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Benched

  • TV Series
  • 2014
  • TV-14
  • 23m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
2.9K
YOUR RATING
Jay Harrington and Eliza Coupe in Benched (2014)
Benched
Play trailer0:21
1 Video
19 Photos
Comedy

A corporate lawyer who loses her career, her status, and her fiance takes a job at the only place that will hire her: the Public Defender's office.A corporate lawyer who loses her career, her status, and her fiance takes a job at the only place that will hire her: the Public Defender's office.A corporate lawyer who loses her career, her status, and her fiance takes a job at the only place that will hire her: the Public Defender's office.

  • Creators
    • Damon Jones
    • Michaela Watkins
  • Stars
    • Eliza Coupe
    • Jay Harrington
    • Carter MacIntyre
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    2.9K
    YOUR RATING
    • Creators
      • Damon Jones
      • Michaela Watkins
    • Stars
      • Eliza Coupe
      • Jay Harrington
      • Carter MacIntyre
    • 18User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Episodes12

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-ratedSeason2014

    Videos1

    Benched
    Trailer 0:21
    Benched

    Photos18

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    Top cast99+

    Edit
    Eliza Coupe
    Eliza Coupe
    • Nina Whitley
    • 2014
    Jay Harrington
    Jay Harrington
    • Phil Quinlan
    • 2014
    Carter MacIntyre
    Carter MacIntyre
    • Trent Barber
    • 2014
    Oscar Nuñez
    Oscar Nuñez
    • Carlos
    • 2014
    Jolene Purdy
    Jolene Purdy
    • Micah
    • 2014
    Maria Bamford
    Maria Bamford
    • Cheryl
    • 2014
    Peter Spruyt
    Peter Spruyt
    • Boring Larry
    • 2014
    Fred Melamed
    Fred Melamed
    • Judge Nelson
    • 2014
    Jack McGee
    Jack McGee
    • Burt
    • 2014
    Cedric Yarbrough
    Cedric Yarbrough
    • Morris
    • 2014
    Gary Anthony Williams
    Gary Anthony Williams
    • Geoffrey
    • 2014
    Catherine Reitman
    Catherine Reitman
    • Debbie
    • 2014
    Michael S. Chambers
    • Fletcher
    • 2014
    Molly Shannon
    Molly Shannon
    • Judge Conner
    • 2014
    Mehcad Brooks
    Mehcad Brooks
    • George Grumbeigh Jr.
    • 2014
    Yvette Nicole Brown
    Yvette Nicole Brown
    • Donna
    • 2014
    Deon Cole
    Deon Cole
    • Diamond
    • 2014
    David Haley
    David Haley
    • Officer Sam
    • 2014
    • Creators
      • Damon Jones
      • Michaela Watkins
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews18

    7.12.9K
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    Featured reviews

    8emarcesse

    Benched needs a season 2!

    I love this show, it is such a shame that it has been canceled. Please, dear Lord of the airing, if you read this, sign (at least) season 2!!

    The two main leading roles are fun and the scenario is pretty well written. Somehow it reminds me Ally McBeal but without the annoying Calista Flockart. Eliza Coupe is delicious. She perfectly endorses the part of the daddy's bitchy rich girl.

    It's fresh, it's contemporary.

    Please, put it back on air, I wanna know what is coming next!

    Let me be the public defender of this show and ask the Court a deal for Benched!
    7SnoopyStyle

    Some good traditional single gal comedy

    Corporate lawyer Nina Whitley (Eliza Coupe) loses her boyfriend and then loses her expected promotion. She explodes and quits. Her outburst becomes legendary and she can't find any work other than as a lowly public defender. Her new co-workers include Phil Quinlan (Jay Harrington) and Carlos (Oscar Nuñez). The best worker in the office may be the intern Micah (Jolene Purdy). Nina finds herself facing off against her ex-boyfriend ADA Trent Barber (Carter MacIntyre) in court.

    I don't know who Damon Jones is but I really like Michaela Watkins in her work. She always seems to be very smart in her comedy and a bit offbeat. This has a nice slice of that. It's not that edgy but Eliza Coupe is terrific as the traditional flustered single gal. Jay Harrington is setting up nicely as the romantic lead. However it's canceled after it's 12 episodes first season.
    8atlasmb

    Great Writing and Comic Timing Combine for LingOL

    The writing for this show is smart and funny.

    In the first episode, Nina Whitley (Eliza Coupe)--a corporate lawyer living the good life--finds her life spiraling out of control after her ex-fiancé calls to let her know he has a new fiancée. She does some things at the workplace that cannot be undone and before you know it, she is working at the Public Defender's office, representing another class of client. She has to learn how to deal with juries and those of a lower social station.

    This isn't so much "fish out of water" as it is fish in a smaller, dirtier pond. And Eliza Coupe is the perfect actress for the writers to write for. Sort of a cross between Cameron Diaz and Taylor Schilling, with a dash of "New Girl" Zooey Deschanel, she has great timing and a real talent for physical comedy.

    The rest of the cast is tremendous. And the series is still young, with plenty of time to develop their personalities. The writers spread the punchlines between the supporting roster, neglecting no one.

    Nina sometimes flies out of control, but she always knows when she is doing it, as if she is watching her own car accident in slow motion and can't avert her eyes. Her self-consciousness is a lovable part of her personality. Now, if she can just expand her awareness to include (the well being of) others, she knows she can become a better person. The journey promises to be filled with laughs, many of them out loud.
    8catpurdy

    Funny and Smart

    I don't know what's wrong with these other reviewers.

    This is way better than "Bad Judge", which I really wanted to like.

    The lead has great comic timing and the rest of the cast shoes promise.

    Just the fact that the stand-up comic Maria Bamford is in the cast makes it worth watching.

    I laughed a lot during the first episode, and there are signs that there will be some heart along with the laughs.

    Good comedies are hard to come by - give it a chance.

    I don't know why IMDb request ten lines of text for a review! It's just not necessary!
    7parthib

    Aww, no more?

    Caught this on Disney+ and right after finishing Raising the Bar. So went from a serious-ish look at the public justice system to one that used it for the setting of a comedy show; and it worked. The lead and the characters play their parts perfectly and the episodes are very entertaining. Shame, they didn't make a couple more seasons.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cancelled after its first season.
    • Connections
      Featured in Late Night with Seth Meyers: Martin Freeman/Eliza Coupe/The Eeries/Bob Mould (2014)

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    FAQ19

    • How many seasons does Benched have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 28, 2014 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Benched: una abogada en apuros
    • Filming locations
      • Los Angeles, California, USA(on location)
    • Production company
      • ABC Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      23 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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