Set Your Tivos!

Tonight is the night. The Cristalli & Saggese-inspired legal "bromance" The Defenders premiers at 10:00 p.m. on CBS.

Check it out and let us know what you think.

Will The Real "The Defenders" Please Stand Up?

In case there was any doubt that the new CBS bromance "The Defenders" was actually based on local law firm Cristalli and Saggese, here is photo evidence from the RJ.

Michael and Marc (a.k.a. Nick Morelli and Pete Kaczmarekare) are apparently doing their press tour promoting the show, appearing with Marc's celebrity counterpart Jerry O'Connell on the Mark & Mercedes Show on Mix 94.1 yesterday morning.

The RJ article is full of wonderful quotes from the happy couple ... who are not letting their newfound celebrity go to their heads at all. From the RJ:

"The Defenders" is not "loosely" based on the real life legal exploits of Cristalli and Saggese.

"Loosely is the wrong term," Saggese said. "The show is closely based on what we do."

Oh, for sure! As we are all well aware, being an attorney is extremely exciting work ... people would love to watch what we actually do all day long. If only there were a single (possibly hyphenated) word to describe Marc and his arrogance. Something to do with a feminine hygiene product ...

But, as Michael readily admits, the show isn't exactly like their real lives:

Cristalli's character, for example, is separated from his wife in the show, but the couple are "very much in love" in real life.

Owe! I think I just tore that muscle that rolls your eyes back into your head.

Oh, and it turns out that question we raised in our last post wasn't so stupid after all:

Saggese said he and his partner intend to capitalize on the exposure provided by the show. "This is an opportunity of the rarest order," he said. "We plan on advertising. It would be foolish if we just sat by."

We've had some interesting analysis in the comments about the trademark implications involved with using the name "The Defenders" in Las Vegas. Does it get any more interesting if Cristalli and Saggese actually start advertising their firm as The Defenders?

Good thing Rick isn't the litigious type.

(LVRJ; Mix 94.1; Thanks Tipsters!)

We Have A Name ... And A Preview!

A helpful CBS employee tipped us in the comments to the name of the Cristalli & Saggese based upcoming "bromance" on CBS; it will be called "The Defenders," and here's a preview:

We have to say, we're intrigued ... and we'll be tuning in for at least one episode.

However, the more important question to us is: how does Rick Harris feel about the name of the show? Making this inquiry even more interesting is the fact that whoever wrote the blurb on CBS's site chose to use this phrasing:

Jim Belushi and Jerry O'Connell team up in this new drama about two Las Vegas lawyers who play by their own rules. Lawyer up - This Fall on CBS!

Not that Harris coined the term "Lawyer up" by any means ... but it is interesting, right?

(CBS; Thanks, Tipster!)

CBS "Makes Room" for Cristalli & Saggese Show

CBS has canceled 7 shows in order to take a chance on some fresh ideas, and one of the lucky newcomers is a Las Vegas "comedic drama" based on local firm Cristalli & Saggese.

As we previously noted, Jerry O'Connell is going to play Marc Saggese, while Jim Belushi will take on Michael Cristalli's persona.

If you are a fan of any of the following shows: "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Ghost Whisperer," "Cold Case," "Miami Medical," "Numb3rs," "Gary Unmarried" and/or "Accidentally on Purpose," send your hate mail to Marc & Michael ... or Daniel Dae Kim, who is apparently staring in a remake of Hawaii Five-O (we miss Lost already).

CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler had this to say about the plot of the still-unnamed legal comedic drama:

"It's more of a bromance than a conventional legal drama."

A "bromance?" Between Jerry O'Connell and Jim Belushi? Okey dokey. Put us down for one episode ... we'll see how bromantic this gets. What do you guys think they should name it?

(AP; Thanks, Tipster!)

Must See T.V.

Norm Clarke over at the RJ is reporting that CBS is making a pilot "loosely" based on Las Vegas lawfirm Cristalli & Saggese. The firm is probably best known for the 2004 acquittal it won for (alleged) murderer Sandy Murphy.

The pilot's director also directed Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth." We have no idea if that's good or bad.

Jerry O'Connell is supposedly on board to play Marc Saggese, while Michael Cristalli got stuck with Jim Belushi playing his character.

Belushi? Really? We would have gone with Jimmy Kimmel ourselves. Maybe he wasn't available.

We're not sure what makes Cristalli & Saggese so unique as to deserve a television show based on the firm. Although, looking at their website, they do seem to have quite a few good-looking staff members.

(LVRJ; Thanks, Tipster!)