Bull (2016 TV series)
Bull | |
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Genre | Dramedy |
Created by | |
Starring | |
Composer(s) | Jeff Rona |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 7 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) |
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Running time | 43 minutes |
Production company(s) |
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Distributor | CBS Television Distribution |
Release | |
Original network | CBS |
Original release | September 20, 2016 – present |
External links | |
Website |
Bull is an American comedy-drama television series starring former NCIS star Michael Weatherly. CBS ordered the program to series on May 13, 2016,[1] and it premiered on September 20, 2016.[2] The show is based on the early days of talk show host Phil McGraw when he was a trial consultant.[3]
On October 17, 2016, CBS picked up the series for a full 22 episode season.[4]
Cast
- Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull[5]
- Freddy Rodriguez as Benny Colón
- Geneva Carr as Marissa Morgan[6]
- Christopher Jackson as Chunk Palmer[7]
- Jaime Lee Kirchner as Danny James[8]
- Annabelle Attanasio as Cable McCrory[9]
Guest stars
- Trieste Kelly Dunn as Captain Taylor Mathison[10][11]
- Sarah Steele as Ellen[12]
- Jill Flint as Diana Lindsay[13]
- Sam McMurray as Errol Windemere
Episodes
No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
U.S. viewers (millions) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Necklace" | Rodrigo García | Paul Attanasio & Phil McGraw | September 20, 2016 | 101 | 15.56[14] |
Dr. Jason Bull, a divorced psychologist and expert jury consultant, is hired to help defend of the son of a millionaire who had sex with a drug-dealing girl from his school. When the son is accused of murdering the girl, Bull must use his skills and technology to deduce the intentions of the jurors, his client, and all involved. | ||||||
2 | "The Woman in 8D" | Doug Aarniokoski | Mark Goffman & David Wilcox | September 27, 2016 | 102 | 13.61[15] |
A commercial plane crash due to wind shear causes the deaths of 62 people, with the plane's female pilot, Captain Taylor Mathison (Trieste Kelly Dunn), being the lone survivor. To avoid negative publicity, the airline is complicit in getting a negligence lawsuit brought against Mathison. When Bull and his team learn juries would more likely acquit a male pilot, they must help Mathison get her life back and not be judged by her gender. In so doing, Bull convinces Mathison to fire her lawyer, who wants to settle, and has to bring Benny out of "retirement" to try the case. | ||||||
3 | "Unambiguous" | Jan Eliasberg | Liz Kruger and Craig Shapiro | October 11, 2016 | 104 | 13.00[16] |
Bull and his team defend Reese (Celeste Arias), accused of the previously unsolved murder of a star college basketball player, after popular crime blogger Ellen Huff (Sarah Steele) reveals Reese was raped by the murder victim and had made threats against him. The case pits Benny against his former colleague and flame, Amanda (Tiffany Villarin). The team has to create reasonable doubt for the jurors by uncovering a steroid scandal among the basketball team as well as unedited audio that reveals Huff omitted salient facts in her blog. Things become more complicated when Huff herself ends up dead. | ||||||
4 | "Callisto" | Dennis Smith | Jesse Stern | October 18, 2016 | 105 | 12.29[17] |
When young genius Kerry Ketchum (Barrett Doss) is accused of patent infringement upon developing a superior drug to treat Hemophilia B, which her baby sister has, Bull and his team have to travel to the (fictional) West Texas town of Callisto, where the case will be tried. While facing strong odds against winning, given that the town always favors their local prosecution teams in patent cases, Bull must also face former adversary Diana Lindsay (Jill Flint), his opponent in the only previous case he didn't win. | ||||||
5 | "Just Tell the Truth" | Peter Werner | Cole Maliska | October 25, 2016 | 106 | 11.61[18] |
Budding chef Richard Fleer (Zach Appleman) confronts his fiancé after overhearing a conversation with her parents who disapprove of their marriage, and she storms out. She is later found dead in an alley, and a detective (Chance Kelly) is able to get a confession out of Richard. Dr. Bull is offered the job of supporting the prosecution in the case against Richard, but after hearing Richard's confession, Bull decides to support the defense. His team must now work with public defender Issac Chambers (Jeremy Shamos) to convince the jury that Richard's confession was coerced, while also looking for the real killer. Elsewhere, Marissa, Cable, and Danny try to convince Chunk that he should investigate his upcoming date. | ||||||
6 | "Bedside Manner" | Paul Edwards | Dan Dietz | November 15, 2016 | 107 | 11.87[19] |
