I have to say I admire and love Ron Eldard's performance as Jim Dunbar, the homicide detective who goes blind in a deadly shooting match. He plays him beautifully with such depth and care. Ron Eldard is really an outstanding actor. He brings such charisma, heart, and love to this role. I was impressed with Marisol Nichols as his assigned partner. Women always get the shaft in the working world and are held back particularly in the police field. I was not impressed with Rena Sofer. I think they could have casted somebody better for that role. She does her best with the little lines she had last night. I was impressed and thrilled to see Guiding Light Alumni Frank Grillo played a fellow police detective Marty Russo. He really captures the character. Jim's guide dog Hank deserves to be recognized as an official cast member in the show's credits. Hank is loyal and faithful to Jim no matter what in their relationship. Jim's relationship with Hank is closer than Jim is with his wife who feels out of place in their relationship. I hope this show lasts longer than 13 episodes. I am personally upset that the show is taken place in New York City. Too many crime shows film and take place in New York. It would be nice for a cop show to be filmed elsewhere like Chicago, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. I am grateful for the show's usage of New York City for financial reasons and the opportunities for it's cast and crew. There are just too many shows about cops set in New York City. I can't watch Law & Order anymore and I never watched CSI. I prefer forensic shows like American Justice, City Confidential, and Cold Case Files all on A&E. Blind Justice should be about the relationship of a blind police detective and the people in his life.
Add a Review
-
icuryy18 April 2005Much has been said about the show itself, so I would not delve into the details of the show. I just want to direct my attention toward the performance of the cast, especially that of Ron Eldard's, who played detective Jim Dunbar. I am overwhelmingly impressed with his performance in this new series, an opinion I think few would disagree with.
In "Blind Justice," Eldard's role, Jim Dunbar, is a multidimensional and interesting character to watch. Dunbar was a successful detective, a lady man, and a husband to a gorgeous wife. Now adding to those traits are his determination, sense of authority, cool cockiness, and yes, sometimes insecurity. Soon enough he is drawing your full attention and making you worry about him, anxious to know what is going to happen next.... Eldard expresses all of those characteristics so beautifully...
As far as the story goes, I have to admit there are some unrealistic details (Dunbar carrying a gun), BUT I am willing to ignore those and concentrate on the more compelling aspects of the story that make it so wonderful!!! Can anyone name a movie/show that does NOT contain any unrealistic details? I don't think so. Even "reality" shows have improbable moments. "Blind Justice" is supposed to be a combination of drama, suspense, and action. All of those factors are what make it stand out from other traditional pure drama, pure action, pure cop shows! Give "Blind Justice" a chance! Tune in for one or two episodes, and see for yourself what an outstanding performance these actors/actresses are presenting!!! -
SonicStuart21 July 2005Blind Justice was a pretty good series! It came on the air after NYPD Blue ended it's 12 season run on ABC and Blind Justice took it's place on in it's Tuesday night spot. A heist gone wrong. A gunman with an AK-47. Three officers trapped without ammo. His partner frozen in fear, Detective Jim Dunbar without hesitation took action of intense bravery that killed the gunman, saved the officers and made him a hero. He also took a bullet that blinded him forever. Most officers injured in the line of duty opt for desk jobs or early retirement. Not Dunbar. He's rehabilitated both body and attitude and fought his way back to active duty. His fresh start at a new precinct is threatened by the simple truth that no one really wants him there. His new partner, Karen Bettencourt, doesn't trust that she can rely on him. Unique visual effects give us a window on what Dunbar "sees" with his remaining senses, as he learns to be a better cop and a better man. He has a long way to go to conquer his demons, but at least he's back on the streets! I thought this show had the potential of being hit and taking NYPD Blue's place but it didn't happen because the ratings were good at first but then it started to go down hill. This show deserved better.
-
MovieCriticMarvelfan8 March 2005I have to say I was impressed with the pilot for "Blind Justice". I wasn't giving it a big chance but the show is terrific, the acting is wonderful by Ron Eldard, the characters are strong and the story is brilliant. The creators of NYPD Blue have another strong hit on their hands, I have no doubt that this show will get a good following as did Blue. In the opening minutes of the pilot, we see a huge shootout in the city, reminiscent of the North Hollywood shooting in Cali a few years back when the assailants were better armed the police.
