Starts out strong but goes flat fast. You can pretty much predict every line of dialog. It's a sitcom not Alexander Pope. We get it, but there's not a single unexpected laugh. Paint by numbers. Which is weird because it's intended to be satire. But it's more a satire about satire. Like 'The Grinder' is a fake show in a show, the real show is a show inside a show about a show. Like a fake TV show the fake writers in 30 Rock would pretend to write. It's like an American show making fun of a Mexican telenovela. Setting that aside it relies on two things pretty common in all sitcoms; one- the big lie that always goes horribly wrong. And two- the family member who's a passive aggressive lunatic narcissist who everyone always sides with at the expense of the 'good' person. Not hard to see why this got canceled after 1 season. It had nowhere to go. They flogged that horse for 20+ episodes and 20 more wasn't going work.

Dean Sanderson (Rob Lowe) leaves his TV show The Grinder portraying a lawyer to return home to Boise, Idaho and his family's law firm. His father (William Devane) is happy but his brother Stewart Sanderson (Fred Savage) is leery of the non-lawyer playing law expert. Stewart's family, wife Debbie (Mary Elizabeth Ellis), kids Lizzie (Hana Hayes), and Ethan Sanderson (Connor Kalopsis) are more accepting. Co-worker Claire Lacoste (Natalie Morales) is dismissive and Todd (Steve Little) is a sycophant.This is better than the regular stuff from the networks. The Lowe Savage pairing is fun and endearing. Lowe gives the perfect delivery. Dean is a great character. It is a real disappointment that the show got canceled after one season.

The premise of the Grinder is the courtroom comedy-drama equivalent of "Galaxy Quest". In "Galaxy Quest", a group of actors playing in a Star Trek-like show are solicited for aid by real aliens to help in a galactic cause because the aliens don't understand that the television show is entertainment and the actors are not real space heroes. In a similar vein, Rob Lowe plays Dean Sanderson, an actor who has played a lawyer in a courtroom drama for 8 seasons in a show called, you guessed it, "The Grinder". The pilot episode begins with Sanderson watching the final episode of his show on cable television with his brother Stewart Sanderson (Fred Savage) and his family. Dean's character is simply called "Grinder" I guess because he "grinds" his way through tough cases. At the close of the episode and the show's run, Dean is now uncertain what he wants to do next. Part of the premise is a "show within a show" as we see scenes from the television series. Strangely I found some of the scenes of the "fictional show" more interesting than the "real life" scenes.His brother Stewart is in fact a real plaintiff lawyer who represents clients in small cases. However, unlike the charismatic television star Dean, Stewart is a stutterer when it comes to presenting cases in courtrooms. He acts like a deer caught in the headlights when he's making his statements to the court, and he relies on note-cards to aid him in remembering not only his arguments but what the case is all about. As the events play out we learn, poor Stewart is not just lousy at making his courtroom presentations, he gives his clients terrible advice often failing to support their side.Television star and brother Dean then asks Stewart if he can accompany him to court since his television show having ended he has nothing better to do. While in the hallway, Dean overhears his brother giving mediocre legal advice to one of his clients who are in small claims court fighting with their landlord. The clients, a wrongfully evicted couple, want to keep their apartment, but Stewart wants them to settle with a lousy offering from the defense which would still entail them having to move out from their home.Dean, sitting on a bench, then asks if he might intervene, and Stewart says it would be inappropriate. However, Dean having confidence in spades while his brother wasn't dealt a good charismatic hand, interrupts his brother and explains they should fight for the rights. The clients recognize Dean as the star of the hit television show and title character of the Grinder and immediately are star-struck and want him to present their case in court. Of course, Stewart is flabbergasted because his brother isn't a real lawyer and has never passed the bar exam. He's only played a lawyer on a scripted television show for 8 seasons.When Dean appears as the attorney representing the plaintiffs, the courtroom becomes kangaroo. The defense objects because Dean does not have a law license not having gone to law school. However the judge is also enthralled recognizing "the Grinder" so she wants to play along. The courtroom scene of the pilot episode was just too unbelievable. The judge and audience are star-struck and the whole affair becomes a giant entertainment for all involved except for the defense. And you can probably guess the outcome.While the premise of The Grinder is an interesting one, actor-playing-a-lawyer becomes a real one, I don't know if the show's writing is strong enough to meet the demands of audience believability. I could almost imagine the writers first were contemplating a courtroom drama show starring Rob Lowe, which since Law and Order, Boston Legal, and LA Law have become a dime a dozen these days. Then they thought what if the main counsel was in fact an actor who plays a lawyer who decides to become a real lawyer. The weakest link is Dean's brother Stewart who is portrayed as such an inept and goofy lawyer I never bought he was good enough to attract clients. I understand the idea is the real-life lawyer brother needs the help of his charismatic brother-turned-television-star to help him out, but he's almost too mediocre for his own good. Lowe's acting also comes off just a bit too idealized. No, he doesn't really know anything about the law but having played a character he knows much more having been in a virtual law school on television. Overall not bad but it doesn't quite take itself seriously enough and therefore it comes off as closer to farce.

I'll be honest. I'm a fan of both Lowe and Savage, but this show kind of falls short of my expectations. It's definitely worth watching, and Lowe does a great job at his role. Something seems off about Fred Savage though. I feel like I'm watching Ben Savage instead (no offense Ben. Both of you guys are awesome!). It just feels like he's not interacting the way he should.On the upside, Lowe and Savage do work together, and maybe it's because Savage has an awkward character, that it feels like he doesn't fit. Lowe definitely delivers when it counts, and Savage can make a great supporting cast member for the series if it's played out right.To be fair though, the series is really just starting out, and it might take awhile to get the characters to fit right. Hopefully the grinder will see more than one season! Check it out if you have time.