Conviction - Pilot 3/3/06 (or now in iTunes)

[Agatha Mystery]

Just downloaded the pilot episode for free through iTunes. There is already a discussion in Happy Hour with regards to the downloading and playing through iTunes and no other format (and the useless software issue for those not owning an iPod).

I'd like to keep this discussion for the show itself.

New show from the creator of Law and Order. Just follows the DA's.

I gotta say, it was interesting to see August Richards (from Angel) playing a lawyer (again). :D I guess the new guy (Potter) is going to be part of the focus - the way to lead the show a bit. Obviously, we really don't know what his motivation is for going to the DA's office from private practice. From t he intro, I guess we're supposed to think that he really that good of a laywer - middle of law school, but is well connected. Speaking of Potter, I realized immediately that he screwed up in telling the detective over the phone, where they were eating dinner. The only thing that I wasn't expecting was that they hit the lead lawyer only, and not the team while eating at the restaurant.

In pleading out the case, the Assistant DA (or whatever she is - Deputy chief?) making the underling the bad guy was an interesting twist. She's bucking for the DA position and wants to keep her hands as clean as possible. She made a serious enemy (at least, she would with me).

I wasn't expecting them to kill off a "major character" in the pilot. However, I thought that I recognized that guy from the movies, and was surprised that he was on a television pilot (albeit, he looked a tad bit different). I just wonder where they can go with the storylines, now that they lost the 'deputy with a heart'.

All in all, it looks to be an interesting show. There were a lot of lawyers, so it will be a bit of a challenge to learn everyone's names. I can see setting up a season pass. It might be worth keeping.

As far as downloading the episode and not watching it on the 3rd, I hadn't planned on watching it on the 3rd. I don't download video off of iTunes, but I found it intriguing that NBC (or Dick Wolf) decided to make it free to download, so I did. So, they at least gained one viewer (at least, for now) through the marketing campaign. I'm sure I won't be the only one.

[SnakeEyes]

Yeah I posted about this here (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=288091 ) but havent had a chance to watch it yet.

[jschuur]

I enjoyed it. Probably because I don't follow _any_ of the current court procedurals (Law and Order or otherwise), and the cliffhanger had me interested enough to pick up a season pass.

[scottykempf]

What the????? How do I download this? WHen I try to creat an "account" it asks for my credit card number? I know the ep is "free", but I don't want to give them my cc just to watch it. When I have downloaded podcasts that were FREE in the past they just downloaded.

[Gunnyman]

this is a freebie for iTMS.
iTMS doesn't "sell" podcast content hence you don't have to register with a CC.
FWIW iTMS also takes Paypal.

[Agatha Mystery]

What the????? How do I download this? WHen I try to creat an "account" it asks for my credit card number? I know the ep is "free", but I don't want to give them my cc just to watch it. When I have downloaded podcasts that were FREE in the past they just downloaded.
It asks for your credit card number, so that when you download music into iTunes or shows, it can charge you. However, when you download this particular episode, it doesn't charge you and it says free. I have my system set to automatically ask to charge me every time I download something

[Graymalkin]

I've watched about two-thirds of it, and I'm not impressed. The only way you can tell that it came from a L&O shop is because it has Stephanie March and Fred Dalton Thompson (in a cameo) in it.

It's not really L&O trying to be David E. Kelly -- not wacky enough. It's L&O trying to be Gray's Anatomy.

[jsmeeker]

this is a freebie for iTMS.
iTMS doesn't "sell" podcast content hence you don't have to register with a CC.
FWIW iTMS also takes Paypal.


Not yet.

[jradford]

So is it anything like the BBC America "Conviction?"

[joits]

i'm hesitant to watch this show, it has the king of cancelled series, Eric Balfour. Off the top of my head, i can think of three shows of his that have either been cancelled or never aired in the last few years (Fearless, Veritas, Hawaii). so you sort of have to be wary of anything with him in the cast. just like paula marshall... queen of cancelled shows.

[marksman]

Wasn't he in Six Feet Under and 24 also?

[joits]

Wasn't he in Six Feet Under and 24 also?


but not as a regular. he's was a recurring character. i'm talkin bout shows where he's on the credits.

[iceturkee]

yeah, but any show that has the delightful stephanie march in it (returning from witness protection, for those who watch SVU) gets a season pass from me!


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i just watched the pilot and i believe i can explain cabot's desire to plead out. for those of you who didn't watch law and order: special victims unit: i think the escobar mentioned in the conviction pilot, would be pablo escobar, a columbian war lord who tried to murder alex cabot, when she worked special victims. she survived the attempt on her life but went into witness protection (to explain stephanie march's decision to leave the show).

if this is the same escobar, and he was responsible for murdering the ADA mike, then it would logically explain why cabot told steele to plead out the case. cabot, was basically told the same thing when she prosecuted him, only to get gunned down.

while, this could have been better explained in the pilot, its the only logical conclusion, i can come up with. hope this helps!!

[Gunnyman]

did I miss where they explained Cabot's return?

[Johnny Dazzle]

There is absolutely nothing to separate this show from the other 50 to 60 legal dramas on television, either new or in reruns. Well, maybe the cast is slightly hotter than other shows, but that's it. It's not bad, just instantly stale.

