I love made-in-US-legal-dramas, that's a fact. Law and Order, CSI, even Crossing Jordan... I use to watch them while writing my criminal stories, it kinda makes me in the right mood. But this one ? Oh dear. And I can't say I didn't give it a try. I saw about a dozen episodes, but when the credits rolled, it was always the same thought going through my mind : "I should have watch something else." And then, one night, after two minutes of this show, I switched channels, making up my mind on a DVD instead.The stories are quite decent, actually, but the main characters ? Come on ! Usually, in such dramas, defense lawyers are "les emmerdeurs" (roughly translate : "Pain in the a**"), but here, it's quite the opposite. I can't find even one of the prosecutors nice and friendly. Okay, that's not their job to be nice and friendly, but only with the criminal, alright ? Annabeth has "un je ne sais quoi", a little something which bores me a lot : to be frank, I'd like to shush her anytime she opens her mouth. And about Maureen, it's even worse. Two real big ice queens, both as warm as winter in the North Pole !So, if you're a fan, good for you. But Bruckheimer's productions have way better shows than this one.

Jennifer Finnigan is a good actress, but the banal, phony scripts on this show are way beneath her talent.This is a show in which the characters don't speak dialogue that is true to their characters. The writers put lines into their mouths that they would never say.The courtroom scenes are absurd. In a day of unbelievable courtroom testimony, this show is at the nadir. Attorneys sit passively and listen (in rapture?) to Annabel (Finnegan) emote.What is most galling is that this promising show is failed by its trite writers.Close to Home is Close to Hokum.

Aren't there any writers out there who can come up with an original thought. This show is a rehash of so many other legal and cop shows using the same old scenarios. Tonight's was really original. A gang leader was on trial and the gang was threatening one of the witnesses. Gee that was really a first. Then the prosecuting attorney's child is missing from the school ground. Did the gang steal her - You think!? Is the "Bad" defending attorney in on the plot to eliminate witnesses? You think!? How boring. An hour I can never get back (actually 45 minutes - I turned it off) I would give this show a couple of more episodes and then it's off to the world of "My Mother, The Car" Look that one up folks. It was almost as plausible as "Close to Home"

After watching the pilot of this TV show, I'm convinced that CBS have a winner on their hands. The lead character, Annabeth Chase, played by the talented Jennifer Finnigan, is portrayed as a realistic working mum. On her first day back at work, she has to deal with a difficult case and also her emotions regarding her baby whom she misses. She's also unyielding in her resolve to bring the perpetrator of a heinous crime to justice and Finnigan plays Annabeth with a wealth of fiery passion that is lacking in most other shows on air at the moment.Though it feels at times that it might be bordering on melodrama, it never crosses the line. The writing for this pilot was top-notch and though there is always room for improvement, it was a delight and a breath of fresh air. I hope this series will be picked up for a full season by CBS because it would be a waste should it be cancelled.