The Defenders (2010 TV series)
{{Short description|2010 American legal comedy drama}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2012}}
{{Infobox television
| image = The Defenders (2010 TV series intertitle).png
| genre = {{Plain list|
}}
| creator = {{Plain list|
- Kevin Kennedy
- Niels Mueller
}}
| starring = {{Plain list|
- Jim Belushi
- Jerry O'Connell
- Jurnee Smollett-Bell
- Tanya Fischer
}}
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 18
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{Plain list|
- Harry Gantz
- Joe Gantz
- Kevin Kennedy
- Niels Mueller
- Carol Mendelsohn
}}
| producer =
| camera =
| runtime = 43 minutes
| company = {{Plain list|
- Carol Mendelsohn Productions
- CBS Productions
}}
| network = CBS
| first_aired = {{Start date|2010|9|22}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2011|3|11}}
}}
The Defenders is an American legal comedy-drama television series that was ordered to series by CBS for the 2010–11 television season.{{cite web |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/05/17/cbs-welcomes-four-to-freshman-class/8685/ |author=The Futon Critic Staff |title=CBS Welcomes Four to Freshman Class|date= May 17, 2010 |publisher=The Futon Critic |access-date=May 20, 2010}}{{cite press release |author=CBS |author-link=CBS |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/05/19/cbs-announces-2010-2011-primetime-schedule/20100519cbs01/ |title=CBS Announces 2010–2011 Primetime Schedule |date= May 19, 2010 |publisher=The Futon Critic |access-date=May 20, 2010}} The series originally ran from September 22, 2010, to March 11, 2011. Set in Las Vegas, Nevada, the show involves a pair of defense attorneys who go all out to help their clients while keeping their personal lives in order. The show is loosely based on real-life Vegas lawyers Michael Cristalli and Marc Saggese.{{cite web |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/double_play_v8zKUpz6pufmPIrvGCzoOJ |title=Vegas attorneys inspire 'The Defenders' on CBS |date=June 26, 2010 |last=Starr |first=Michael |work=New York Post |access-date=September 25, 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2010/oct/02/defenders-calls-cristalli/ |title='The Defenders' calls on Cristalli & Saggese to make Vegas its home court |date=October 2, 2010 |last=Katsilometes |first=John |work=Las Vegas Sun |access-date=November 14, 2010}} This series is not related to the 1960s CBS series of the same name.
In October 2010, CBS announced that the show had been picked up for a 18-episode season with the option to produce a full 22-episode season.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2010/10/cbs-gives-full-season-orders-to-all-5-freshman-series-hawaii-five-0-blue-bloods-defenders-mike-molly-77795/ |first=Nellie |last=Andreeva |title=CBS Gives Full-Season Orders To All 5 Freshman Series: 'Hawaii Five-0', 'Blue Bloods', 'Defenders', 'Mike & Molly' & '$#*!' |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=October 21, 2010 |access-date=October 29, 2014}} In January 2011, CBS announced that The Defenders was moving from its Wednesday timeslot to the Friday timeslot vacated by Medium which aired on NBC and then CBS for seven seasons, with Blue Bloods temporarily moving to the timeslot The Defenders vacated. Blue Bloods returned to its Friday timeslot in February 2011 owing to the series premiere of Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior. The Defenders aired the last six episodes of its season on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. Eastern/7:00 p.m. Central.{{cite press release |author=CBS |author-link=CBS |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2010/07/22/cbs-announces-2010-2011-premiere-dates/20100722cbs02/ |title=CBS Announces 2010–2011 Premiere Dates |date=July 22, 2010 |publisher=The Futon Critic |access-date=July 31, 2010}} Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell star as the defense attorneys of the show's title.
