Wednesdays at 10 p.m., network television viewers will have a choice of seeing a new courtroom drama….or a new courtroom drama….or a new courtroom drama. All three sound as if they are competing to inherit the gavel from “Law and Order,” which ran for 20 seasons until it was canceled last May. It is tied with “Gunsmoke” as the longest-running dramatic series in the history of television.
Coincidentally or not – and it’s not – the time slot for “Law and Order” during most of its run was Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

“The Whole Truth” on ABC will star Rob Morrow as a criminal defense attorney and Maura Tierney as an assistant district attorney with the Manhattan D.A.’s Office (the same office featured in “Law and Order”). They are old friends from law school who now square off against one another, showing the justice system from different perspectives. Each episode will reportedly present a new case, divided into four parts — “The Arraignment,” “The Prosecution” and “The Defense” (which goes over the same events Rashomon-style) and “The Trial.”

*Warning: This promotional clip, like all the others, contains — outrageously — 30-second commercials for unrelated products.

Deliberations towards a verdict: Some viewing the pilot spoke of a focus on the “just the facts ma’am” procedural aspects of the case, with main characters that were ciphers (which is an apt description of the ones in “Law and Order” as well), and cringe-worthy dialogue (which is not). However, much has changed since the original pilot, most notably the replacement of Joely Richardson by Maura Tierney as the prosecutor, and so, writes one critic (predictably) “the jury is out.”

“The Whole Truth” premieres Wednesday, September 22nd at 10 p.m.

“The Defenders” on CBS stars Jim Belushi and Jerry O’Connell as two criminal defense attorneys in Las Vegas. This was reportedly intended initially as a reality series but they replaced the two real Vegas attorneys with a cast that features two comic actors playing lawyers with messed-up personal lives and an actress in the role of “a young attorney looking to put her exotic-dancing days behind her.”

Deliberations towards a verdict: “The Defenders” steals its name from the classic TV courtroom drama starring E.G. Marshall, which ran from 1961 to 1965, but clearly has far cruder and less original aspirations than either that show or “Law and Order.” TV critic Mark Dawidziak of The Plain Dealer writes: “Is it a comedy? Is it a drama? It’s a mess — guilty of assault with a blunt object.” Some critics have argued this could work in the show’s favor when the reviews come out: “Well, it’s better than I expected.”

“The Defenders” premieres Wednesday, September 22nd at 10 p.m

Law & Order: Los Angeles on NBC is the most blatant of the contenders, presenting itself as the latest of the “Law and Order” franchise (which includes the still-running Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and Law and Order: Criminal Intent), starring Skeet Ulrich and Corey Stoll as the detective partners, and Terrence Howard and Alfred Molina as the deputy district attorneys (featured in alternate episodes).

Deliberations towards a verdict: There is of course crime in Los Angeles, but will it seem as….authentic…as the New York series? Some have argued that setting — and shooting — “Law and Order” in the streets, offices, nooks and crannies of New York is what made the franchise work so well. On the other hand, the L.A. version has cast some stellar performers, especially Alfred Molina, fresh from his success as painter Mark Rothko in “Red” on Broadway, and promises (as did the original “Law and Order”) to cast stage actors in the guest roles, this time from the many theater companies in Southern California.
“No one has yet seen a foot of film from the much-anticipated new Law & Order: Los Angeles,” wrote Toronto Star TV critic Rob Salem on August 31st. But really, the L&O franchise and format are now 20 years old. Beyond location and cast, it isn’t going to change.” One thing that will remain the same, said executive producer Dick Wolf, is that sound made between scenes: “The ‘ching-chings,’ or ‘dong dongs,’ are going to be there.”

“Law and Order: Los Angeles” premieres Wednesday, September 29 at 10 p.m.

Besides their time slots and their subject matter, “The Whole Truth,” “The Defenders,” and “Law and Order: Los Angeles” share something else. All three shows – including the two set in Las Vegas and New York – are being shot in Los Angeles.