10 Reasons You Should Be Watching “Trial & Error”
And why it deserves to be bailed out for Season 3!
With so many shows available to watch and stream, it’s hard to decide on a show to which you should pledge your commitment.
If it so pleases the court, I would like to suggest that there’s one comedy on television that blows the rest out of the water.
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: Trial & Error.
The true-crime spoof follows Josh Segal, a young New York lawyer, who is sent to a town in the middle of nowhere to take on a murder trial.
NBC’s (unfortunately) poorly-publicized comedy is, in fact, one of the best on television. If you’ve been looking for the sitcom to fill the void left in your heart by Parks and Recreation and were pleasantly surprised by American Vandal, this is the show for you.
In fact, I suggest that you move Trial & Error to the top of your Hulu queue right now. Why?
I now present to you the evidence.
THE EVIDENCE
10. THE TOWN OF EAST PECK
Our story takes place in the fictional town of East Peck, a town so backwards it makes Pawnee look like Silicon Valley. Instead of a proper law office, our characters work out of a taxidermy shop. The town boasts a comatose mayor, offers cannonball insurance (and not without good reason), and celebrates a holiday called Moose Day, during which a moose determines how many Saturdays will be in a month. (If he doesn’t see his breath, there’s an extra Friday.)
9. OFFICE-STYLE INTERVIEWS
The mockumentary-style sitcom was popularized by The Office, but has since been embraced by other hit shows such as Modern Family and Parks and Recreation. Not all shows use it well, but much of Trial & Error’s humor comes from the characters’ explanations of the town’s history, updates on the trial and, of course, confessions of their own secret plans and deepest feelings.
8. INAPPROPRIATE COURTROOM ANTICS
If you’re a fan of true crime shows, you’ve likely spent a lot of time in the courtroom. But you’ve never been in this courtroom. Bribing, disguises, blatant favoritism, political campaigning, inappropriate outbursts, jury manipulation and an unintelligible judge — nothing is off limits in the East Peck County Courthouse.
7. NICHOLAS D’AGOSTO as JOSH
Saying that Josh Segal is a fish out of water is putting it mildly. The New York lawyer (and show’s protagonist) struggles to keep up in the wacky world of East Peck, where common sense is rare and taxidermy is surprisingly popular. Josh has a heart of gold, but unfortunately, his innocence and eagerness to please allows the people of East Peck to walk all over him. Non-confrontational and socially awkward, Josh is constantly forced into uncomfortable situations, and watching him squirm is deliciously entertaining. Played by the perfectly-cast Nicholas D’Agosto (Masters of Sex, Gotham), Josh’s reactions to his various encounters with sheer stupidity are a highlight of the show.
6. BUMBLING ASSISTANTS
Josh is given two legal assistants, neither of whom is even remotely competent. First, there’s Dwayne Reed, an enthusiastic law officer, eager to provide any assistance he can. The problem? He has an IQ equal to that of the stuffed grizzly bear that looms in a corner of the office. His other assistant is Anne Flatch. She has more smarts than Dwayne, but suffers from a seemingly endless laundry list of rare disorders. She is unable to recognize people by their faces (only their penises), breaks out into uncontrollable laughter at inappropriate times, and, upon being startled, shoots several feet straight up into the air. And that’s not even the half of it. Yet somehow, Dwayne and Anne, usually by accident, help Josh discover new clues and formulate new theories. They’re idiots, but they’re lovable idiots.
5. DIFFICULT CLIENTS
As if the bizarro town and brainless staff weren’t enough trouble for Josh, his clients tend to cause further problems. John Lithgow’s Larry (Season 1) and Kristen Chenoweth’s Lavinia (Season 2) don’t make it easy on our poor hero. From speaking out of turn in court to accidentally withholding information to putting themselves in damning situations (multiple people suffer fatal accidents while in Larry’s vicinity and Lavinia gets arrested for shoplifting), Josh’s clients are major headaches for our poor hero, who tries his hardest to keep his composure throughout his cases.
4. JAYMA MAYS as CAROL ANNE
Carol Anne Keene is Josh’s sometimes-love interest and ever-present-courtroom rival. Played brilliantly by Jayma Mays (Glee, The League), Carol Anne is a no-nonsense, highly-motivated prosecutor, whose primary objective is to gain enough notoriety to win the upcoming election. But her one weak spot…is Josh. Out of the courtroom, she plays hard-to-get, but there’s clearly a chemistry between the two. In the courtroom, she’s a worthy opponent who doesn’t always play fairly. The paradox leaves poor Josh unsure of where the line between business and pleasure lies.
3. PARODY
From American Crime Story to Making a Murderer, true crime shows are on the rise. Trial & Error cleverly makes us of various techniques used in such shows, incorporating archival videos, security camera footage, audio recordings and more, which, along with the first-person interviews, fully honor the style of such shows. From the editing to the pacing to the music, the show is an excellent satire of the true crime genre.
2. THE WRITING
The writers of this show have immeasurable fun with wordplay. There are constant misunderstandings between Josh and the people of East Peck, who have their own local lingo and are clueless as to the meaning of Josh’s slang. This also sets up unintentional innuendos, the most notable of which stems from the fact that the townspeople of East Peck call themselves “Peckers”. The writers also have fun creating characters. In addition to Dwayne Reed (drugstore Duane Reade) and Carol Anne Keene (author Carolyn Keene), you’ll meet the stoner musician Dr.Rock N’ Law, tattoo artist Reverend Tats, and DA candidate Dem Nutz, among others. Like the sitcoms of old, almost every other line contains a joke. It’s nonstop funny.
1. A GENUINE MYSTERY
Come for the laughs, but stay for the surprisingly enthralling mysteries. Every episode ends with a huge twist, making it impossible to watch just one per sitting. The plot twists are clever enough that even Agatha Christie would be at a loss to see them coming. With flashbacks, misleads, murders, surprise revelations and clues hidden throughout the episodes, Trial & Error is more than just a wacky comedy — it’s also a gripping thriller.
THE VERDICT
Trial & Error is both smart and wacky, easy-to-watch and unique, and, truly, a refreshing comedy. With NBC choosing not to renew their contract with Warner Brothers television, here’s hoping that another studio picks up the show for a Season 3.
