The Deep End (TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Deep End is an American television
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...

 series
Serial (radio and television)
Serials are series of television programs and radio programs that rely on a continuing plot that unfolds in a sequential episode by episode fashion. Serials typically follow main story arcs that span entire television seasons or even the full run of the series, which distinguishes them from...

 created by David Hemingson and produced by 20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...

 for the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...

 television network. Starring Matt Long
Matt Long
Matthew Clayton "Matt" Long is an American actor. He played the teenaged Jack McCallister on Jack & Bobby, the younger Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider, and Tyler Prince in Sydney White....

, Tina Majorino
Tina Majorino
Tina Marie Majorino is an American film and television actress. She started her career as a child actor, starring in films such as Andre; When a Man Loves a Woman; Corrina, Corrina; and Waterworld...

, Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...

, and Billy Zane
Billy Zane
William George "Billy" Zane, Jr. is an American actor, producer and director. He is probably best known for his roles as Caledon Hockley in Titanic, The Phantom from The Phantom, John Wheeler in Twin Peaks and Mr...

, the show follows five first-year associate attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...

s from diverse backgrounds as they learn how to cope with the challenges of working at one of the most prestigious law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...

s in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

.

Hemingson based the series on his work experience as an attorney. To cut production costs, the show was filmed in Las Colinas
Las Colinas
Las Colinas is an upscale, developed area in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas.Due to its central location between Dallas and Fort Worth and its proximity to DFW Airport, Las Colinas has been a viable place in the Metroplex for corporate and business relocation.As a planned community, it has many...

, a real estate development in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...

; ABC scheduled a six-episode run, and the series premiered as a midseason replacement
Midseason replacement
In American and Canadian television, a midseason replacement is a television series that premieres in the second half of the traditional television season, usually between January and May...

 on January 21, 2010. The show was described as a cross between L.A. Law
L.A. Law
L.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...

and Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...

, but it was criticized for its lack of originality and for reusing ideas from similar shows. Critics said the show was so poor it was a failure after its first episode. The series was canceled in May 2010.

Plot

Five recent law school
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...

 graduates from different backgrounds begin working together as first-year associates at Sterling, Huddle, Oppenheim & Craft, a prestigious Los Angeles law firm; they are thrown in the deep end and are forced to deal with court cases that conflict with their personal beliefs and ethics. The "Prince of Darkness", Cliff Huddle, is initially their boss, but things start to change when firm partner Hart Sterling returns after a long hiatus spent taking care of his sick wife. Even though the firm's partners make things difficult for them, the five attorneys quickly bond under pressure as they learn to make tough ethical decisions.

Production

The Deep End was created by David Hemingson, co-executive producer of How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...

. Before he became a writer and a producer, Hemingson was formerly an associate in a law firm. The Deep End is based on Hemingson's early work experience as an attorney. Due to the cost of filming on location in Los Angeles where the story takes place, the show was filmed on a soundstage in the planned community of Las Colinas
Las Colinas
Las Colinas is an upscale, developed area in the Dallas suburb of Irving, Texas.Due to its central location between Dallas and Fort Worth and its proximity to DFW Airport, Las Colinas has been a viable place in the Metroplex for corporate and business relocation.As a planned community, it has many...

 in Irving, Texas
Irving, Texas
Irving is a city located in the U.S. state of Texas within Dallas County. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city population was 216,290. Irving is within the Dallas–Plano–Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area, designated...

. Despite the change in location, references to local Los Angeles landmarks were still made on the show. 20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television
20th Century Fox Television is the television production division of 20th Century Fox Film Corporation, and a production arm of the Fox Broadcasting Company...

 produced the show for ABC. The show was described as L.A. Law
L.A. Law
L.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...

meets Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...

. Hemingson said the show contains "the back-stabbing of The Devil Wears Prada and the sun-drenched bed-hopping of Entourage". Texas Film Commission head Bob Hudgins estimated production costs at about $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

20 million. ABC scheduled six episodes of The Deep End for Thursday nights.

Cast and characters

Matt Long
Matt Long
Matthew Clayton "Matt" Long is an American actor. He played the teenaged Jack McCallister on Jack & Bobby, the younger Johnny Blaze in Ghost Rider, and Tyler Prince in Sydney White....

 plays Dylan Hewitt, an earnest, idealistic and innocent young man. Hewitt is the hero of the story, an Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...

 graduate who believes in justice. Hewitt is attracted to Katie Campbell, the firm's paralegal. Long's performance has been described as an "older version" of Jack McCallister, a character Long played from 2004–2005 on the television series Jack & Bobby
Jack & Bobby
Jack & Bobby is an American television series that aired on The WB network. It featured two brothers, one of whom would become President of the United States, serving from 2041 to 2049...