On May 15, 2011, CBS canceled the series after one season.{{cite web |url=http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/05/15/the-defenders-s-my-dad-says-and-mad-love-canceled-by-cbs/92704/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518025255/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2011/05/15/the-defenders-s-my-dad-says-and-mad-love-canceled-by-cbs/92704/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 18, 2011 |first=Robert |last=Seidman |title='The Defenders,' 'S#*! My Dad Says,' and 'Mad Love' Canceled By CBS |date=May 15, 2011 |publisher=TV by the Numbers |access-date=October 29, 2014}}
Cast and characters
=Main=
- Jerry O'Connell as Pete Kaczmarek, a freewheeling playboy lawyer
- Jim Belushi as Nick Morelli, Pete's partner, who is very passionate about his work and the clients he helps
- Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Lisa Tyler, a young lawyer who worked her way through law school as a dancer
- Tanya Fischer as Zoey Waters, Pete and Nick's assistant
=Recurring=
- Gillian Vigman as Jessica, Nick's estranged wife
- Teddy Sears as Thomas Cole, a prosecuting attorney
- Glynn Turman as Judge Bob Owens
- Dan Aykroyd as Judge Maximus Hunter{{cite web|url= https://www.tvguide.com/News/Dan-Aykroyd-Defenders-1026196.aspx|title= Dan Aykroyd to Reunite with Jim Belushi on The Defenders|publisher=TVGuide.com|access-date=November 30, 2010}}
Episodes
{{Episode table
|background=#6B95E4
|overall=
|title=
|director=23
|writer=23
|airdate=16
|country=US
|viewers= 11
|episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = Pilot
|DirectedBy = Davis Guggenheim
|WrittenBy = Kevin Kennedy & Niels Mueller
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|9|22}}
|ShortSummary = Las Vegas attorneys Nick Morelli and Pete Kaczmarek defend a murder client.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = Las Vegas v. Reid
|DirectedBy = Jeff Melman
|WrittenBy = Peter Noah
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|9|29}}
|ShortSummary = Nick defends a mother who killed a jogger while driving.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = Nevada v. Carter
|DirectedBy = Jeff Melman
|WrittenBy = Peter Noah
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|10|6}}
|ShortSummary = Nick defends a dancer at a strip club.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|Title = Nevada v. Cerrato
|DirectedBy = Charlie Haid
|WrittenBy = Brett Conrad
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|10|13}}
|ShortSummary = Nick takes on an arson case. Pete defends a drunk gambler who lost millions.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|Title = Nevada v. Senator Harper
|DirectedBy = Jeff Thomas
|WrittenBy = Jacqueline Hoyt & Bruce Rasmussen
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|10|20}}
|ShortSummary = Pete and Nick defend a state senator who is accused of murdering his mistress.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Nevada v. Rodgers
|DirectedBy = Jamie Babbit
|WrittenBy = Kevin Kennedy & Niels Mueller
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|10|27}}
|ShortSummary = Nick defends a getaway driver's charge of attempted murder. Pete pleas for a man who stole Elvis collectables.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 7
|Title = Las Vegas v. Johnson
|DirectedBy = Tim Busfield
|WrittenBy = Carolina Paiz
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|11|3}}
|ShortSummary = Pete and Nick defend a celebrity murder case.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 8
|Title = Nevada v. Killa Diz
|DirectedBy = Rod Holcomb
|WrittenBy = Brett Conrad
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|11|10}}
|ShortSummary = Nick defends a rapper. Pete bargains with the FBI for an internet hacker.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 9
|Title = Whitten v. Fenlee
|DirectedBy = Christine Moore
|WrittenBy = Peter Noah & Bruce Rasmussen
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|11|17}}
|ShortSummary = A man dies on a construction site and his wife sues the company with Nick as her lawyer. Another man, represented by Pete, tries to get himself out of trouble after exposing a magician's secret.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 10
|Title = Nevada v. Dennis
|DirectedBy = Matt Earl Beesley
|WrittenBy = Jacqueline Hoyt
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|12|8}}
|ShortSummary = A man gets in trouble for dealing with guns with filed-off serial numbers. Nick tries to stop a bear from being put to sleep.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 11
|Title = Nevada v. Reily
|DirectedBy = Richard J. Lewis
|WrittenBy = Kevin Kennedy
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2010|12|15}}
|ShortSummary = A man who used to play football gets in trouble for assault. Meanwhile, Pete is not happy that his father decides to come visit.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 12
|Title = Nevada v. Wayne
|DirectedBy = Greg Beeman
|WrittenBy = Bruce Rasmussen
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|1|12}}
|ShortSummary = Nick defends a young man he knows who is accused of sexual assault, while Pete gets jury duty.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 13
|Title = Nevada v. Donnie The Numbers Guy
|RTitle =
|DirectedBy = John Showalter
|WrittenBy = Brett Conrad
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|2|4}}
|ShortSummary = A man returns to prove he is innocent of murdering his wife seventeen years after he skipped his trial.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 14
|Title = Nevada v. Doug the Mule
|RTitle =
|DirectedBy = Charlie Haid
|WrittenBy = Carolina Paiz
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|2|11}}
|ShortSummary = Nick and Pete defend a young man who has been duped by a woman to smuggle a car full of cocaine across the Mexican border.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 15
|Title = Nevada v. Hunter
|DirectedBy = Brad Silberling
|WrittenBy = Niels Mueller
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|2|18}}
|ShortSummary = Facing 30 counts of possession of a controlled substance, an overconfident judge turns to Nick, who has no choice but to try to get him acquitted of the charges.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 16
|Title = Noland v. Galloway Pharmaceuticals
|DirectedBy = Christine Moore
|WrittenBy = Matt Payne
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|2|25}}
|ShortSummary = The firm represents a teenager who took the wrong dosage of a medication.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 17
|Title = Nevada v. Greene
|DirectedBy = Charlie Haid
|WrittenBy = Kevin Kennedy
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|3|04}}
|ShortSummary = The firm represents a partier who is accused of murdering a woman while under the influence of alcohol.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 18
|Title = Morelli v. Kaczmarek
|DirectedBy = Paul McCrane
|WrittenBy = Niels Mueller
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2011|3|11}}
|ShortSummary = The firm temporarily dissolves its partnership when they have to defend a husband and wife accused of murder.
|LineColor = 6B95E4
}}
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|1592254|The Defenders}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Defenders (2010 TV series), The}}
Category:2010s American comedy-drama television series
Category:2010s American workplace comedy television series
Category:2010 American television series debuts
Category:2011 American television series endings
Category:2010s American legal drama television series
Category:Television series by CBS Studios