Customer Reviews
Shark: Season 1--Was Woods Born For This? 
2008-01-24
About 20 years ago, I was working for the City of Oakland. While I was there, James Woods was shooting "True Believer"--the semi-biographical story of the San Francisco "hippie" attorney, Tony Serra. In watching how he handled the role--going with the ponytail hairpiece to affect Serra's hairstyle, and his incredible energy--I came to a realization that Woods LOVES doing larger than life personalities. It's been fascinating to think that he's done real-life lawyers some would think at opposite ends of the spectrum--Serra and the infamous Roy Cohn--along with some of his other characters (Ned Trent from "The Specialist").
This leads to "Shark", and a role that Woods fits almost too perfectly. We all know the premise--high-priced, highly successful defense attorney gets client acquitted, client murders wife and expects defense attorney to work his magic; defense attorney gets reality check, gets offered job in the Los Angeles District Attorney's office heading up a High Profile Crimes Unit, and lawyer proceeds to go legally medieval on criminals. All this while suddenly learning to live with a 17-year old daughter he really hadn't had a hand in raising.
This is a series that can't be pulled off unless you have a lead actor who can play an over-the-top character--at times, bordering on unsympathetic because of his ego and tactics--with a tremendous energy and humor. That is why James Woods' Sebastian Stark is the center of this series' universe...and it's a pretty good universe.
Take nothing away from the supporting players--in the office, Sarah Carter's Stark-wannbe Madeline Poe and Sophina Brown's moralistic Raina Troy are great and their relationships reflect their characters--Poe's encounters with Sam Page's Casey Woodland (A thin character that wasn't brought back in Season 2), and Troy's budding relationship with the HPCU's investigator, Issac Wright (The dignified Henry Simmons). Of course, we cannot not mention Danielle Panabaker's Julie Stark--her decision to move in with her father at the start of the season, and Sebastian's adjustments--having to worry about a smart, charming daughter at the age when kids get in trouble--grounds Stark.
Then, there's Jeri Ryan's Jessica Devlin. The LA District Attorney clearly doesn't want Stark in her office at the start of the series, and what had been obviously an adversarial and contentious relationship at the start grows into a mutual respect (if not a friendship) between two former rivals thrown together, so much so that Devlin--when she loses the DA election--gets picked by Stark to save a case he's thrown off of. Of course, seeing Ryan in her business suits makes me wish that somehow the series would have a Masquerade Party scene and she would wear the Seven Of Nine catsuit (I CAN DREAM, CAN'T I??!?).
The high points of the season are the two Wayne Callison episodes, where Billy Campbell's slick serial killer gets himself onto Stark's radar, but doesn't find out until the final act of the season finale how far Stark is willing to go to see justice done. It's a telling and ominous moment to hear what the bare-knuckles defense attorney-turned-prosecutor was willing to do to get even with Callison--not just for beating him the first time around, but HOW he was beaten. I mention this because Callison may have done things to beat Stark in "Wayne's World" that Stark would have done as a defender. In "Wayne's World II", the look that Campbell has in that final sequence when he finds out how Stark got him...is priceless.
Make no mistake, "Shark" is James Woods' vehicle...and he drives it nicely.
Great Show 
2008-01-09
Originally I wanted to watch this show because of one particular person in the show. Now that I have watched Season One and keeping up with Season Two I have gotten more interested in the show.
Shark first season 2007-12-18
I've seen some of this series in the states, now that I'm in Iraq we're able to see the complete season, thank you again for the shipment.
excellant 2007-11-05
This is a great show and cannot wait for season 2. It has a fast and clever dialogue and only 24 comes close to this standard.
Thanks
Ronnie Human
PERFECTION! 2007-10-27
This is the best new show on TV! The writing is tight, the actors/actresses superb with a great rapport; not to mention the stories are really interesting and keep you on the edge of your seat til the end. This is a show that will DEF. leave you begging for more!!!
Good Television 2008-06-01
In an age of reality television - consisting anywhere from choosing bisexual partners, watching MTV wannabee starlets or families with swapped moms to surviving in the wilds of foreign countries - Shark is entertainment with laughs, sexuality, crime and drama. James Woods and his cast of young, attractive, savvy, intelligent lawyers battle criminals through courtroom drama while spicing up voids with appropriate sexual tensions. In short, it's worth the investment and it's commercial-free. Buy it! It's a welcome break....we're waiting for season two's release.
Kept me glued to the TV in 2007! 2008-04-15
I've always respected James Woods as an actor. I've always thought of him as unique. He has a very unique image, has a very unique style and his choice of roles over the years have, I've always felt, marked him out as, well, unique. "Ghosts of Mississippi", "True Crime", "Any Given Sunday". Even his appearance on "ER" a few seasons ago. Whether the role has been big or small, on the big screen or small, my opinion is that he's always played very interesting characters.
Once seen, Woods is very difficult to forget.
