Diane, I made a comment on a Yahoo version of this info, but I'd thought I'd run it by a real pro in the TV criticism world, as well as the astute TV junkies who come by here and read about all things TV.

The Smits show is flawed at concept: A Supreme Court justice, one of the highest power positions in the country, a person who can tilt the way Americans interpret America for decades (centuries?) leaves that post where he can help ALL the people, from unborn fetus to cadaver, to do what? - take care of some poor shlub's glove box full parking tickets (assuming that is a plot for sweeps and the show is still on by November)? Even Oscar & Felix made sense, even if it didn't become an episode of Cold Case by the second show. Archie Bunker being allowed to raise another daughter after his wife dies; I was game for a few weeks and was happily surprised. Even William Shatner allowed to command a spaceship seems sensible compared to this premise.