3.2 million viewers in the U.S. In fact, the show is now part of a Tuesday night lineup that’s earned ABC its longest winning streak in 11 years, thanks to a lead-in from comedies “Roseanne,” “The Middle,” “Black-ish” and “Splitting Up Together.”
A cut above other legal dramas, “For the People” has plenty to offer viewers in addition to the romantic tension between Oliver and Adams. There are stereotypical overconfident attorneys such as Adams and Knox, who need a healthy slice of humble pie, but there are also a couple of underdogs viewers can’t help but root for in Bell and Simmons. Wise leaders Carlan and Gunn offer audiences a look at both sides of the court cases as they attempt to inspire and motivate their charges in the wake of pressure from above. Meanwhile, brash clerk Krissman keeps everyone in line, and no-nonsense judge Byrne serves as the voice of reason.
One of the reasons the series works so well is the chemistry between the performers. Even viewers who might not be inclined to indulge in legal dramas may enjoy the richly developed relationships between the characters. In fact, the chemistry between the actors is so critical to the cast and crew, production shut down when two of the roles were recast within the first two episodes so writers could adjust dialogue and storylines to reflect the new on-screen personalities. Britne Oldford (“Skins”) was originally cast as Sandra and Lyndon Smith (“Parenthood”) played Allison, but both left the show early on.
While there’s no shortage of personal drama in “For the People,” there’s just as much excitement inside the courtroom as the lawyers argue cases and defend clients in controversial trials. Each episode tracks the lawyers as they debate such topics as mandatory minimums, whistleblowers, the opioid crisis and white supremacy.
In the season finale, Bell defends a scientist who’s been accused of spying for the Chinese government, but memories of a similar case from her past haunts her. At the same time, Simmons and Littlejohn go head to head in the courtroom in a case involving a drug-dealing PTA president whose clientele was comprised of students. Elsewhere, Adams receives a tempting offer, and Knox asks Littlejohn for advice.
Don’t miss the season finale of “For the People,” airing Tuesday, May 22, on ABC.