Episode Report Card Kim: C+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Pilot
By Kim | Season 1 | Episode 1 | Aired on 09.27.2003
Back at Lyon, LaCrosse and Levine (which I'm just going to go ahead and call Triple L): bystanders, reporters, and cops are gathered around the splattered remains of the leaper. A distinguished gentleman ["played by James Pickens Jr., a.k.a. Kersh from The X-Files" -- Wing Chun] looks on. A cop, Detective Traub, walks up to the distinguished gentleman and calls him Mr. Christianson. I like when we find out their names within seconds of their first appearance. Christianson says that it's all very sad, and that he can confirm that the victim is "Daniel Barrington, [the law firm's] managing partner, and [his] good, good friend." Traub wants to ask some questions, and Christianson brushes him off, telling Traub to call his secretary for an appointment. Traub looks like that's not the first time he's gotten the brush-off that day.
Kyle is in his office at Triple L, and pulls a fresh shirt out of his desk drawer. His assistant (played by Frances Fisher) walks in and tells him that the senior partners are meeting in Christianson's office, and that the place is crawling with cops. Kyle derides her efforts at "intelligence-gathering," and calls her "worthless." Frances doesn't even flinch as she calls him a bastard. Kyle tells her that she's fired and Frances flatly says, "Oh, no. Not again. Whatever will I do?" I think these are my two favorite characters on the show. Kyle calls Frances a "tough old bitch," and she retorts, "Sweet talk will get you nowhere." She reminds him (and calls him "Grant"! Finally!) that Barrington is dead, and that the entire firm is in a state of shock, even her. Hey, when did Grant take off his shirt? Yay! Grant says he just wants Barrington's office. Just his office? Not his job and salary and perks too? Frances seems surprised, and Grant tells her that "Harvard means something around here." As opposed to the rest of the world, where Harvard is completely meaningless. Frances walks out, but not before making fun of Grant's shirt.
Jack returns to the clinic, where his assistant runs up and says she's been trying to reach him all morning because Christianson's office has been calling every five minutes. She gets Jack's full attention and tells him sadly that Barrington committed suicide by jumping from his office window. Triple L wants Jack there now. Jack looks as you would expect: stunned, sad, and nauseated. He asks where Riley is, and the assistant says he's at the courthouse. Jack says Riley should know as he walks off.