In Justice

{{Short description|American police procedural television series}}

{{Infobox television

| image = In Justice.png

| genre = Legal drama

| creator = {{Plainlist|

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 13

| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|

Robert King
Michelle King
Jeff Melvoin
Stu Bloomberg

}}

| producer =

| location =

| camera =

| runtime = 45 minutes

| company = {{Plainlist|

}}

| network = ABC

| first_aired = {{Start date|2006|1|1}}

| last_aired = {{End date|2006|3|31}}

}}

In Justice is an American legal drama television series created by Michelle King and Robert King. The series began airing on Sunday, January 1, 2006, on ABC as a midseason replacement and assumed its regular night and time on Friday, January 6, 2006, at 9 p.m. EST. It ended after its 13-episode run on March 31, 2006. The series was simulcast in Canada on CTV. In the UK In Justice was shown on UKTV Gold beginning September 17, 2006 and was later repeated on ABC1 in 2007.

On May 16, 2006, ABC cancelled the series.{{cite web|url=https://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/2006-cancelled-shows-abc-cleans-house/|title=2006 Cancelled Shows: ABC Cleans House|last=Kimball|first=Trevor|work=TV Series Finale|date=May 16, 2006|access-date=October 29, 2018}} Series creators Michelle and Robert King went on to develop the series The Good Wife.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/arts/television/13wife.html |title=Wife's Discomfort Fits Comfortably in CBS's Lineup |access-date=April 7, 2010 |work=The New York Times |author=Edward Wyatt |date=October 13, 2009}}

Premise

In Justice focuses on freeing wrongly convicted criminals. Kyle MacLachlan (of Twin Peaks) stars as David Swain, a wealthy and successful lawyer who heads a high-profile organization called the National Justice Project (commonly abbreviated as "NJP") in the San Francisco Bay Area, along with his lead investigator, ex–police detective Charles Conti (portrayed by Jason O'Mara). Members of the National Justice Project work pro-bono to overturn wrongful convictions, liberate the falsely accused and discover the identity of those who are really to blame. Although the NJP is fictional, there are organizations which examine cases involving people who may have been wrongly convicted (e.g. the Innocence Project).

Each new episode starts out with "what the jury believed", usually a scene in which the person who was wrongly convicted acts out the crime. Throughout the show, David and Charles unravel many clues to how and why the person they are trying to exonerate was convicted in the first place.

Each episode revolves around separate cases and addresses the various reasons for miscarriage of justice. The progress in the show relies less on the famous but largely fictitious forensic procedures used in the CSI franchise and other procedural shows. In a few episodes "CSI-fiction" is mentioned as a description of theatre and inaccuracy, and sometimes forgery of forensics technology.

The series deals with a few subplots. The most prominent is Conti's remorse from his time as a police officer, when he caused an innocent suspect's suicide by coercing him to confess to the murder of his family, and how it makes him obsessed with clearing the wrongfully convicted.

Other subplots deals with Swain's uneasy relationship with judicial colleagues and the district attorney's attempts to discredit him, Sonya's personal motivations for clearing the wrongfully convicted—her brother being one of them—and Brianna's reservations and doubts about some of the cases.

Cast

Jason O'Mara as Charles Conti
Kyle MacLachlan as David Swain
Marisol Nichols as Sonya Quintano
Constance Zimmer as Brianna
Daniel Cosgrove as Jon Lemonick
Tim Guinee as Richard Rocca
McKinley Freeman as Ray Estevez{{Cite web |title=McKinley Freeman |url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/mckinley-freeman/credits/3030424315/ |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=TVGuide.com |language=en}}

