Sebastian Stark (James Woods) is one of Los Angeles' top defense attorneys. He excels at twisting (and sometimes breaking) the law to his own ends to get his high profile clients off the hook. However, when one of his clients commits a heinous crime after Stark secures him a non-guilty verdict, Stark realizes it might be time to switch teams. He begins to work for the city's prosecutors, lead by D.A. Jessica Devlin (Jeri Ryan), a woman who has lost cases to Stark her entire career. Now they have to work together to bring criminals down, despite their differences and past history.

Sure, it sounds hokey, but Shark manages to sidestep the cliches with sharp writing and a knockout performance by James Woods. One of America's best actors, Woods has spent a career purposefully choosing roles that would challenge him and people's perception of him. However, if there's ever been an archetypal Woods character, Stark is it. He's laser focused on getting what he wants. Usually, that's a victory in the courtroom. And he will steamroll over anyone standing in his way. Woods is too smart to play Stark as nothing but a work-a-holic, though. He plays the character with a great deal of compassion and understanding--when it's warranted.

The supporting cast do their best to hold their own, but it's Woods' show and he knows it. Jeri Ryan is quite a good foil, giving Stark a run for his money both personally and professionally. But by far the best member of the supporting cast is Sky High's Danielle Panabaker as Stark's daughter Julie. In the pilot, Julie decides to live with her father when her mother chooses to move to New York. The transition is awkward for both father and daughter. Panabaker gives a natural performance that shows the anxiety of being a teenager, and being unable to fully communicate with her father. It's a role of surprising depth.

Like so many genre shows these days, it's easy to see Shark's formulas just a few episodes in. A violent crime is perpetrated at the beginning, Stark and his team are called in, and just as things look solid, some surprise blindsides them and forces to rethink the whole case. They eventually persevere with some obscure bit of evidence previously thought unimportant or some last minute testimony that sheds new light on the whole thing. It's not very original, but the writers are slick enough to dress it up with some real-life court room maneuvering that elevates the material beyond other procedurals.

The real pleasure of Shark is watching James Woods cut his way across the screen every week. He hasn't a role that allows him to be this cocksure in ages. Even if the plots get stale and his backup team come and go, it will be Woods that brings us back time after time. Enjoy it while you can, chances are after Shark winds down, Woods will be off doing something entirely different.

Season One is comprised of the following episodes:

"Pilot"
"L.A.P.D. Blue"
"Dr. Feelbad"
"Russo"
"In The Grasp"
"Fashion Police"
"Deja Vu All Over Again"
"Love Triangle"
"Dial M For Monica"
"Sins Of The Mother"
"The Wrath Of Khan"
"Wayne's World"
"Teacher's Pet"
"Starlet Fever"
"Here Comes The Judge"
"Blind Trust"
"Backfire"
"Trial By Fire"
"Porn Free"
"Fall From Grave"
"Strange Bedfellows"
"Wayne's World 2: Revenge Of The Shark"

The DVD:
Fox has packaged Shark: Season One in three slim cases, each housing two of the set's six discs. These cases are kept in a cardboard slipcover.

The Image:
Fox presents Shark in a 1.78:1 anamorphically enhanced transfer. Shark looks predictably good for a brand new show shot in high definition. The series is shot with a little grain for style, and a few sequences done in black and white. Overall, the image is clear, without any major blemishes or issues. Woods' craggly face is kept intact.

The Audio:
Shark comes to home theater viewers with a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, as it did when it aired in HD. I've found that, in general, most TV shows on DVD have a very front-centric mix, and Shark isn't much of an exception. A few of the more action-oriented scenes get the rears and the sub going, but this is a courtroom drama, for heaven's sake. The most important part, the dialogue, is always clear and never buried in the mix.

The Supplements:

• Audio Commentary on episodes "Pilot" and "Wayne's World" by Actor James Woods and Series Creator Ian Biederman: I love it when James Woods does commentaries. The man is insightful and hilarious. With series creator Ian Biederman he gives a thorough discussion of the show, how he became attached, the difference from other genre shows, and more. There's only two commentaries, but there's enough material here for ten. Check them out.
• Deleted Scenes: I think we generally know the deal with deleted scenes by now. Most of them are cut because they're either redundant or they ran too long. The ones presented here aren't terribly different.
• Creating Shark: You want by the numbers? Then by god, we'll give you by the numbers! At least that's what I hope the makers of this featurette said before they set out, because this making-of is so fluffy it would put a Three Musketeer's bar to shame.
• Gag Reel: I'm not a big fan of gag reels, but James Woods makes everything better. This one is above average.

The Conclusion:
Shark is more about watching James Woods be brilliant than anything else, but the courtroom setting is still well done. Jeri Ryan and Danielle Panabaker support Woods in the endeavor nicely. This DVD has both strong picture and sound, and a pair of excellent commentaries. Recommended.

Daniel Hirshleifer is the High Definition Editor for DVD Talk.