Sun, January 9, 2005
"Blind Justice"—12:26 AM
I received e-mail from the "Entertainment Weekly" Front Row Panel, which is basically a shoddily managed online market research effort. Every so often they send out a note and ask for some reactions to products or advertising. In addition you can vote in the Critical Mass, in which readers' responses to new movies are tabulated and displayed alongside critics' scores in the magazine. I usually only vote for movies I've seen, but movies that need torpedoing like Shrek 2 or Christmas with the Kranks get an F vote from me sight unseen. You're welcome, America.
Anyway, today's note was to respond to the trailer for a new ABC show called Blind Justice. (I shouldn't say "new ABC show" – I should say "potential ABC show" because I could really see them not airing this one.) In it, Ron Eldard plays a policeman who loses his sight in some sort of on-duty shootout and becomes a blind policeman. It looks really corny (and Bochco's name is on it, so there), but I adore Eldard from the Men Behaving Badly days, plus a particularly good appearance on Dinner for Five – and let's not forget The House of Sand and Fog. Still, calling this Blind Justice is like calling Martial Law Martial Law. Except in the case of Martial Law it was supposed to be stupid and punny because it was a stupid, tongue-in-cheek show. In this case, it just removes that tiny glimmer of a chance that the show could be taken seriously at all. In the survey (sign up at frontrowpanel.com and maybe they'll let you take it!), I said I might watch Blind Justice if I happened across it, and I said I'd never recommend it to a friend. They asked why not? Here's what I said.
To be honest, the title. I think Ron Eldard is a really underrated actor and I like his TV work a lot. From the events in the trailer, the show could go either way: be really interesting and thought-provoking, or be very formulaic and a little silly with the "got something to prove" angle and the way he seems to just be a regular cop like anyone else until this incident and then afterwards he's the most virtuous cop in history. But any benefit of the doubt that Bochco might actually deliver a show with a well rounded, interesting character is shot by the stupid punny title. I might TiVo an episode to see where Eldard takes the character, but if I were to recommend "Blind Justice" to any of my friends, they would laugh in my face.
Joe Mulder — Tue, 1/11/05 5:16pm
I wasn't sure where the proper place was to post this; anyway. . .
I'm going to need a link to a full-sized version of that audioscrobbler photo ASAP. Hilarious.
Brandon — Tue, 1/11/05 11:22pm
I'll second that request.
Bee Boy — Wed, 1/12/05 12:02pm
I aim to please! Find the image – and its far less objectionable sibling – along with a full explanation of its origins, here: Exile on Spring Street
I've been meaning to tell this story here for a long time, and it completely slipped my mind until you guys brought it up. Thanks!
"rufis" — Tue, 3/8/05 9:41pm
i absolutely loved blind justice and i will recommend it to all my friends and co-workers who havent seen it
Bee Boy — Tue, 3/8/05 11:26pm
I really hope this ends up on a billboard for Blind Justice. "Recommend it to your friends who haven't seen it! Unless they didn't see it because they're blind – in that case, encourage them to become policemen because blind cops are our most precious natural resource!"
Joe Mulder — Fri, 3/11/05 1:18am
"Recommend it to your friends who haven't seen it! Unless they didn't see it because they're blind – in that case, encourage them to become policemen because blind cops are our most precious natural resource!"
More precious than bauxite!?!?!
Shit. I've got some phone calls to make.
"rosanna" — Mon, 8/29/05 8:14am
Hey I loved Blind Justice and I'm wondering if anyone knows whether it is coming back for another season.It seems to have disappeared into nowhere. It's creepy, almost like it never existed. I mean, I have not even heard it MENTIONED, even just to announce that it has been 'canned'. Very strange.
""sc"" — Wed, 4/5/06 10:02pm
I absolutely LOVED the show–-what happened, man?!!??! I was always on the edge of my seat when I was waiting to see how the crimes were going to be uncovered. It sucks that the show has been taken off–-another season, soon????