Although I have been familiar with Don Johnson's work since "Miami Vice" and also watched "Nash Bridges" (for the most part because my wife enjoyed it)I have never thought of Johnson as an actor. He was amusing, charming and (in "Vice") showed occasional sparks of talent but hardly to be described as a fine actor; rather more of a celebrity who walked through his roles and made it by dint of his abundance of personality. The first episode of "Just Legal" caused me to radically modify my opinion. Johnson was simply superb. Certainly the writing was above par and the supporting cast was more than adequate, but above all Don Johnson shone as an *actor*. The opening of the episode with the dissipated lawyer behaving immorally (from a legal point of view) is good but the single scene of Johnson putting his head down on the table was enough to evoke laughter out loud. His development through the episode and the fine summary in court at the end was worthy of many a better regarded thespian. Whether the series can produce writing to support this new Don Johnson is open to question. The professional critic from whom I cribbed the summary above said it best: "Don Johnson's best work ever."
Review of Just Legal