.

Norbert Leo Butz
Norbert Leo Butz
Norbert Leo Butz is an American actor best known for his work in Broadway theatre.-Personal life:Butz was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Elaine and Norbert Butz...

 plays Rowdy Kaiser, the firm's associate and chief talent scout; He acts as a mentor to the new recruits. Kaiser has an arrogant personality and makes empty promises. Kaiser loves corn liquor
Corn whiskey
Corn whiskey is an American liquor made from a mash made of at least 80 percent corn.The whiskey is typically run off to high proof and cut to not less than 40 percent alcohol by volume. It does not have to be aged; but if so, it is aged in new uncharred oak barrels or in barrels previously used...

 and cashmere wool
Cashmere wool
Cashmere wool, usually simply known as cashmere, is a fiber obtained from Cashmere and other types of goats. The word cashmere derives from an old spelling of Kashmir. Cashmere is fine in texture, and strong, light, and soft. Garments made from it provide excellent...

.

Ben Lawson
Ben Lawson
Ben Lawson is an Australian actor best known for his role as Frazer Yeats in the Australian television series Neighbours....

 plays Liam Priory, a first-year associate from Australia who is "too-cool" and possesses an uncircumcised
Circumcision
Male circumcision is the surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin from the penis. The word "circumcision" comes from Latin and ....

 penis. Priory has a self-described "impulse-control problem" when it comes to dealing with women, as he has sex with almost every woman in the law firm, except Adelaide "Addy" Fisher. Priory made his appearance in the first episode with his pants down to his ankles.

Tina Majorino
Tina Majorino
Tina Marie Majorino is an American film and television actress. She started her career as a child actor, starring in films such as Andre; When a Man Loves a Woman; Corrina, Corrina; and Waterworld...

 plays Adelaide "Addy" Fisher, a meek and insecure first-year associate. Fisher comes from a large family in the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....

. She graduated top in her class at Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...

 and has "great legal instincts and a natural 'flair' for the law". She likes to bake. Hemingson created the character of Fisher as a CWRU alumna because one of the most intelligent people he knows attended that school.

Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...

 plays Hart Sterling, the firm's managing partner; Sterling inherited the title through his family. Sterling believes that the law is a calling that can be used to enhance society and the world; he also believes the firm should do good, including pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...

 work.
Billy Zane
Billy Zane
William George "Billy" Zane, Jr. is an American actor, producer and director. He is probably best known for his roles as Caledon Hockley in Titanic, The Phantom from The Phantom, John Wheeler in Twin Peaks and Mr...

 plays Clifford "Cliff" Huddle, the firm's other managing partner. Known as the "Prince of Darkness", Huddle is "cold" and "ruthless", and is considered the villain of the show. Although he is married to Susan Oppenheim, the firm's litigation partner, he has an affair with the firm's paralegal. Brimming with contempt, he thinks law is a way to make money, and does not care about the broader consequences. Huddle asserts that the firm should be run "as a business, not as a soup kitchen". He also frequently clashes with Sterling due to their diametrically opposed convictions about the law.

Mehcad Brooks
Mehcad Brooks
Mehcad Jason McKinley Brooks is an American actor and former fashion model.-Early life:Brooks was born and raised in Austin, Texas, where he attended L.C. Anderson High School...

 plays Malcolm Bennet, an outsider and first-year associate. Regarding the show and the topics it covers, Brooks says, "It definitely plucks at your heartstrings. But its quick-witted, glib, slightly arrogant, and very inspirational. It's some of the funniest stuff I ever read in my whole life."

Leah Pipes
Leah Pipes
Leah Marie Pipes is an American actress. She is most notable for starring in the television series Life Is Wild and slasher film remake Sorority Row.-Life and career:...

 plays Elizabeth "Beth" Branford, a wealthy, blond, first-year associate. Although she seems self-assured, she is secretly vulnerable and thinks money can buy a career.

