It’s been an extended whereas because the USA Community final premiered an unique drama. (5 years, to be exact, because the one-and-done “Briarpatch.”) Lots has occurred since — a lot that, within the time between being ordered to sequence and making it to air, an try to revive the channel’s heyday has been left marooned by circumstances past its management. “The Rainmaker,” a John Grisham adaptation that follows within the footsteps of the 1997 Francis Ford Coppola movie, appears designed to carry again the “blue sky” model that outlined the community within the 2000s. Based mostly on its first 5 episodes, the authorized drama is unlikely to succeed, both by itself phrases or in mild of current developments.
A pocket historical past of USA goes one thing like this: the blue sky-era of breezy procedurals and its attendant slogan, “Characters Welcome,” reigned from the premiere of “Monk” in 2002 by way of the runs of such staples as “Psych,” “Fits,” “White Collar” and “Royal Pains,” hits that propelled USA to be the No. 1 community on primary cable. Then the channel embraced the spirit of Peak TV and chased status, beginning with “Mr. Robotic” in 2015 and persevering with by way of much less acclaimed, although equally grim, sequence like “The Sinner” and “Queen of the South.” Lastly, USA succumbed to the contraction that adopted this feeding frenzy and vastly scaled again its unique programming — till June of final yr, when the announcement of “The Rainmaker” marked the primary transfer in a reported pivot again to the blue sky technique after “Fits” grew to become a juggernaut on Netflix.
Simply 5 months later, a moderately massive wrench was thrown into the gears of this grasp plan: USA’s mother or father firm, Comcast, introduced that it will spin USA and different linear channels off from the remainder of its leisure belongings right into a separate firm, now referred to as Versant. “The Rainmaker” did full manufacturing of its 10-episode first season, and might be adopted by a take on the “Anna Pigeon” novels someday subsequent yr. However spinoff corporations like Versant and the future Discovery Global are typically related to managed decline, not the most important funding required to carry a whole slate into being.
Context apart, “The Rainmaker” doesn’t really feel very like a flagship present. Beginning with the title card sequence, a phrase cloud of generic authorized phrases like “indictment” and “plaintiff” that would’ve been auto-generated by an app, there’s a scarcity of power to this David-and-Goliath setup, a co-creation of Jason Richman and showrunner Michael Seitzman. Regulation faculty graduate Rudy Baylor (Milo Callaghan) and his girlfriend Sarah Plankmore (Madison Iseman) each land entry-level affiliate gigs on the white shoe legislation agency Tinley Britt, however Rudy shortly will get fired after working afoul of senior companion Leo Drummond (John Slattery). Not like Sarah, Rudy doesn’t come from household cash; out of desperation, Rudy joins the workplace of Jocelyn “Bruiser” Stone (Lana Parilla), the place he gained’t make wage however does work on eat-what-you-kill fee. Naturally, the case Rudy brings in pits him in opposition to each Leo and Sarah within the courtroom.
It’s outstanding how a lot the older technology of legal professionals finally ends up outshining their mentees. Bruiser is a group of clichés, working out of a transformed quick meals restaurant in a Saul Goodman-esque setup and vulnerable to declarations like “I solely want three issues: Kentucky bourbon, a bloody steak and a person who gained’t spend the evening.” However she’s no less than enjoyable to look at, which might’t be mentioned of the clean slate that’s Rudy. “The Rainmaker” labors mightily to present its protagonist some dimension, from a backstory a few demise in his household to a subplot about intervening in his neighbor’s abusive marriage. None of it really works. Rudy is sufficient of an underdog to make it clear we ought to root for him, however that’s not the identical as eager to.
Such a bland do-gooder can’t maintain a candle to Slattery’s Leo, a person who fortunately self-identifies as a bully. The previous Roger Sterling of “Mad Males” is extraordinarily at house as a seasoned skilled slinging out zingers; he’s additionally overqualified and underutilized, disappearing from the scene for lengthy stretches at a time. Although he’s by far the most important identify within the solid, even Slattery doesn’t have the star energy to hold all of “The Rainmaker” on his again. As a sketchy nurse with a pivotal function in Leo’s case in opposition to a neighborhood hospital, comedian actor Dan Fogler is one other shiny spot, although he appears to be imported from one other present.
“The Rainmaker” is co-produced by the tv arm of horror studio Blumhouse. The present is a change of tempo for Blumhouse by way of style, give or take a couple of Fogler scenes, however maintains its fame for modest budgets in cheap-looking units and an unglamorous South Carolina setting. Earlier this yr, “Fits LA” failed to capitalize on the stunning afterlife of the unique, and was swiftly canceled consequently. “The Rainmaker” appears no extra more likely to recapture the push of an amazing, shiny authorized drama. (It wouldn’t be right to name it a procedural, because the complete season focuses totally on one case, although maybe the present can be higher if it had a brisker tempo.) Nobody can management the climate, and USA can’t carry blue skies again by sheer pressure of will.
“The Rainmaker” will premiere on USA on Aug. 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT and on Peacock on Aug. 22, with remaining episodes airing weekly on Fridays and streaming on Peacock one week later.