[iceturkee]

no gunny, they never explained why cabot wasn't in witness protection anymore. as i previously posted, i'm assuming the escobar mentioned in the pilot is either the same guy who ordered the hit on her or is related.

but unless, you're a faithful follower of SVU, you would no doubt miss the connection or understand why she told steele to plea bargain.

[Agatha Mystery]

I don't watch the L&O's anymore. So I wasn't aware that there were crossover characters. I just figured it was a standalone show.

[iceturkee]

dick wolf says it isn't suppose to be a law and order crossover. the only connection is stephanie march (playing her SVU character).

as i think about this more, i'm not even sure this escobar in the pilot was directly or indirectly related to the cabot hit. but the similarities would have been enough for her to ask steele to plea bargin!

[logic8482]

Does anyone know the song that has been playing the background of the Conviction commercials that have been running the past couple weeks?

[tlrowley]

The song is "All Will Be Well" by The Gabe Dixon Band. A video, interspersed with scenes from Conviction, is also available for free download. The song itself is available, but not free.

Tracey

[SullyND]

I watched the show last night, thought it was pretty good... Definitely better than the last L&O spinoff (Trial by Jury)... I'm a big fan of L&O and can understand the attempt to seperate the two, but think that if they really wanted to do that there should be no crossover characters (There are atleast two so far). As far as the witness protection thing, it is possible that conviction takes place on an earlier timeline.

It got a season pass out of me...

[busyba]

Pleading out the drug lord was a punk move. They basically rewarded him for gunning down a DA. It's open season on DA's now.


did I miss where they explained Cabot's return?
In SVU she came back to testify in a case where they really needed her; I think it was against the same guy who had her shot. I thought that at the end of that episode she went back into protection, so I'm a little confused too.

[jamesbobo]

Entertainment Weekly gave this show a D rating. Nothing original and a complete waste of time.
I have no opinion on the show because I don't watch any courtroom dramas, just passing the info.

[newsposter]

dick wolf says it isn't suppose to be a law and order crossover. the only connection is stephanie march (playing her SVU character).


and special appearance by the DA :)

I'll put this on the bottom of my SP list. if there's space, i'll watch. But if 4 other things are on at the same time, it's gone.

[Gunnyman]

Pleading out the drug lord was a punk move. They basically rewarded him for gunning down a DA. It's open season on DA's now.



In SVU she came back to testify in a case where they really needed her; I think it was against the same guy who had her shot. I thought that at the end of that episode she went back into protection, so I'm a little confused too.

Right
it was the SVU Episode entitled "Ghost" I think.
She DID go back into protection after that.
lazy writing imho.

[SullyND]

lazy writing imho.

Assuming they are on the same timeline. Conviction could be earlier or later than the SVU timeline. If it is earlier she has not been in protection yet. If it is later, then her getting out of protection could be a back story in a future episode.

[Rob Helmerichs]

Assuming they are on the same timeline. Conviction could be earlier or later than the SVU timeline. If it is earlier she has not been in protection yet. If it is later, then her getting out of protection could be a back story in a future episode.
I'm sure that's an issue they plan to deal with.

And the drug-lord who put the hit on Cabot WAS Pablo Escobar. Again, I'm sure they're planning to deal with that.

[dsmoot]

As far as the witness protection thing, it is possible that conviction takes place on an earlier timeline.
I dont think that it can take place before SVU, since Branch (Thompson) is the DA, which he became while Cabot was on SVU.

[Amnesia]

So is it anything like the BBC America "Conviction?"Not at all.

I wasn't expecting them to kill off a "major character" in the pilot. However, I thought that I recognized that guy from the movies, and was surprised that he was on a television pilot.I recognized his name right off in the credits (he was in Crash (1996) (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0115964/) as well as many other movies) and in the credits he was listed as a guest star, so I knew he was going to die. I wish they hadn't given it away like that.

[Agatha Mystery]

Not at all.

I recognized his name right off in the credits (he was in Crash (1996) (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0115964/) as well as many other movies) and in the credits he was listed as a guest star, so I knew he was going to die. I wish they hadn't given it away like that.
I don't watch the names in the credits. It's just something I don't pay attention to, so I've never had that problem.

[busyba]

Me neither, but only because I NEVER LEARNED TO READ!!!!![/Oscar Clip]

[iceturkee]

conviction's timeline can't be before svu's. dick wolf said in an interview that the threat on alex's life no longer exists, so she returns to ny and law.

if the recent stephanie march interview holds any truth, there will be major storylines for alex in the near future. otherwise, i'm not sure this will last 13 episodes. i'm sure (from what i read) that there are a lot of march fans out there. and they will turn off, if they don't see more of our hero soon.

[newsposter]

turn to food network, she was just on there

[iceturkee]

that food network gig is ancient history. she did that after she left svu, nothing new.

[newsposter]

see for people i like, i dont mind watching even 'old' stuff. If you wait for new you'll be waiting a long time in some cases

[iceturkee]

i understand what you're saying news. shoot, i've taped a couple of boy meets grill just to see stephanie with her hubby (not that i dislike bobby flay, although several people do). its just that i recall those food network shows she hosted were more voice over. i'd much rather look at the lovely ms. march than listen to her.

btw, convictions first week nielsen rating was 36, with las vegas a few notches higher. it will be interesting to see if their ratings basically remain the same or not. last year's TBJ pulled in about the same nielsen numbers but was cancelled. and nbc hasn't had a show in that time slot that has done better!