Nick Fallin is a hotshot lawyer working at his father's ultrasuccessful Pittsburgh law firm. Unfortunately, the high life has gotten the best of Nick. Arrested for drug use, he's sentenced to do 1,500 hours of community se... more »rvice, somehow to be squeezed into his 24/7 cutthroat world of mergers, acquisitions and board meetings. Reluctantly, he's now The Guardian - a part-time child advocate at Legal Aid Services, where one case after another is an eye-opening instance of kids caught up in difficult circumstances.« less
Love this series. I never watched it on TV...now I want every season available...you will too!
0 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Swan B. from BELLINGHAM, WA Reviewed on 2/12/2011...
This is a fantastic series and I look forward to the next. I am enjoying following Simon Baker backwards from another series in his career.
Movie Reviews
A Guardian With Edge
Irishman65 | NYC, USA | 08/10/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"4.5 Stars... Be warned, the character Simon Baker plays in this series is edgier than his character in The Mentalist and slightly more abrasive. However, that being said the first season of this legal drama was the strongest. At the time, Baker was billed as a new face with edge from Austrailia and the series got good critical reviews its first year. Baker's seens with Dabney Coleman were amazing to watch as he struggled between goodwill legal work and the call of "the rich firm" run by his father. Alan Rosenberg was good though the character he played was less rich than his characters in other series (Cybil, L.A. Law, Civil Wars). If you like Simon Baker in The Mentalist, and you don't expect him to always play the same exact character, you'll probably enjoy this first season and if like legal shows this series will also be enjoyable. So what happened in the remaining seasons? They retooled the premise to broaden their viewing audience and it watered down the show but this first season is definitely worth watching. I'd also recommend catching the actor in the romantic dramedy: Something New, if you are a fan of his."
Possibly One of the Best Legal Dramas Ever Aired
J. McQueen | Hartford, CT | 11/02/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"When I graduated from law school, I came very close to practicing the type of family law the main character, Nick Fallon, has been sentenced to, so I may be a bit biased. With that having been said, I thought this was a terrific series.
The most important ingredient of this series' success is the understated (and unfortunately, criminally underrated) performance of Simon Baker. Because of the manner in which he plays Nick Fallon, you can see how the cumulative strain of:
(1) Fallon being sentenced to thousands of hours of community service in most trying, heartbreaking area of family law --destitute, abandoned and defenseless children;
(2) while struggling to stay productive at his tough-as-nails father's white-shoe mergers and acqusitions law firm and
(3)remaining sober
is (incrementally) tearing his character apart.
I strongly recommend this series to anyone who is tired of the melodramatic and overwrought nature of other legal dramas. It was really thought-provoking and entertaining!"
A great, underrated show
ReaderAnn | U.S. | 09/15/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I discovered this gem on a local channel while living abroad (granted, the episodes were not current). It was fascinating watching the challenges of Baker's character as he worked for his father's uptight law firm, while also performing mandated community service as a court-appointed guardian for kids with extraordinary difficulties in their lives. At first, I thought Baker's character too cold and unlikable, but eventually realized he was meant to be very complicated. However, it was the acting of Alan Rosenberg, and particularly Dabney Coleman, that made the show stand out for me. I had never appreciated what a fine dramatic actor Coleman is. The show can be raw and difficult to watch at times, but the writing and the guest actors are excellent, and I highly recommend it."
The Best Television Drama Comes to DVD
Mark Ebert | Lancaster OH | 10/02/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If you missed this series when it ran in the early to mid-2000's you may well find your favorite dramatic series is no longer on television or cable, but in this box set (and hopefully two forthcoming entries).
"The Guardian" is not a "Murder She Wrote"-type series where there's a smoking gun and a criminal on the loose every episode. Instead, the series is driven by Simon Baker's character who is many things--a lawyer by choice, a children's court appointed adovocate by sentence, an estranged son, and most of all a complex person with problems who has the tightest lips in the galaxy when it comes to voicing his own frustrations and concerns.
As the episodes--and series--unfolds the viewer wonders how long Fallon (Baker's character) can keep it up. He's heading for a breakdown and the suspense keeps one on the edge of his or her seat. Questions also arise: how did Nick Fallon get this way? Why do he and his father work together, but don't seem to get along personally? Is Fallon still abusing drugs?
For fans of the series this release signifies a sigh of relief as the wait for this set has been long. If sales are good then the world should be treated to the complete series and the saga of Nick Fallon will be lived and relived. It is "just" a TV series, but it also reminds us that even adults need intervention from family and friends (and should accepted it when the offer is made)."
Loved The Guardian and so happy to see it again on DVD!
MRC | NY United States | 11/18/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was so upset when the series was cancelled after only a few seasons. I HOPE sales of Season One are so good that we can get Seasons 2 and 3 on DVD."