Page 4 - TVTIMES.2.3.2019

4 March 17 - 23, 2019 cover story
By Kenneth Andeel
TV Media
Legal action, character-driven drama and a healthy dose of wish fulfill- ment (with origins that trace all the way back to the early 1990s) — ABC’s new 10-part series has it all, and it pre- mieres Monday, March 18. It’s a blend of genres and inspirations that mixes the traditional scripted network drama with true crime in a way similar to whatshowslikeFX’s“AmericanCrime Story” have done. “The Fix,” however, does away with the “based on a true story” caveat and instead goes straight for the ripped-from-the-headlines, heavily fictionalized approach made infamous by “Law & Order.”
The cast of “The Fix” is led by Robin Tunney (“The Mentalist”), who plays Maya Travis, a former district attorney in Los Angeles who disap- peared from public life after losing a high-profile case that snatched the attention of the entire nation. Op- posite Tunney, playing the apparent antagonist of the show, is Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (“Lost”). He portrays Sevvy Johnson, a mega- successful, Oscar-winning Hollywood leading man who was the defendant in the aforementioned case.
Eight years before the “The Fix” opens, Johnson was tried for the
Alternate history
ABC’s new legal drama rewrites a familiar true story
El Dorado News-Times
tion in his first trial, and is back to do so again.
ABC has promoted the “The Fix” as a self-contained 10-part series, so viewers who stick it out should be able to expect a solid conclusion. However, if the show proves popular, it could be renewed for further installments, possibly as an an- thology series. Check out the premiere of “The Fix” Monday, March 18, on ABC.
stabbing murder of his wife. Travis led the prosecutorial team respon- sible for proving the state’s case
— and lost. After a trial that divided the nation, stirred up uncomfortable questions about justice in America and generated a hectic media circus, Johnson was acquitted of the murder charges and was released. Having suffered irreparable personal and professional damage, Travis relin- quished her post and withdrew to ruralWashingtontoliveaquieterlife, free from the scrutiny of the media and the vengeful scorn of the public.
All of that ancient history is stirred up, however, when Johnson once again becomes a suspect in a murder case. This time his girlfriend, Jessica Meyer (Taylor Kalupa, “Law & Order True Crime”), has been brutally slain, and the evidence once again points to him. For reasons we don’t yet know, the powers that be in the L.A. justice system reach out to Travis in Washington and lure her back to the DA’s office for a redemptive shot at putting Johnson behind bars.
If you’re old enough to remember the ‘90s (and even if you’re not), all of this surely rings a bell. If you’re saying to yourself that the plot of this show sounds almost exactly like 1995’s culture-dominating O.J. Simp- son trial, you’re right on the money.
And guess who serves as an execu- tive producer and writer of this new series? None other than Marcia Clark herself — the very same deputy district attorney who served as lead prosecutor in that infamous trial and fell short of securing a conviction in much the same way as the fictional Travis.
involved in this massive legal spec- tacle than they are in producing a detail-oriented legal procedural. And beyond its opening premise,
the show seems destined to move away from its real-world inspira- tions in an attempt to separate itself from the competition. Instead of offering a dramatized version of a well-researched legal case, “The Fix” travels its own course and generates dramatic heft from scratch.
Clark has undergone a bit of a
cultural reappraisal in recent years,
thanks mainly to Sarah Paulson’s
incredibleportrayalofherinthetrue Asfortherestofthecast,Mer-
crimeanthology“AmericanCrime Story.” It’s no surprise that network executives sought her out to contrib- ute to a crime drama. In exchange for her legal expertise and the prestige of her name, Clark gets an unusual chance to write herself a fantasy al- ternate history wherein her fictional alter ego gets a second chance.
In previews and teasers for “The Fix,” Clark isn’t coy about that ele- ment of the project. She openly refers to the plot as a “revenge fantasy,” and isn’t shy about promoting the series with a bit of sleazy enthusi- asm. Clark’s participation increases the fledgling show’s credibility and authenticity, although she has been quite clear that “The Fix” doesn’t aim to wade too deep into the legal weeds.
The creators of the series say they’re more interested in the per- sonal relationships of the characters
rin Dungey (“The King of Queens”) plays Travis’s loyal and supportive colleague, C.J. Bernstein. The cops and legal eagles tasked with helping Travis build her case, while trying
to keep her personal vendetta from contaminating the investigation, include Adam Rayner (“Tyrant”) and Breckin Meyer (“Franklin and Bash”). And, of course, someone is required to play the shady legal counsel of the accused. Scott Cohen (“Gilmore Girls”) takes on the role of “The Wolf,” a cunning and
ruthless lawyer who helped Johnson avoid convic-
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