Enter Jim Dunbar (Eldard) who puts his body and life on the life to take down a masked gunman with an automatic machine gun. As the gunman runs out of ammo, his partner Terry Jansen (Sonny Marinelli) is too afraid to shoot. Dunbar grabs the gun from his partner's hands and takes down the gunman, however, he himself is shot in the face and thus he is blinded. He comes back to work to his previous precint, but discovers a lot of friction and disrespect as some of his coworkers don't want him there because of the fact that Eldard is blind and the fact that he sued the police department. Its the same stereotypical stupidity, people think blind people are harmless and cant do anything but that's not the case. Many are very talent and kudos to ABC's for giving the thumbs up to this show.
Eldard as Jim Dunbar is just simply amazing, this is by far his best acting ever and probably his most challenging role. The guy knows how to do his character perfectly and opens the eyes of the precint that he isn't just a blind helpless man.
On his first case, Eldard is investigating the death of a woman caused by a potential serial killer named Mr. Lyman. Dunbar's new partner Karen Bettencourt (Rena Softer) is skeptical that Dunbar can do anything but her admissions prove to be wrong as Dunbar on his first day stumbles on to an important clue that breaks the case open......gunshot residue, this after following a clue involving dog ashes. It's amazing. Eventuall Dunbar and Karen get a name of the suspect killer, Mr. Lyman and confronts him. When Karen's guard is down the man attacks and thinking he will take advantage of Jim's blindness but he is in for surprise. Jim has exceptional hearing (the other important sense we as humans use) and tracks down Lyman's movements and draws his weapon before Lyman can react!!!!
Later during the interrogation sequence, the killer lies but Jim pushes his button until the guy tries to grab his gun once again relying on his keen sense of touch and hearing, Jim counters Lyman and gets the confession for the case. Wow!!! Superb!!!
As you can tell this a great first episode and I am really excited to see what transpires for Jim.
It seems his coworkers are so cowardly against this guy but the man, isn't going to beat and earn their respect.
Meanwhile Jim also has to cope with an unsupportive wife, but through it all it seems Jim Dunbar will make a believer of many that he isn't just a helpless, hes a tough good cop and a great person.
The trailer for the show reveals more great episodes and acting so there's nothing more I need to say except watch this show, you will not regret it!!! And don't ever look at a blind person and think their worthless because their not!!! -
lightningrider28-112 August 2007i thought this show was amazing i watched it every time it was on. it was an awesome show and ron eldard was freaking hott. i wish they would put it back on TV. come on HBO this is the shows that you like to produce or oxygen. i want to know what happens and that was only suppose to be the season finale and it ended up being the series finale. the show could have been as hott as CSI or ER or Nip Tuck if they would have kept it on the air. Or the next Law & Order. but the show was excellent. a perfect 10. i was fascinated with the show. it was about a blind cop who was trying to prove himself worthy of still being a cop and he was until the show was canceled. it there any one that loved the show as much as me??? if you thought this was an awesome show tell me??? if you also know why it was canceled inform me i would love to know.
-
mjnels515 May 2005Ron Eldard gives consistently excellent performances in Blind Justice every week. He handles Steven Bochco's multifaceted character Jim Dunbar beautifully. Regardless of the willing suspension of disbelief necessary to place a blind detective on the NYPD, Eldard's performance renders the character realistic enough to be believably compelling. Steven Bochco has done much more than hand us NYPD Blind as Eldard commented in one interview. He gives his detective the case to solve, the colleagues to convince, the disability to overcome, and the marriage to save, all in likely combination. Eldard's ability to balance toughness and vulnerability while showing growth makes Detective Jim Dunbar a welcome addition to the entertainment scene. Let us hope this series is back next season!
-
yraley16 April 2005It has to be admitted. Just a few scenes with Ron Eldard in Blind Justice are enough for a double take. This is very unconventional acting for television. Subtle isn't really the word, rather, it's so raw and intense that we feel we are right there in the room with him. So why, then, isn't this new show a hit? Much has already been made of the blind cop premise, and why it isn't convincing. So let me try to offer another angle. I'm interested in Eldard's character, recently blinded Jim Dunbar, and what that character communicates.
To warm you up to my worry, here's an anecdote. I watched the second episode with a friend. During the course of the dinner scene, Dunbar knocks a wine glass into his wife's lap because he thinks she's flirting with the man next to her. Totally embarrassing! Then, minutes later, there's a scene with Dunbar and his psychologist. Dunbar tries to make light of his interview by wrongly imagining and imitating the inquisitive gestures of his interlocutor. The intent? A joke gone bad. Well, watching the scene, my friend literally winced. She suddenly took a great interest in the sofa pillow, and then left before finishing the show. One can see why: it made one feel utterly trapped and exposed. At this point my friend no longer watches the show.
