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16 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
A pure CBS classic!, 20 heinäkuu 2006
9/10
Author: Grace Zeh (filmgirlgz@gmail.com) from Chantilly, Virginia, USA

"THE GUARDIAN," in my opinion, is a pure CBS classic! I haven't seen every episode, but I still enjoyed it. However, I think it was always touching when a mishap occurred. I always felt deeply moved. It's hard to say which episode was my favorite. It would probably have to be the pilot. Despite the fact that it was a short-lived series, it would have been nice if all the main characters had stayed with the show throughout its entire run. It seems that no one stays with a show throughout its entire run. Everyone always gave a good performance, the production design was spectacular, the costumes were well-designed, and the writing was always very strong. In conclusion, I hope they bring it back on the air for fans of the show to see.

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19 out of 23 people found the following comment useful :-
Best Drama Currently on Network Television, 31 toukokuu 2003
Author: yellowstone from New Jersey, USA

The Guardian is hands down the best drama currently on television. It's amazing to me how Simon Baker has never won an Emmy for his portrayal of Nick Fallin - the ex cocaine addict who's forced to put in 1600 hours of community service as a child advocate for the legal aid services center in Pittsburgh. This is in addition to being a principal partner in his father's corporate law firm. Watching Nick run from the courtroom to the board room (and occasionally the bedroom) and back again with nary a moment to gather his thoughts can leave the viewer exhausted by the end of the show but this is also part of its appeal. We can feel Nick's stress and associate it with our own harried lives.

None of the central characters on this show are without their flaws - Nick is often aloof and emotionless - caring more about corporate mergers than whether or not he is best serving the interests of those he defends during his community service. He rarely gives his downtrodden, legal aid clients a second thought once he has finished representing them. His father, brilliantly played by the veteran character actor Dabney Coleman can also be abrasive, manipulative, callous and, as the second season finale graphically showed also violent and dangerously obsessed with a twelve year old girl he took in as a foster child. The interaction (or lack thereof) between the two, neither whom is able to really show their true feelings towards one another is often painful to watch.

The rest of the cast with the exception of Wendy Muniz are all expertly cast. Charles Malik Whitfield as James Mooney, the ex gang member who has escaped the ghetto to become a lawyer for the legal aid group is both menacing and heroic at the same time. One powerfull episode has him almost beating to death a young black man who he has been told caused the death of his troubled nephew. He later discovers that this person was innocent and must deal with how to come to terms with almost killing and disfiguring an innocent man. Raphael Sbarge as Jake Straka, another success driven lawyer at Nick's firm, makes us think of all the lawyers we have known who can barely give us the time of day unless the reward is large enough. Alan Rosenberg who plays Alvin Masterson, the director of the clinic, tries to keep the chaos controllable even while fighting his own demons which include an unhealthy weakness for some of his former female clients. Only Wendy Muniz fails to convince in her role as Lulu Archer, another one of the legal aid lawyers. The series' writers seem unable to decide whether she should be a foil to Nick or just another lovesick conquest. Their romantic scenes together lack passion or chemistry and often seem contrived.

All in all though this is a thoughtful, powerful, and at times, emotionally brutal show. Enjoy it while you can - it's sure to be short lived.

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10 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
pretty good so far, 18 joulukuu 2001
Author: mattkratz (themattk@hotmail.com) from Richardson, TX

This series has potential as a legal drama. The twist is that the main character has been busted for drug use and been sentenced to community service with children, making him look at things from a whole new light. The performances are good, and I like the premise. I might recommend this one if you like Simon Baker and Dabney Coleman.

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17 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
It flows like a great movie..., 1 heinäkuu 2002
Author: hughluver13 from Agoura, California

'The Gaurdian' is a well put show. An interesting ring makes the show flow like a fine movie. Nick Fallen (Simon Baker) has been caught with coke and has been sentenced to 1,600 hours of community service. Using his lawyer abilities, Nick must help at the Pittsburg Legal services. Juggling a firm postion, clinets, and orphaned, beaten wives and children. Nick finds that the world he sees may not be real, like the 'Matrix'. Nick sees the more simple things in life, and soon puts some nice pick up lines to the test against the new girl, Lulu. She is a new legal service lawyer at Pittsburg Legal Services and Nick has found her, lets say, attractive. Nick goes to great lengths, from a normal, layed back rich kid. To a real world hard working love sick man. He opens up his buttoned up emotins sometimes, even once refered to as Teflon Man. Nothing touches him. But Love. He asks Lulu one day, "My mom said one thing I will always do is treat women better then my dad did." "Was she right?" (Lulu). "I don't know, want to find out?". Nick scrapes and shovels dirty work from murders, to felon boyfriends and lawyers. How far can a man be pushed to the edge? The Gaurdain is some show is expect and hope to see for a long time.

