This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Corporate lawyer Nina Whitley (Eliza Coupe) loses her boyfriend and then loses her expected promotion. She explodes and quits. Her outburst becomes legendary and she can't find any work other than as a lowly public defender. Her new co-workers include Phil Quinlan (Jay Harrington) and Carlos (Oscar Nuñez). The best worker in the office may be the intern Micah (Jolene Purdy). Nina finds herself facing off against her ex-boyfriend ADA Trent Barber (Carter MacIntyre) in court.I don't know who Damon Jones is but I really like Michaela Watkins in her work. She always seems to be very smart in her comedy and a bit offbeat. This has a nice slice of that. It's not that edgy but Eliza Coupe is terrific as the traditional flustered single gal. Jay Harrington is setting up nicely as the romantic lead. However it's canceled after it's 12 episodes first season.

Benches evidently wants to be Scrubs mixed with Suits. Unfortunately, such a promising premise is let down by flat jokes, poor delivery and bad casting; it's also not silly enough to keep up with the surreal humour you find in successful comedies (30 Rock, Community, Arrested Development and the like) but instead relies on very tired scenarios to eek out the laughs.I was really looking forward to this as Jay Harrington absolutely made Better Off Ted as the put-together protag - such a travesty that it got cancelled. Sadly, his role in Benched as the work-shy swindler Phil just doesn't fit - it would have been potentially better for him to be Trent (but a more interesting version). He also comes across as if he knows the show isn't going to last, and doesn't put any effort into...not putting any effort in.Eliza Coupe is...angry. I know that's supposed to be 'funny' and endearing, but she just comes across as irritating and unbelievable (a lawyer but all-too-gullible for example). Someone else as the female lead would have saved the day (Christina Applegate? Gillian Jacobs? Jaime Presley?) A wasted opportunity. I hope the show makes better use of such talent soon, or else I fear it'll be curtains.

I had no idea who Eliza Coupe was, but when I saw "Oscar" from The Office and Jones from Reno 911 my expectations soared... and have been met.This is the funniest new comedy in many a year and could have been titled The (Public Defenders) Office. Coupe is clearly and deservedly the star, and what a pleasure she is to watch. Her timing, delivery, gestures and facial expressions are reminiscent of the best comediennes from the past. But everyone else gels perfectly as well, though I'd like to see "Jonesee's roll expanded (I'll never forget his reaction to "Let's play 'Good cop, black cop'" in Reno 911).I'm writing this as I'm watching the two episode season finale, and I feel they're the best yet. True human feelings and reactions have fleshed out the series beautifully, and this now has promise of becoming Friends 911!

The premise of a comedy set in the public defender's office has so much potential. Benched, however, falls flat. The characters are shallow and not at all developed. The lead character comes off as purely neurotic. She dominates every scene, while the other characters are relegated to only setting up the mostly trite jokes for her. The defendants are little more than a crew of stock clichés. The humor is lacking, and most of it is just slapstick. The story line, what of it there is,sorely lacks any substance. The plot has none of the situations that are found in good comedy, and no good sight gags. The entire pilot was nothing more than a weak woman whining that her boyfriend left her. Watching Benched is not a good use of 30 minutes of your time.