Nicole Ari Parker
Nicole Ari Parker
Nicole Ari Parker Kodjoe , also known as Nikki Kodjoe, is an American actress and a former model. She is perhaps best known for her role as attorney Teri Joseph on the Showtime television drama series Soul Food and her role as Becky Barnett in Boogie Nights.-Early life:Parker was born in...

 plays Susan Oppenheim, the firm's head litigation partner and the wife of Clifford "Cliff" Huddle. Together, Oppenheim and Huddle are antagonists against Sterling. Oppenheim chooses to go to jail rather than miss a motion
Motion (legal)
In law, a motion is a procedural device to bring a limited, contested issue before a court for decision. A motion may be thought of as a request to the judge to make a decision about the case. Motions may be made at any point in administrative, criminal or civil proceedings, although that right is...

–filing dateline.

Recurring cast
  • Rachelle Lefevre
    Rachelle Lefèvre
    Rachelle Lefevre is a Canadian actress. She has starred in the television series Big Wolf on Campus and had recurring roles in What About Brian, Boston Legal, and Swingtown. She played the vampire Victoria in the first two films of the Twilight saga, before being replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard...

     as Katie Campbell
  • David Giuntoli as Jason Carpenter

Reception

The show premiered on January 21, 2010 as a 2009–2010 midseason replacement for FlashForward
Flashforward
A flashforward is an interjected scene that takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards are often used to represent events expected, projected, or imagined to occur in the future...

, attracting 7 million viewers and receiving a low 1.7 rating in the category of Adults 18-49. The series received a negative critical response, averaging 40/100 on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...

, based on 23 reviews with one positive, 14 mixed, and eight negatives. Critics said that the show lacked originality and appeared similar to shows like L.A. Law
L.A. Law
L.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,...

, The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...

, Boston Legal
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...

, Damages
Damages (TV series)
Damages is an American television drama series created by the writing and production trio of Daniel Zelman and brothers Glenn and Todd A. Kessler . It is broadcast in the United States on the DirecTV channel Audience Network after originally airing on FX and is produced by the creators' own...

, Eli Stone
Eli Stone
Eli Stone is an American TV series, and also the name of the title character.San Francisco lawyer Eli Stone begins to see things, which leads him to discover a brain aneurysm...

and The Good Wife. The show premiered in the time slot before Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, leading the Washington Post to say that The Deep End resembled the two other shows "closely enough to warrant a paternity test". Toni Fitzgerald of Media Life Magazine
Media Life Magazine
Media Life Magazine is an online daily magazine/newspaper that started in May 1999 by Gene Ely. The publication covers all aspects of the media.-External links:* at LinkedIn...

said that even though The Deep End received a great deal of publicity, the show "sank in its first outing". Tom Maurstad of the Dallas Morning News observed that it was noticeable that the show was shot in Las Colinas, not in its setting of Los Angeles. Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...

said the show consisted of a "bunch of attractive people in suits saying the same lines". Glenn Garvin of The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald
The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by The McClatchy Company headquartered on Biscayne Bay in the Omni district of Downtown Miami, Florida, United States...

described the show as "a dreadful attempt to duplicate Grey's Anatomy in a law office". Mark Peikert of the New York Press
New York Press
New York Press was a free alternative weekly in New York City, that was published from 1988 to 2011. During its lifetime, it was the main competitor to the Village Voice...

said that the show was "sailing in shallow waters".

Attorneys criticized the show as unrealistic due to numerous violations of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct
American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct
The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct, created by the American Bar Association , are a set of rules that prescribe baseline standards of legal ethics and professional responsibility for lawyers in the United States. They were promulgated by the ABA House of Delegates upon the recommendation...

 by the fictional attorneys on the show. The show was also criticized for its depiction of young associates performing tedious legal research
Legal research
Legal research is "the process of identifying and retrieving information necessary to support legal decision-making. In its broadest sense, legal research includes each step of a course of action that begins with an analysis of the facts of a problem and concludes with the application and...

 with hard copy books in a law library
Law library
A law library is a library designed to assist law students, attorneys, judges, and their law clerks and anyone else who finds it necessary to correctly determine the state of the law....

; a firm the size and caliber of Sterling, Huddle, Oppenheim, & Craft would have a subscription to online databases like Westlaw
Westlaw
Westlaw is one of the primary online legal research services for lawyers and legal professionals in the United States and is a part of West. In addition, it provides proprietary database services...

 or LexisNexis
LexisNexis
LexisNexis Group is a company providing computer-assisted legal research services. In 2006 it had the world's largest electronic database for legal and public-records related information...

.

ABC canceled the show in May 2010.

Episodes

# Title Directed by Written by Original air date

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