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9 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
gr8, 29 elokuu 2004
Author: masa ozmec from slovenija

this show is brilliant. it is so nice to watch something like that on TV. simon baker is a very good actor. it is too bad that he wasn't nominated for emmy at least once. he would really earn that. i haven't seen all seasons yet. today i've seen the first episode of the third season(is that the last season as well?). and the performance of all characters is just amazing. it is too bad, that they don't filming anymore. because the show was actually realistic. and it was nice too watch it every Sunday in the evening. i really thought that they would making it at least few years more. it is really bad and sad because they ended. our TV needs more things like this. that is why i hope that they will make something like that in the near future. the show is just... brilliant

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6 out of 7 people found the following comment useful :-
Excellent series, I miss the reruns this summer., 29 heinäkuu 2003
Author: fxc2010 (fxc2010@cs.com) from LakeView, New York



I really enjoy this series, even in reruns, I just don't understand why it gets so little publicity in the regular season. The acting is so good, Simon Baker and Dabney Coleman...make a statement just by the raising of an eyebrow or a smile. Nick Fallin as played by Baker really is a kpuzzlement!! But as you watch the story develop, even if you think Fallin is using poor judgement, you end up hoping he succeeds to make things right for himself or his client! Such a challanging hour!! Thanks so much, looking forward to the fall season

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
The Envelope, Please, 15 helmikuu 2004
Author: Andrew Mollo from CT, USA

Just saw the 2/10 episode about Down's Syndrome. This was the most sensitively written, acted and directed hour of television I have seen in many years. I believe the Academy should recognize the wonderful creative work of this episode when it comes time for Emmy nominations. The program raised difficult issues and didn't offer easy, pat solutions.

BRAVO! to the cast and director and writers for a job well done.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
This show has a unique and refreshing feel and look, 20 elokuu 2002
Author: fergie from Ottawa, Ontario

The pace of each episode is unusual giving lots of pregnant pauses after each clause of very well written and realistic dialogue. The characters are very flawed and real and I really enjoy the juggling of the legal aid clinic and big corperate law. They have 2 stories in one show that reflect sometimes on each other giving us more occasions to think about the world that the show is based on. The lack of phyisical contact with Nik and clients really increased the tension. You know he wants to hug those kids. Also Dabney Coleman gives a stellar performance of your chain smoking aging corperate lawyer who has many regrets in his life but also really enjoys his job. I could go on and on but Kudos to the producers of this show and keep up the good work.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Intriguing, if a bit depressing, 24 toukokuu 2009
7/10
Author: ctomvelu-1 from United States

I have written here about this short-lived show in the past. Simon Baker is a perfect fit as the troubled son of a famous lawyer, played by Dabney Coleman of MARY HARTMAN fame. Because of some drug transgressions, the son, also a lawyer,must put in time at a child advocacy law firm. He also continues to work for his old man, and the two often do not see eye to eye. As time goes on in this show, things change: the father is up for a judgeship and the son starts his own law firm. Also, the son is hot for a lawyer at his father's firm, but alas, she loves another. The cases are usually intriguing, but the show is really about the father and son, and both actors pull off this thorny relationship with aplomb.There is an occasional soap opera aspect to the show, but it is kept to a minimum. Well worth watching, if a little depressing, as the son never seems to be able to stay out of trouble. It is not a lighthearted show and humor is basically nonexistent. Maybe that's why the show did not last longer than it did.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
great show, 27 toukokuu 2002
Author: Neil M from Vancouver, BC

i don't like most TV drama, but i like this show. it has an edge, has some dark characters, and tackles some heavy issues in an intelligent manner. i especially like how Nick keeps getting into trouble, but is still such a lovable character. Think it'll last for a while.

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