What a beautiful movie!

It is a performances centric movie

hyped garbage

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

This is supposed to be a review of Benched but it can't be reviewed without mentioning Eliza Coupe's past character Jane Kerkovich from Happy Endings - a show prematurely cancelled. Benched is watchable. However, it's no Happy Endings NOR Better Off Ted (which Eliza's counterpart Jay Harrington in Benched starred in (2009)) - 2 shows that were edgier and wittier than Benched.Eliza holds this show together in an otherwise blasé cast.But I could be still comparing it to Happy Endings, where every character was a hilarious wacko. Since this is a show about being a public defender-which is a court appointed lawyer for those who can't afford one-I found myself a little depressed by Benched, constantly being reminded of societies disadvantaged and under privileged. Hard to laugh at some of these situations. Reminded me a little of a long gone hit show, Night Court (1984). But mostly made me miss the antics in Happy Endings.Went over and watched another Happy Endings alum's new show, Marry Me, and same thing, missing Casey Wilsons character, Penny Hartz, from H.E.Put Kate Walsh's character from Bad Judge, Rachel Harris, add Judah Friedlander, Kryten Ritter, Kyle Mooney from Saturday Night Live, and Peter Dante from Happy Madison productions into Benched, and now we have a cast!

Benched is something special, IMHO. The characters are flawed but are fighting the good fight. The supporting cast is excellent and create a quirky and rich environment. I've had real laughs watching this show and that's the highest praise I can give. Thumbs up, way up!Let me add that for a show to be great, like this one is, it has to hit on all cylinders. From writing to acting to directing, this show has what it takes. If it doesn't get renewed for another season it's a TV travesty.If it were up to me I'd give this show two Golden Globes, so Nina could have a matching set.

Here's one show I hope will last. Benched is a really good half hour comedy show about a woman attorney who leaves her white shoe law firm for the public defender's office. Not that Eliza Coupe did that willingly, she threw a hissy fit when another female lawyer made partner. After that she burned her bridges in corporate law.So there's no sense of obligation that Coupe has in terms of her job, but a girl has to eat and the scene she made leaving her old firm has not exactly enhanced her resume. The comedy of this show centers around Coupe learning a whole different world than what she's used to. Eliza Coupe has a nice sense of comedy timing, she reminds me a whole lot of Jennifer Aniston. One wonders if Anniston was offered the series before Coupe. Never mind because Coupe is really good in the lead. I do hope this show finds an audience.

I don't know what's wrong with these other reviewers.This is way better than "Bad Judge", which I really wanted to like.The lead has great comic timing and the rest of the cast shoes promise.Just the fact that the stand-up comic Maria Bamford is in the cast makes it worth watching.I laughed a lot during the first episode, and there are signs that there will be some heart along with the laughs.Good comedies are hard to come by - give it a chance.I don't know why IMDb request ten lines of text for a review! It's just not necessary!