I never watched the show during its run, but after it was cancelled I finally got the opportunity to see what a great series I missed out on. Based on the John Grisham novel and spun from the film, JoBeth Williams takes over Susan Sarandon's Oscar-nominated role as Reggie Love, a tough and caring southern lawyer. Williams' performance is very accurate and at times she so closely resembles Sarandon I forget I'm not watching the film.
The series is not much different from the film, and as a "courtroom drama," it doesn't focus only on the trials but also on the characters. The writing is so effortlessly wonderful that it amazed me to see how this one was axed.
The supporting players are very good, too. John Heard is great as a southern D.A., and his accent is very accurate. Polly Holliday is stunning as Reggie's mother and her performance is comparable to Tyne Daly's in "Judging Amy." Ossie Davis was terrific as the tough judge, which he played in the film as well.
The cast and writing for this short-lived series are exceptional and as a whole, "The Client" TV series is probably one of the best court shows and probably the best of the short-lived shows.
My Score: 10/10