Now, I imagine it was precisely Bochco's intent to produce such feelings in us, and this ability is also his strength. Bochco's characters have real depth and that's what makes them come alive. What's more, Eldard really pulls it off for him.
But: in this instance, Bochco created, and Eldard delivered, precisely the kind of emotion we want to run away from. We all know the Fight or Flight response. Fight being impossible (unless we attack the TV set), flight is the next best option. You flip the channel. Just ask yourselves, why are there so many people that avoid the disabled? One possibility is that they don't like to see what they perceive as failure. Most people are much too afraid to fail themselves.
It is strange, and I suppose there's no middle road when one gets slammed this hard with just the emotions one tries to avoid: one either loves the honesty and daringness of the display, or one hates it. In the end, however, this is TV, not real life. And real life is something we get all day. So, perhaps a little more sentimentality would improve the ratings. Sad but true, maybe the emotion needs to be toned down. Of course, there's a danger of overplaying that as well. We don't want the angry Dunbar that Eldard plays so well to turn into Dunbar the sap.
What I'd hope to see, at least for the sake of getting the show renewed, is a slightly less pushy approach. Dunbar should feel angry and helpless, but he has to have himself sufficiently together to convince us that he's a good cop. And: he must learn to grieve his loss. After all, he only lost his vision a year ago. I heard somewhere that the worst part of being newly blind is waking up, perhaps from a vivid dream, in total darkness. But Dunbar, oddly, takes his loss of vision in stride. He's just angry that he can't do what he could do before, and I don't buy that. If I lost my vision, I would, for a while at least, feel that I was suffocating, all the more so because there's one thing those of us who see cherish deeply, and would be terrified to lose: to no longer be able to behold beauty! -
livingbyfaith12 June 2005I was searching ABC's fall lineup and saw no listing for Blind Justice. I continued to search and found a comment stating that it was canceled. I find this so hard to believe. I have never been more into a show than I have with Blind Justice. Ron Eldard does a fantastic job of portraying a blind detective. I watch other crime shows but this one quickly became my favorite. I hope that ABC will soon come to their senses and realize what a winner they truly had with Blind Justice and give it another chance. I have watched Juding Amy since it first started but had no trouble switching to ABC to view their new drama. I've never looked back. I'm not sure what the problem is but it is not the show or the actors. If this show is truly canceled then Justice has not been served.
-
Let's face it, we all like some form of "cop" shows. They have been successful from GUNSMOKE to NYPD BLUE. BLIND JUSTICE put a new side to solving crimes. Our sense of sight is not the only way to solve life's mysteries. I also believe the loss of one sense does indeed enhance those remaining. This show not only let me try to solve the crime (which is what we all do, isn't it?) but also see how an experienced detective could shift his skills and still do a great job. It certainly helped many of our citizens without eye sight show how important their contributions can be to all kinds of businesses.
By the way, none of my family, friends or myself are without our eyesight. I do not represent any organized group.
Did I mention, all my friends and family know not to call me during BLIND JUSTICE or they will only be answered by my tape machine?
ABC, you stick your neck out for lots of other slow starters by giving them another season. Why don't you do the same for this fabulous show and for those people without eyesight trying to proof the same thing ?? -
etwan-24 January 2006I'm loving "Blind Justice" which has so far run for 4 episodes in Australia. Ron Eldard's acting is superb - his range of emotions is gut wrenching and I look forward to seeing more character development as the series continues. However, some aspects of the story line defy belief. In the first episode shown here, Jim is knocked off his feet while crossing the road and his dog Hank rushes off leaving him stranded: I'm sure a trained guide dog would not do this. Labradors have been used as guide dogs for many years in Australia because they are more stable in their personality - are German Shepherds still used in the U.S.? In "Seoul Man" the "perp" had been dishonorably discharged from the Army during the Korean War. This ran from 1950 - 53 so the serial killer would have to be at least 60 plus, but was played by an actor obviously in his late 30's or 40's. This makes me wonder if the series is set during an earlier time frame - say the 1960's? More attention to these types of inconsistencies would have made the show tighter and more convincing but I look forward to seeing all episodes here. We want a second season please.
-
I am such a fan of Blind Justice, and I hope it will be on for a while, well at least for a full season. ABC has a hit on their hands if they would just give it a chance. It will gain a fan base if they let it go for a full season. Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, and so many other hit shows took a few seasons for people to find it and start watching it. Blind Justice has great characters, and great story lines. I also love the premise. The actors do great in their roles, especially Ron Eldard and Marisol Nichols, who have great on screen chemistry. Watch Blind Justice a few times and you will not be disappointed. I just want ABC to give it a chance to prove itself. It's doing better then the new ABC series Eyes. This show is a hit, it just needs time.
