Common Law (2012 TV Series)
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''Common Law'' is an American
comedy-drama Comedy drama (also known by the portmanteau dramedy) is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. In film, as well as scripted television series, serious dramatic subjects (such as death, il ...
television series, which ran on
USA Network USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
from May 11 to August 10, 2012, and stars
Michael Ealy Michael David Brown (born August 3, 1973), known professionally as Michael Ealy, is an American actor. He is known for his roles in '' Barbershop'' (2002), '' 2 Fast 2 Furious'' (2003), '' Takers'' (2010), '' Think Like a Man'' (2012), '' Abou ...
and
Warren Kole Warren David Blosjo Jr. (born September 23, 1977) known professionally as Warren Kole, is an American actor known for his role as LAPD Detective Wes Mitchell on the USA Network original series ''Common Law''. He also played Roderick on the FOX o ...
as two
Los Angeles Police Department The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...
detectives who can't stand each other and are ordered to see a couples therapist to remedy the situation. The series was created by Cormac and Marianne Wibberley and was produced by
CBS Television Studios CBS Studios, Inc. is an American television production company which is a subsidiary of the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. It was formed on January 17, 2006, by CBS Corporation as CBS Paramount (Network) Television, as a re ...
and Junction Entertainment. While originally planned to premiere on January 26, 2012, the series was pushed back until summer 2012. The series premiered following '' Fairly Legal'' on Friday, May 11, 2012. The show was canceled by the USA Network after one season and 12 episodes on October 31, 2012, due to low ratings.


Synopsis

The series follows two
Los Angeles Police Department The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...
homicide detectives, Travis Marks and Wes Mitchell, who can't stand each other. The constant bickering between the two partners prompts their commanding officer, Captain Mike Sutton, to send them to a couples therapist, Dr. Emma Ryan, in hopes of resolving the situation.


Cast and characters


Main

*
Michael Ealy Michael David Brown (born August 3, 1973), known professionally as Michael Ealy, is an American actor. He is known for his roles in '' Barbershop'' (2002), '' 2 Fast 2 Furious'' (2003), '' Takers'' (2010), '' Think Like a Man'' (2012), '' Abou ...
as Travis Marks, a foster-raised LAPD detective assigned to the Robbery-Homicide Division. Travis is a womanizer who is known for dating women at work. Having grown up in a series of foster homes, Travis has several foster brothers and one of them calls him T-Bone. *
Warren Kole Warren David Blosjo Jr. (born September 23, 1977) known professionally as Warren Kole, is an American actor known for his role as LAPD Detective Wes Mitchell on the USA Network original series ''Common Law''. He also played Roderick on the FOX o ...
as Wesley 'Wes' Mitchell, Lawyer turned LAPD homicide detective and Travis' partner. After an incident where Wes pulled his gun on Travis on the job, the two are assigned to couple's therapy. Wes initially had a career as a lawyer before becoming a detective and is currently divorced. *
Sonya Walger Sonya Walger (born June 6, 1974) is a British and American actress. She had a starring role in the HBO sitcom '' The Mind of the Married Man'' (2001–2002) before landing her role as Penny Widmore in the ABC drama series '' Lost'' (2006–20 ...
as Dr. Emma Ryan, Travis Marks and Wes Mitchell's couples therapist. She is also friends with Capt. Sutton, who came to her for couple's therapy as well. * Jack McGee as Mike Sutton, a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
with the LAPD. He is Travis and Wes' commanding officer, who tells the duo to attend therapy sessions, after an incident in which Wes pulls his gun on Travis, without any given explanation.


Recurring

* Elizabeth Chomko as Alex MacFarland Mitchell, Wes's ex-wife. She is known to have a close friendship with Travis, and has reminded Wes that the law firm he previously worked for would like to have him return. *
Alicia Coppola Alicia Coppola (born April 12, 1968) is an American actress. She became known for playing Lorna Devon in the soap opera '' Another World'' from 1991 to 1994. Afterwards, she made regular and guest star appearances in various television series, ...
as Jonelle, a forensic pathologist working for the
Los Angeles County Coroner's Office The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner is the medical examiner's office of the government of the County of Los Angeles, California. It is located at the Boyle Heights neighborhood in Los Angeles. The office was created in its p ...
who formerly dated Travis.


Development and production

On June 9, 2010,
USA Network USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
placed a cast-contingent pilot order for ''Common Law''. Cormac Wibberley and Marianne Wibberley wrote the pilot,
Jon Turteltaub Jonathan Charles Turteltaub (born August 8, 1963) is an American film director, writer and producer. Early life, family and education Turteltaub was born on August 8, 1963, in New York City, one of two children born to comedy writer Saul Turtel ...
was attached to the project as the director, with Turteltaub, Cormac Wibberley, Marianne Wibberley, Dan Shotz and Karim Zreik serving as executive producers. Casting announcements began in August 2010, with
Michael Ealy Michael David Brown (born August 3, 1973), known professionally as Michael Ealy, is an American actor. He is known for his roles in '' Barbershop'' (2002), '' 2 Fast 2 Furious'' (2003), '' Takers'' (2010), '' Think Like a Man'' (2012), '' Abou ...
first to be cast. Ealy portrays Travis Marks, "a maverick ladies' man who served time in juvie." Next to join the series was Warren Kole as Wes Mitchell, Travis Marks' partner, "a methodical former lawyer with a passion for cars, gardening and his ex-wife."
Amy Acker Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976) is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Winifred Burkle and Illyria (Angel), Illyria on the supernatural drama series ''Angel (1999 TV series), Angel'' (2001–2004), as Kelly Peyton on ...
was next to be cast as Dr. Elyse Ryan, the couples therapist treating Marks and Mitchell. Jack McGee, was the last actor to join the main cast, playing Captain Mike Sutton, Marks and Mitchell's commanding officer in the LAPD.
Alicia Coppola Alicia Coppola (born April 12, 1968) is an American actress. She became known for playing Lorna Devon in the soap opera '' Another World'' from 1991 to 1994. Afterwards, she made regular and guest star appearances in various television series, ...
was later cast in a recurring role as "a pathologist who has a history with Travis Marks." In June 2011, it was reported that
USA Network USA Network (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
was close to picking up ''Common Law'' to series. The proposed pick up was to come with a number of creative changes to the show, which included adding more action and re-casting the role of Dr. Elyse Ryan, which had been played by Acker in the pilot; the character's name was also changed to Emma. On July 6, 2011, USA Network
green-light In the context of the film and television industries, to greenlight is to give permission to proceed with a project. It specifically refers to formally approving its production finance and committing to this financing, thereby allowing the projec ...
ed the series with an order of 11 episodes to air in the summer of 2012. Filming of the series was expected to begin in August 2011. The series is produced by
CBS Television Studios CBS Studios, Inc. is an American television production company which is a subsidiary of the CBS Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global. It was formed on January 17, 2006, by CBS Corporation as CBS Paramount (Network) Television, as a re ...
and Junction Entertainment. Along with the series pickup, the network also announced that Craig Sweeny had been picked to join the series as an executive producer. By November 29, 2011, the premiere had been moved to January 26, 2012. The series was once again pushed back to summer 2012, with the premiere date eventually settling on May 11, 2012. On October 14, 2011, the show began filming in New Orleans,
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
.


Episodes


Ratings


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Common Law (2012 TV series) 2010s American comedy-drama television series 2012 American television series debuts 2012 American television series endings Television series about the Los Angeles Police Department Television shows set in Los Angeles Television series by CBS Studios USA Network original programming