Talented surgeon Dr. Terry Robeson (Tom Lipinski) is accused of malpractice when one of his surgeries results in an emergency hysterectomy on a woman who tried for years to get pregnant. Bull and his team must work past the doctor's arrogance to convince the jury that the doctor had no other choice during the disastrous procedure. | ||||||
7 | "Never Saw the Sign" | Peter Leto | Mark Goffman & Elizabeth Peterson | November 22, 2016 | 103 | 10.87[20] |
Bull uncovers a conspiracy involving a corrupt assemblyman (John Ventimiglia) while helping a new client facing vehicular manslaughter charges. Also, Danny and Cable investigate why Marissa is acting and dressing differently. | ||||||
8 | "Too Perfect"[21] | Dan Lerner | Story by : Blake Taylor Teleplay by : Elizabeth Peterson | December 6, 2016 | 109 | TBD |
9 | "Light My Fire"[22] | Dennis Smith | David Wilcox | December 13, 2016 | 108 | TBD |
Critical response
Bull has received negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first episode received a score of 24% with an average rating of 4 out of 10, based on 21 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Michael Weatherly's performance is top-notch, but not enough to save a show that relies too heavily on a well-worn series of legal show tropes and an off-putting premise."[23] On Metacritic, the series holds a 43 out of 100, based on reviews from 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[24]
References
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (May 13, 2016). "Training Day, Bull, MacGyver, Matt LeBlanc Comedy Picked Up By CBS". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (June 21, 2016). "CBS Sets Fall 2016 Premiere Dates, Slates JonBenet Ramsey Limited Series". Deadline.com. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
- ↑ Ausiello, Michael (2016-03-16). "Michael Weatherly Cast as Dr. Phil in 'Bull' — CBS Drama Series Pilot". TVLine. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
- ↑ Stanhope, Kate (October 17, 2016). "'Bull,' 'Kevin Can Wait' and 'MacGyver' Grab Full-Season Pickups at CBS". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (March 10, 2016). "Michael Weatherly To Star In CBS Drama Pilot 'Bull' After 'NCIS'". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (March 3, 2016). "Geneva Carr Joins CBS Drama Pilot 'Bull'". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (March 14, 2016). "'Hamilton' Co-Star Christopher Jackson Cast In CBS Pilot 'Bull'". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (March 25, 2016). "Jaime Lee Kirchner Joins CBS Drama Pilot 'Bull'". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ↑ "BULL (CBS)". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ↑ Gelman, Vlada (August 11, 2016). "Trieste Kelly Dunn Cast in 'Bull' — 'Banshee' Actress to Guest Star on CBS Drama". TVLine. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Listings - BULL on CBS". TheFutonCritic.com. September 20, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Bull: Sarah Steele (The Good Wife) to Recur on New CBS Series". TV Series Finale. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ↑ "Bull: Jill Flint (The Night Shift) to Guest on CBS Drama". TV Series Finale. September 15, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (September 21, 2016). "Tuesday final ratings: 'NCIS,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' adjust up, 'This Is Us' & 'Bull' steady". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (September 28, 2016). "Tuesday final ratings: 'The Voice' adjusts up, 'Scream Queens' adjusts down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (October 12, 2016). "'The Voice,' 'NCIS,' 'Flash' and ABC comedies adjust up, 'No Tomorrow' adjusts down: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (October 19, 2016). "'American Housewife' and 'The Voice' adjust up, 'Chicago Fire,' 'SHIELD' and 'Real O'Neals' down: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (October 26, 2016). "'American Housewife' adjusts up, final World Series numbers: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (November 16, 2016). "'New Girl' adjusts up, all others hold: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
- ↑ Porter, Rick (November 23, 2016). "'American Housewife' adjusts up, everything else holds: Tuesday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
- ↑ ""Too Perfect"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ↑ ""Light My Fire"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
- ↑ "Bull : Season 1". rottentomatoes.com. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
- ↑ "Bull : Season 1". metacritic.com. Metacritic. Retrieved September 20, 2016.
External links
- Official website
- Bull at the Internet Movie Database
- Bull at Metacritic
- Bull at Rotten Tomatoes