There is something so addicting to me about shows that feature crime, law, and just get into the nitty gritty of the life of lawyers, detectives, etc. Maybe it’s my secret calling into the field of law or maybe it’s the hidden teenager in me, who used to aspire to be a lawyer. I don’t know. But Raising the Bar definitely fills a television need for me– the need for a drama, mixed in with law. As an added bonus, we have Mark Paul Gosselaar. Yummy.

Okay, yes. Let me just wipe my drool and continue on about the show.

Mark Paul Gosselaar plays the idealistic public defender Jerry Kellerman. He does whatever he has to in order to assist the helpless and disenfranchised– which happen to be his clients. Unfortunately for him, this doesn’t win him any points with Judge Trudy Kessler, who is a stone cold judge who is hoping to become the city’s next district attorney. They often clash in her court room– sometimes because of the things that Jerry does, but often times, Judge Kessler seems to be tight roping on a very fine line of legality. Jerry also finds himself facing off against Michelle Ernhardt, the beautiful and occasionally devious prosecuting attorney with whom he is having a turbulent secret fling. But Jerry’s not the only person with a covert love life: Judge Kessler is carrying on a liaison with her handsome law clerk, Charlie Sagansky, who also has a few skeletons in his own closet.

I didn’t really get interested in Season 1 of the show until it was almost time for a close. But by the time that I was really wrapped up in what was going on, it was a real easy show for me to get addicted to. The dramatic story does not over power the legal story lines and it’s just a series of interesting cases and it’s also an interesting (though not entirely factual) portrayal of the life of a lawyer.

The second season of Raising the Bar will premiere tonight, Monday on TNT. Don’t forget to check it out!