"First Monday" (2002) TV series

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Creators:

Donald P. Bellisario
Paul Levine

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

15 January 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Law | Supreme Court | Court

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Joe Mantegna	...	Justice Joseph Novelli (13 episodes, 2002)
James Garner	...	Chief Justice Thomas Brankin (13 episodes, 2002)
Charles Durning	...	Justice Henry Hoskins (13 episodes, 2002)
Camille Saviola	...	Justice Esther Weisenberg (13 episodes, 2002)
James McEachin	...	Justice Jerome Morris (13 episodes, 2002)
James Karen	...	Justice Michael Bancroft (13 episodes, 2002)
Gail Strickland	...	Justice Deborah Szwark (13 episodes, 2002)
Stephen Markle	...	Justice Theodore Snow (13 episodes, 2002)
Lyman Ward	...	Justice Brian Chandler (13 episodes, 2002)
Hedy Burress	...	Ellie Pearson (13 episodes, 2002)
Randy Vasquez	...	Miguel Mora (13 episodes, 2002)
Christopher Wiehl	...	Jerry Klein (13 episodes, 2002)
Joe Flanigan	...	Julian Lodge (13 episodes, 2002)
Rachel Grate	...	Beth Novelli (8 episodes, 2002)
Linda Purl	...	Sarah Novelli (8 episodes, 2002)

Runtime:

60 min (13 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

El Mirage Dry Lake, California, USA

Company:

Belisarius Productions

Trivia:

Takes place in the same "universe" as "JAG" (1995) and "Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service" (2003). Dean Stockwell's character, Senator Sheffield, later appeared on "JAG" and became the secretary of the Navy.

Outstanding show and it is breaking new ground!

The cast is fabulous. The U.S. is going through a period of patriotism and the general public is interested in making a connection with the government because we are in `War Time.' Shows such `West Wing' are some of the best television shows at the moment. The movie `The American President' with Michael Douglas (Wonder Boys) and Annette Bening (American Beauty) has inspired many other movies and television shows. As a matter of fact actress Gail Strickland (How to make an American Quilt) played the wife of the President's advisor in `The American President'.

I believe that the series is very promising because it shows a different stage of a case, which is appeals before the Supreme Court. I have no recollection of any show on television to this date on this topic. All other shows deal with murder, defense lawyers, prosecutors, detectives, and this show is breaking new ground.

It generates public interest in finding out why attorneys cannot object at the Supreme Court. My husband was asking me why not. I explained to him that the Supreme Court is not looking at depositions by witnesses which happens in the first level court, meaning not on any type of appeal. People will understand when The Supreme Court can 'grant cert.' or deny it, when the Supreme Court can decide to hear an Appeal. The shows reveals a totally new stage in legal proceedings so it is very educational. Basically the show will deal with a facet of the Constitution that the general public is not exposed to such as how the Founding Fathers established in the Constitution the laws under which the Court operates. The title of the show is good because that is when the Court starts hearing cases in the Fall after the Summer recess. It is just great!!!!

Hopefully it will not be too legalize and that the general public will truly enjoy it! Otherwise I am sure that the legal community will truly enjoy it. The first episode showed that the Court has a new member and how the Junior will relate to the other Justices, specially because it shows how the Chief Justice sets the mood of the Court. There was a real case of a staying of execution which raises issues of death penalty among others. As someone in the legal profession I truly enjoyed the show and think that pretty soon all the clerks will start imitating the Supreme Court Justices. Attorneys use copy Susan Day's hair style on L.A. Law.