Law & Order

Imagine Snow White and Prince Charming coming to life and warning about powerful curses as they deliver their ominous threats. When Snow White finds she is pregnant and the curse looming threatening her baby, she hides until the baby is born, then hides the baby away. The baby, Emma, is secreted away in a wardrobe which is actually the trunk of a magical tree. We next see Emma 28 years later as she returns to assist her parents and do battle with the evil Queen who places curses on her subjects. Emma Sway is a bounty hunter as well as a bail bondsman in Boston as she celebrates her 28th birthday alone, blowing out the single candle on a cupcake she made herself. A boy named Henry approaches and tells Emma he is her son whom she gave away at birth ten years ago. Emma agrees to take the boy to his home in Storybrooke, Maine but can't believe his stories of fairy tale characters coming to life there or that they have been exiled there due to the Queen's curses. Henry has a therapist, Jiminy Cricket and a teacher who is actually Snow White and the Mayor of Storybrooke is the real Evil Queen who has placed curses on almost everyone she comes into contact with. Henry and Emma work together to end the Queen's reign of terror in the world of fairy tale fantasy.

Describing "Harry's Law," one summary says flatly, "A former patent lawyer brings together a group of misfit associates to form an unconventional law practice." How did the producers ever pitch that concept to the network? Oh, wait. It was NBC. Still, a patent lawyer? Misfit associates? Real exciting, right? Do not judge too quickly, because Kathy Bates applies her quirky charisma to her portrayal of Harriet "Harry" Korn, and she works some small screen magic. A mid-season replacement for one of NBC's cavalcade of epic failures, "Harry's Law" actually looks a lot like a real television drama"”real characters, real actors, real plots, and dialogue peppered with genuinely witty repartee. The premise and some of the best writing come from David E. Kelley, television's answer to John Grisham"”prolific and provocative. As The New York Times observes, "A hallmark of Mr. Kelley's shows is often the thinnest application of logic or reason in depictions of a world dedicated to logic and reason." The settings and courtroom dramas seldom resemble anything in real life, but they tend to recreate the audience's imagination of the legal system and "crusading" criminal attorneys. Close enough. In eight episodes, "Harry's Law" has established a loyal following in a timeslot long dominated by ABC's "Castle." Vegas betting parlours probably will give you odds on "Harry's Law" returning in the fall, and it might be worth risking a dollar or so.

As with the movie that aired on the Lifetime network in 2010, The Client List is about a single mom who struggles between her parenthood role and the career she has chosen in the massage therapy business. The industry has long existed under a dark cloud and many thought there was prostitution involved. Professional Massage Therapists keep trying to convince the public that theirs is a strictly legal line of work and that they operate with high moral standards and are regulated by state medical rules in most states. Jennifer Love Hewitt does reprise her role from the 2010 made for TV film, The Client List, as Riley Parks the single parent who tries to provide for her children while managing to be a strong business woman. As she balances her two lives Parks struggles to keep food on her family's table and help her business gain legitimacy. Jennifer Love Hewitt (Hot In Cleveland, Party of Five) is joined by Cybill Shepherd (Moonlighting, The Last Picture Show) who plays her mother, Lynette. Rebecca Field (October Road, Monk) is Lacey, longtime girlfriend of Riley. The TV series fits in well with Lifetime Television's style of portraying roles based on strong independent women.

Noah Wyle stars in this gripping real-time drama following one fifteen-hour ER shift. From the creator of ER, The Pitt is brutal, compassionate, essential television.

Slackers serving Satan as his bounty hunters? At a bare minimum, "The Reaper" does offer conclusive proof that colluding with the devil is considerably more exciting than a job at the Work Bench, a fictional Seattle home improvement store. Imagine Sam Oliver's surprise when he learns on his twenty-first birthday his parents negotiated a long-ago deal with the captain of the underworld: Save daddy's life, and they will give Satan their first-born child. Of course, mom and dad used every form of contraception imaginable until Satan released their doctor from his gambling debts in exchange for Doc's telling mom and dad they could not conceive. Sam ensues. Satan himself shows-up at the big twenty-first gala to detail "The Reaper's" new job description. Sam, who once complained that college "made him sleepy," naturally balks at the devil's deal; but the devil is at least as persuasive with Sam as he was with Eve. Satan tells Sam, should he decline, his mother forfeits her soul. Sam grudgingly accepts new super-powers and goes to work hunting down wayward sinners who have contrived to escape Hell. Television drama ensues. "The Reaper" earned an extremely devoted"”albeit somewhat cultish"”following. A representative review explained the attraction: "This show is so refreshing - great premise, great characters, and they don't take themselves too seriously. The Devil is a hunk, and just couldn't be played better than Ray Wise."

It's one thing to be a member of a large traditional "cop" family but when one joins up with the Internal Affairs division of their Chicago Police Department things can become a bit unstable. Rachael Carpani (seen on TV's The Glades & True Blue) is Abby Kowalski, who moved over to IAD when a job offer to move upward in the department came about. She has designs on eventually becoming a detective. Her father is Don Kowalski (Treat Williams from 127 Hours, A Little Bit of Heaven) a sergeant with CPD who absolutely hates the idea of his little girl joining the IAD. Kathy Baker (Last Chance Harvey, Boston Public) is Sheila Kowalski, wife of Don and mother to Abby, Richie, Steve, and Donnie Kowalski. Abby Kowalski and her family squabble over the fact she has joined the IAD, seeing her as a spy and turncoat. This makes family gatherings difficult and the usual football games become a battlefield in their yard. But Abby is a dedicated police officer and still chooses to solve crimes whenever possible. This show is fast paced and has some good writing to keep it moving each week.