Episodes

The show's "sneak-peek" episode aired on January 1, 2006, while the original series pilot was aired on January 6, 2006. According to Variety, the program won its timeslot in the January 1 sneak airing and finished second in its January 6 timeslot, the latter just slightly behind CBS's Close to Home.{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2006/scene/markets-festivals/the-ratings-rumba-1117935656/ |title=The ratings rumba Big bow for ABC's 'Dancing'; 'Earl' strong|last=Kissel|first=Rick|date=January 8, 2006|publisher=variety.com|access-date=January 10, 2006}} The eighth episode, "The Public Burning", came in second to NBC's coverage of the Winter Olympics.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060222abc01|title=PRIMETIME RATINGS REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 13-19, 2006|date=February 22, 2006|publisher=thefutoncritic.com|access-date=March 30, 2010}}

{{Episode table |background= |overall= |title= |director= |writer= |viewers= |airdate= |prodcode= |episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=1

| Title=Brothers and Sisters

| WrittenBy=Tom Szentgyorgyi

| DirectedBy=James Frawley

| Viewers = 10.50{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060104abc01|title=PRIMETIME RATINGS REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF DEC. 26, 2005 - JAN. 1, 2006|date=January 4, 2006|publisher=thefutoncritic.com|access-date=March 30, 2010}}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|1|01}}

| ProdCode=103

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=2

| Title=Pilot

| WrittenBy=Robert King & Michelle King

| DirectedBy=Mick Jackson

| Viewers =9.20{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060110abc02|title=PRIMETIME RATINGS REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 2-8, 2006|date=January 10, 2006|publisher=thefutoncritic.com|access-date=March 30, 2010}}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|1|06}}

| ProdCode=101

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=3

| Title=Golden Boy

| WrittenBy=Robert King & Michelle King

| DirectedBy=Paul Holahan

| Viewers = 8.70{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060118abc01|title=PRIMETIME RATINGS REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 9-15, 2006|date=January 18, 2006|publisher=thefutoncritic.com|access-date=March 30, 2010}}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|1|13}}

| ProdCode=102

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=4

| Title=Confessions

| WrittenBy=Terri Kopp

| DirectedBy=Stephen DePaul

| Viewers =8.90{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060124abc01|title=PRIMETIME RATINGS REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 16-22, 2006|date=January 24, 2006|publisher=thefutoncritic.com|access-date=March 30, 2010}}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|1|20}}

| ProdCode=105

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=5

| Title=Another Country

| WrittenBy=Jeff Melvoin

| DirectedBy=John Contner

| Viewers =7.60{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060131abc03|title=PRIMETIME RATINGS REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 23-29, 2006|publisher=thefutoncritic.com|date=January 31, 2006|access-date=March 30, 2010}}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|1|27}}

| ProdCode=104

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=6

| Title=The Ten Percenter

| WrittenBy=Henry Robles

| DirectedBy=David Straiton

| Viewers = 8.80{{cite web|url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060207abc03|title=PRIMETIME RATINGS REPORT FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 30 – FEBRUARY 5, 2006|date=February 7, 2006|publisher=thefutoncritic.com|access-date=March 30, 2010}}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|2|03}}

| ProdCode=107

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=7

| Title=Cost of Freedom

| WrittenBy=Barry M. Schkolnick

| DirectedBy=Paul Holahan

| Viewers =8.41{{cite press release |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=021406_04 |title=WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 02/06/06 THROUGH 02/12/06 |publisher=ABC Medianet |date=February 14, 2006 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528010259/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=021406_04 |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|2|10}}

| ProdCode=106

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=8

| Title=The Public Burning

| WrittenBy=Michael Oates Palmer

| DirectedBy=Marita Grabiak

| Viewers =8.33{{cite press release |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=022206_05 |title=WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 02/13/06 THROUGH 02/19/06 |publisher=ABC Medianet |date=February 22, 2006 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528005647/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=022206_05 |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|2|17}}

| ProdCode=108

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=9

| Title=Victims

| WrittenBy=Courtney Kemp

| DirectedBy=Kevin Bray

| Viewers =6.60{{cite press release |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=030706_05 |title=WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 02/27/06 THROUGH 03/05/06 |publisher=ABC Medianet |date=March 7, 2006 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528010309/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=030706_05 |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|3|03}}

