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Will it hook you?

Brave viewers may have a second look at the star cast but it won't be easy

THE cast in this legal drama/comedy will hopefully carry it through a very shaky start.

The first episode has extremely feeble storylines and tries to be quirky in the style of a third-rate Ally McBeal. Instead, it is lame and lacks cleverness.

The two years of planning and research that went into the show is not evident in the script. It seems rushed, thin and barely ready.

This is not legal drama that confronts big issues, preferring to concentrate on run-of-the-mill cases that could be interesting.

But every character is a parody and there is not enough material to encourage loyalty in people to stay tuned.

The first episode covers a dispute over ownership of a dog, with the two women concerned eventually revealing a lesbian bias.

And there is the smutty case of a lap dancer who is taking action against a client who went too far.

The cases are handled by the Marshall sisters Ros (Lisa McCune) and Verity (Alison Whyte). Challenging Verity in court is ex-husband Dylan Boyd, QC, played by William McInnes.

The spark between Whyte and McInnes will obviously be developed. But the cast is much more capable than the sparse material.

McInnes and Frank Gallacher, as Ros' boss Frank Dellabosca, bring dignity and some charm to their roles but McCune and Whyte struggle.

A faked orgasm by McCune is as old and tired as When Harry Met Sally and has a frightening cringe factor.

Whyte is shrill as a scorned ex-wife and more comfortable in comedy than drama.

We know they can do better. Hopefully the writers of Marshall Law know that, too.

July 21, 2002
Sunday Herald Sun