# Raising the Bar (2008 TV series)

Raising the Bar is an American legal drama created by Steven Bochco and David Feige that ran on TNT from September 1, 2008, to December 24, 2009.

## Plot

Idealistic public defender Jerry Kellerman does whatever it takes to assist the helpless and disenfranchised, which often leads to clashes in the courtroom presided over by Judge Trudy Kessler, a hard-liner hoping to become the city's next district attorney. Jerry has many clashes with both law enforcement and the assistant district attorneys (ADAs) such as Michelle Ernhardt, the beautiful and occasionally devious attorney with whom he has had a turbulent secret fling.

## Cast and characters

* Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Jerry Kellerman
* Gloria Reuben as Rosalind Whitman
* Jane Kaczmarek as Trudy Kessler
* Melissa Sagemiller as Michelle Earnhardt
* Jonathan Scarfe as Charlie Sagansky
* J. August Richards as Marcus McGrath
* Currie Graham as Nick Balco
* Teddy Sears as Richard Patrick Woolsley
* Natalia Cigliuti as Roberta "Bobbi" Gilardi

### Recurring

* Stacy Hall as Vince Culp
* Jon Polito as Judge Dominick Ventimigla
* Paul Joyner as Assistant District Attorney
* John Michael Higgins as Judge Albert Farnsworth
* Heath Freeman as Gavin Dillon
* Angel Oquendo as Carlos
* Octavia Spencer as Arvina Watkins
* Max Greenfield as David Steinberg
* Josh Randall as Tim Porter
* Wilson Cruz as Rafael de la Cruz

## Production

Raising the Bar was originally announced to be joining TNT as a new series in January 2008. It came to TNT through ABC Studios and Steven Bochco served as executive producer, with Jesse Bochco as co-executive producer and David Feige as supervising producer. After completing its first season of 10 hour-long episodes in November 2008, the series was renewed for a 15-episode second season, which premiered on Monday June 8, 2009, at 10 p.m. Eastern Time/9 p.m. Central Time. The show was canceled after season 2.

## Episodes
### Season 1 (2008)

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | "Pilot" | Jesse Bochco | Steven Bochco & David Feige | September 1, 2008 (2008-09-01) |
| 2 | "Guatemala Gulfstream" | Jesse Bochco | Jonathan Abrahams | September 8, 2008 (2008-09-08) |
| 3 | "I Will, I'm Will" | Jeannot Szwarc | Alison Cross | September 15, 2008 (2008-09-15) |
| 4 | "Richie Richer" | Bobby Roth | David Feige | September 22, 2008 (2008-09-22) |
| 5 | "Bagels and Locks" | Eric Laneuville | Jonathan Abrahams | September 29, 2008 (2008-09-29) |
| 6 | "Hang Time" | Chris Long | David Feige | October 6, 2008 (2008-10-06) |
| 7 | "A Leg to Stand On" | Carol Banker | Alison Cross | October 13, 2008 (2008-10-13) |
| 8 | "Out on the Roof" | Rick Bota | Jonathan Abrahams | October 20, 2008 (2008-10-20) |
| 9 | "Roman Holiday" | Rick Wallace | David Feige | October 27, 2008 (2008-10-27) |
| 10 | "Shop Till You Drop" | Jesse Bochco | Alison Cross | November 3, 2008 (2008-11-03) |

### Season 2 (2009)

| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | US viewers (millions) |
| 11 | "Hair Apparent" | Jesse Bochco | Jonathan Abrahams | June 8, 2009 (2009-06-08) | 3.57 |
| 12 | "Rules of Engagement" | Eric Laneuville | Alison Cross | June 15, 2009 (2009-06-15) | 3.45 |
| 13 | "The Curious Case of Kellerman’s Button" | Jesse Bochco | Alison Cross | June 22, 2009 (2009-06-22) | 3.06 |
| 14 | "No Child’s Left Behind" | Rick Bota | Joel Fields | June 29, 2009 (2009-06-29) | N/A |
| 15 | "Is There a Doctor in the House?" | Jeannot Szwarc | Jonathan Abrahams | July 6, 2009 (2009-07-06) | N/A |
| 16 | "I'll Be Down to Get You a Taxi, Honey" | Martha Mitchell | Tassie Cameron | July 13, 2009 (2009-07-13) | 3.44 |
| 17 | "Fine and Dandy" | Jesse Bochco | David Feige | July 20, 2009 (2009-07-20) | 3.20 |
| 18 | "Trust Me" | Tricia Brock | Joel Fields | July 27, 2009 (2009-07-27) | 3.54 |
| 19 | "Trout Fishing" | Steve Robin | Jonathan Abrahams | August 3, 2009 (2009-08-03) | 3.42 |
| 20 | "Making Up Is Hard to Do" | Reginald Hudlin | Alison Cross | August 10, 2009 (2009-08-10) | 3.06 |
| 21 | "Bobbi Ba-Bing" | Jesse Bochco | David Feige | August 17, 2009 (2009-08-17) | 3.47 |
| 22 | "Beating a Dead Horse" | Rick Bota | Joel Fields | August 24, 2009 (2009-08-24) | 3.39 |
| 23 | "Maybe, Baby" | Martha Mitchell | Jonathan Abrahams | December 24, 2009 (2009-12-24) | N/A |
| 24 | "O! Say Can You Pee" | Jeannot Szwarc | Alison Cross | December 24, 2009 (2009-12-24) | N/A |
| 25 | "Happy Ending" | Jesse Bochco | David Feige & Joel Fields | December 24, 2009 (2009-12-24) | N/A |

## Cancellation

TNT confirmed to E! Online on November 30, 2009 that the series would not be renewed for a third season. The final three episodes were burned off in a marathon December 24, 2009.

## Reception

The series debut garnered 7.7 million viewers. It was the biggest audience ever for a new-series launch on basic cable. It beat the record set in 2004 by USA Network's launch of The 4400 which opened with an average of 7.4 million viewers; runner-up was TNT's The Closer, which recorded 7 million viewers when it was unveiled in 2005. Following the premiere, ratings evened out to around 5.5 million viewers per episode. For calendar-year 2008 on a first-run basis, the series delivered 1.37 million viewers in the 18–49 demographic, garnering mixed reviews.

## Home media

| DVD name | Release date | Ep # |
| The Complete First Season | June 2, 2009 | 10 |
| The Complete Second and Final Season | May 11, 2010 | 15 |