baroncoco
...it's Bochco, so there's WAY too much time spent on supposedly engrossing personal lives that are just DULL. Same problem that eventually killed David E. Kelley's equally good and realistic "The Practice", but that at least got a solid two or three seasons; to cancel "Philly" after one season was plain unfair, they were already working out the right balance and character kinks. AND WE NEED SHOWS ABOUT DEFENSE LAWYERS, AMERICA'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH PROSECUTION IS DOING NOTHING BUT FILLING PRISONS.
ibsanguine
This was a terrific binge-watching experience, with excellent writing meeting outstanding acting and directing. It's one of the best legal dramas that I've seen.Works within this genre -- books, movies or TV series -- are at their best when they focus on philosophical discussions about the unintended consequences of particular laws and ethical issues; including both the "low-hanging fruit" variety -- defending those who commit heinous acts, Constitutional issues like the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th & 8th amendments, etc -- AND the more exotic like attorney- client privilege, pre-trial discovery, etc.Philly *clearly* embraced these philosophical discussions and the show felt like the *early* seasons of Law & Order in this regard; before L&O's trite, crappy writing and melodramatic plot lines took hold. In fact, my one criticism of this show's design was that it crammed far too many of these topics into each episode; leaving a *lot* of unexplored drama on the table as a result. Nevertheless, there is a whole lot to love about this dead-before-its-time series so if you like legal thrillers, give it a go when you find it. You won't be sorry.
DutchCharmed
What I missed in Philly was the personal life of Kathleen and the others, it was mostly all about how to solve the case and all.. You did see some personal stuff, sometimes, but I didn't think it was enough. I love Tom Everett Scott in ER, and I thought I'd just watch this series to see how he's doing, and I like him very much, his acting is great, but I would've liked to see better story lines. I think that if there was an equal focus on a personal life and on the whole trials and all, it would much better! I have seen the first 10 episodes of Philly, and I like them, I like the way the characters are, especially Tom Everett Scott's character, he brings in a little comedy with some of his comments, Kim Delaney is really great too, and I hope to see some chemistry between Kim and Tom, in the upcoming episodes (Episode 11-22). So, from all that I've seen from this show, I think it is a cool show, but it needed better story lines, I think that if this show would have had like a 2nd season, the writers could've easily improved.
Mustard Seed
Philadelphia's sights, history, architecture, residents, and personality give writers and film-makers plenty to work with, and many have. Unfortunately, it hasn't been utilized as much as it might have (and I think it deserves). From what I understand, this is mostly because it lacks a permanent soundstage. Although Ben Franklin Parkway and other areas were closed off at times over the summer for filming the outdoor shots of 'Philly', most or all of the indoor shooting is being done on the west coast. The recreated interior of City Hall looks pretty good.'Philly' plays the Hostile City's gritty reputation to the hilt. It has drawn some heat locally for its portrayal of city corruption - but not surprisingly, I haven't heard an official word on the likelihood of a mini-skirted, model-gorgeous, whip-smart, heart of gold attorney.I have enjoyed Philly's first two episodes, but my reception is cooled by the hero-or-villain take on some of its characters. The show makes it clear that Kathleen McGuire (Kim Delaney) has adopted a tough exterior only to do her job; she's really a gentle, altruistic soul who cries into a teddy bear at the end of a bad day (two of 'em so far). She is, at least, very strong - one wonders how she gets through what she does with her head up. But while I'm biting on that, I'm also wondering how she - as a good judge of character - ever hooked up with her (ex-, or separated) husband, a district attorney so unlikeable only a bad writer could love him.There are other question marks. From tonight's episode, for example: Would a resident of the city (no matter how well-meaning) leave a near-stranger, possibly guilty of a knife attack, alone in her apartment for the day? Is this the same city I live in?Still the show has promise. It has an edge, a ready quip, a fast pace. It can amuse and surprise. Everyone in the cast appears to be up to the task of the characters they play, right down to the Judge's Pommie.And there are some nice shots around the city. Cept, what's up with the burning trash can?7/10 stars.