| ProdCode=109

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=10

| Title=Badge of Honor

| WrittenBy=Marc Guggenheim

| DirectedBy=Peter Medak

| Viewers =5.09{{cite press release |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=031406_03 |title=WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 03/06/06 THROUGH 03/12/06 |publisher=ABC Medianet |date=March 14, 2006 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011060528/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=031406_03 |archive-date=October 11, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|3|10}}

| ProdCode=110

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=11

| Title=Lovers

| WrittenBy=Terri Kopp & Karen Campbell

| DirectedBy=J. Miller Tobin

| Viewers =6.51{{cite press release |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=032106_04 |title=WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 03/13/06 THROUGH 03/19/06 |publisher=ABC Medianet |date=March 21, 2006 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209212630/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=032106_04 |archive-date=December 9, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|3|17}}

| ProdCode=111

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=12

| Title=Side Man

| WrittenBy=Michael Oates Palmer & Barry M. Schkolnick

| DirectedBy=Paul Holahan

| Viewers =6.72{{cite press release |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=032806_02 |title=WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 03/20/06 THROUGH 03/26/06 |publisher=ABC Medianet |date=March 28, 2011 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209215456/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=032806_02 |archive-date=December 9, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|3|24}}

| ProdCode=112

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber=13

| Title=Crossing the Line

| WrittenBy=Henry Robles

| DirectedBy=Paul Holahan

| Viewers =5.52{{cite press release |url=http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=040406_04 |title=WEEKLY PROGRAM RANKINGS FROM 03/27/06 THROUGH 04/02/06 |publisher=ABC Medianet |date=April 4, 2006 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528010100/http://abcmedianet.com/web/dnr/dispDNR.aspx?id=040406_04 |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

| OriginalAirDate={{Start date|2006|3|31}}

| ProdCode=113

| LineColor=dfd1a2

}}

The team succeeds in clearing a convicted person in each episode, except in "The Public Burning", where justice fails and a mildly mentally challenged man is executed just minutes before truth is revealed (though it is unclear if the team were able to expose the killer, since Conti confronts the murderer in his house).

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes the series has an approval rating of 40% based on reviews from 10 critics. The site's consensus states: "In Justice brandishes a refreshingly righteous premise, but this derivative procedural's good intentions can't vindicate the indistinctive casting and uninspired cases".{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/in_justice/s01|title=In Justice|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes}} On Metacritic the series has a score of 48% based on reviews from 16 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".{{Cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/tv/in-justice/season-1/critic-reviews|title = In Justice|publisher = Metacritic}}

David Hinckley of the New York Daily News compared the show to Without a Trace and Cold Case. He wrote: "The chemistry among the leads isn't fully there, and the trail of clues, at least in the opening two episodes, relies on a lot of serendipity and improbable deductive work. But In Justice is a watchable show."{{Cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/378670p-321618c.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210100608/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/378670p-321618c.html|archive-date=2006-02-10|title=ABC Does 'Justice' to Latest Crime Show |website=Daily News |location=New York}}

Phil Gallo of Variety called the show "A model of midseason mediocrity".{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2005/tv/reviews/in-justice-1200519503/|title = In Justice|date = 29 December 2005}} Tom Shales of The Washington Post wrote: "It's an imitation of something already being imitated here, there and everywhere."{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/30/AR2005123001635.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930102337/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/30/AR2005123001635.html |archive-date=2017-09-30 |title=Tom Shales - With 'In Justice,' ABC Is Guilty of Petty Theft|newspaper=The Washington Post }} Tim Goodman of the San Francisco Chronicle called the show "a mess" and was critical of ABC for not knowing what they wanted the show to be.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Sparing-the-innocent-but-not-the-audience-2555096.php|title = Sparing the innocent, but not the audience|date = 30 December 2005}}