-
I started watching "Blind Justice" regularly rather late in the season, but since I heard it was canceled I decided to vent my thoughts. I think Steven Bochco should have followed his former "NYPD Blue" collaborator David Milch and taken this show to HBO or Showtime.
When I first heard about "Blind Justice", I thought that it would not last the first six episodes. Turns out, the show had a great critical response and enough ratings to insure a thirteen episode run, and then, because the ratings were not high enough, it was canceled.
In my opinion, I believe the low ratings occurred not because it was a very good show, but because it was not like "NYPD Blue". It had neither real adult language nor partial nudity, thanks to a certain "wardrobe malfunction", and because of the success and the TV taboo breaking of "NYPD Blue", viewers would normally expect Steven Bochco to make another series that would push the envelope as far, or even farther, on network television.
However, with the way the network programmers and federal regulators are acting like "Will Hays" these days, I'm afraid Steven Bochco may not be allowed to make another successful series unless he makes the jump to pay-cable television.
Therefore, if I were able to make suggestions to certain people, it would be these.
To HBO or Showtime: I think one of you should pick up "Blind Justice" for next season. This show is too good to be left in the network gutter of the forgotten. I think, with the right circumstances, it has excellent potential to become another long running hit.
To Steven Bochco: I think your kind of quality drama has outgrown the major networks. It is time for you to make the move and take any and all of your current and future projects exclusively to pay-cable channels such as HBO and/or Showtime.
There, I have vented my opinions, you can take it or leave it. But as a fan of Mr. Bochco's and of quality programming, I hope he makes the right decisions. -
whpratt19 March 2005Since the creator of" NYPD Blue" had his show disappear from the TV, this new show about a blind detective and his trials and tribulations gives an entirely different outlook to Cop Drama's. Ron Eldard,(Detective Jim Dunbar),"Ghost Ship",'02, gives an outstanding performance with his seeing-eye-dog and manages to find a good looking partner. Marisal Nichols,(Karen Bettancourt),"The Road Home",'03, Karen is the partner and really has to adjust to a very unusual situation in trying to do her job fighting crime with a handicap partner. This is certainly a very different twist to a crime TV Series and I am quite sure it will hold the public interest for the time being, but for future seasons, I am very doubtful. Jim Dunbar figures out in his mind what Karen looks like, her hair, built,and personality, but has to ask her the color of her eyes, which she reluctantly refuses to tell him at first. There is a good possibility that Jim Dunbar will become romantically involved with Karen down the road, even though he is married to a very sexy, good looking wife. This is an interesting first Pilot, wish it good LUCK!
-
absmith220 April 2005Hank is Jim's life raft. He needs to be in more scenes, and spend more time with Jim on the job. He is an important part of the show, and needs to be given a more expanded role. Anyone who has a service dog will tell you they are bonded in a way most of us can never understand. Hank is a beautiful, amazing, important part of Jim's life, and should be doing more to help him on the job. I am surprised the SPCA, ASPCA and Humane Society have not objected to Jim leaving Hank in the car when he goes into buildings. No one should ever leave their dog in the car, just as they should never leave children in the car, and the writers need to be more aware of proper pet care. The writers also need to learn more about the proper care and feeding of assistance dogs since this is an important part of the show.
-
bcolquho18 May 2005Justice is blind. That's what I would have had for the tag line. Blind Justice is a different kind of cop show. Jim Dunbar's a cop who's blinded in the line of duty. Three months earlier, he and his partner are called to the scene of a bank robbery. The bank robber's armed with an AK-47. He's wearing body armor. Three cops are cowering behind a car out of ammo. Dunbar tells his partner to take the shot. Dunbar tells tells his partner to take the shot. Dunbar tells his partner to take the shot. Dunbar tells his partner to take the shot. Why did I repeat it four times? Because that's how many times Dunbar told his partner to take the shot. Dunbar finally takes the shot and kills the bank robber, takes a bullet in the eyes, and is blinded for life. Dunbar's offered a desk job or early retirement. He refuses. He sues the NYPD for his old job back. He wins. The department gives him his old job back. He's assigned to the Eighth Precinct in Brooklyn. Nobody, not even his wife, believes in him. As part of his settlement with the city, he's ordered to go to psychiatric counseling. Nobody wants to partner up with him except for Karen Betancourt. His first day back, he's thrust into a serial murder case. Now Jim and his wife are going into couples therapy. This should be fun.