Still, as much as I love me some legal drama, when I first heard about this TV series in 2006 a part of me thought - very snobbishly, I admit - that Woods' decision to do a TV series was a sign of his career as a movie actor being on the wane. I thought it would feel tired and desperate. As a consequence, even though I'd heard that the pilot was directed by Spike Lee, I didn't tune in to watch the series when it premiered here. Big mistake.
I caught it around four or five episodes in - I was channel surfing and something - or someone - caught my eye. It could've been Henry Simmons. Whatever or whoever, after just a few minutes I was hooked.
This fast-paced series has everything I love in a crime/courtroom drama. Woods, as LA maverick, über-prosecutor with a conscience Sebastian Stark, (who's just "hopped the fence" from the other side, i.e. defending criminals, by the way), is fast-talking, fast-thinking and is as slick as a pool of oil - but in a good way.
The urban mayhem and legal wrangling were right up my street but I was also immediately drawn in by the underlying storyline involving Stark and his teenage daughter Julie, played by Danielle Panabaker. But it was when the show gave me one of the biggest sit-up-and-gape TV shocks of 2007 by killing off a major character, a character I'm sure everyone watching was growing to love, that I realised these people were serious. This was the real deal. I never missed another episode.
Watching the entire season over on DVD has been a treat. Not only did I catch up on the episodes I missed, I also got the chance to review a scene if I didn't completely get it the first time round. Great performances all round, especially from Woods himself of course; from Jeri Ryan as his boss Jessica Delvin (the on-screen chemistry between her and Woods sizzles; the banter between their two characters is razor sharp, yet playful at the same time); from Simmons as cop-turned- prosecuting-investigator Isaac Wright and from Sam Page, Sophina Brown, Alexis Cruz and Sarah Carter as Woods' ADAs, Casey Woodland, Raina Troy, Martin Allende and Madeleine Poe respectively. A more dynamic legal team, I don't think I've ever seen on TV. This is what Dick Wolf's ill-fated "Conviction" wished it could've been. It's very much like "The Shield" but without the violence. There's no profanity either.
If you enjoy courtroom drama, emotional drama, crime detection and all-round high-octane action with a sliver of politics thrown in, you can't afford to miss this 22-episode series. The season finale involving scenes with Stark and his daughter had me in floods of tears.
DVD extras include audio commentary on selected episodes, a "Creating Shark" feaurette, gag reel and deleted scenes.
This is brilliant TV. Highly recommended. Season two finally kicks of here this Friday. Guess who's going to be parked on the sofa come 10pm, cranberry juice in hand...
GO JAMES GO 2008-03-30
Great actors don't play characters,,,they play themselves. John Wayne was always John Wayne,,,Clint was Clint,,,Don Johnson played Don Johnson. and....James woods plays James Woods. If you like James Woods,,this is a great series. The show is 3 or 4 stars...Woods is 10 Stars...
Besides Woods',,,I get a kick out of the two lawyers that can't stand each other but go hump every chance they get...Great show. Hurry up with Season 2..
anxious 2008-02-11
James Woods is awesome in this role. Pride with reason!! I am anxious to see the next episode
since it appeared he might be disbarred after testifying of a past crime he witnessed.
This is my all time favorite series ever on TV unless you include Matlock!!
This Shark has real bite!!! 2008-01-26
I watch this show's pilot episode, somewhat skeptical, but I love James Woods. He is a great actor. I was so intrigued by this show that I became addicted to it and watched it every week religiously. That was until my work schedule changed. I could not stay up to watch it because I would get up at 4 AM. I was only about 4 shows in when this happened. So I decided I needed to get the DVD Season 1. Glad I did. It allowed me to see all the episodes I missed.
The way this show has been set up with dirty cops, Shark's shady background & dealings, the new prosecutors, and just the over all way the legal system is manipulated to put away the bad guys, makes it worthy of detective/lawyer shows. There is so much going on that it keeps your interest and throws is twist and turns that one doesn't expect.
The cast of this season is full of a great bunch of actors.
Deputy District Attorney Sebastian Stark-James Woods - Chews Up the Scenery and has a great presence.
District Attorney/Deputy District Attorney Jessica Devlin-Jeri Ryan - I like tension between her and Stark.
Julie Stark-Danielle Panabaker - I think her story line is just some filler. Sometimes I care other times I don't. If she went away, I wouldn't miss her.
Deputy District Attorney Raina Troy-Sophina Brown - She is one of my favorites. Smart, sexy, resourceful, not afraid to step & take on confutations.
Deputy District Attorney Madeline Poe-Sarah Carter - She is real ball buster & is really taking to heart Stark's teachings.
District Attorney Investigator Isaac Wright-Henry Simmons (Guest appearance episode 2, regular episode 8 - present) Kind of a dirty cop but is a good bridge for Stark to work with LAPD.
Deputy District Attorney Casey Woodland-Samuel Page (Season 1)
Deputy District Attorney Martin Allende-Alexis Cruz (Episodes 1-11) - The episode when he gets killed gave me goose bumps. I really liked this character.
This is a great series. It will be one I can watch over and over again. Great series and one for the DVD collection.
