TV's 'Coach' returns in 'The District'

By Melissa Gollob

For the Daily

"The District"

Grade: B+

Saturdays @ 10PM on CBS

CBS has found a winner with its new drama that primarily focuses on cleaning up the streets of Washington DC. "The District" stars Craig T. Nelson ("Coach") as Jack Mannion, a police chief brought in from New Jersey by Deputy Mayor Marianne Mitchell (Jayne Brook, "Chicago Hope") to cut crime in the city by half. He is accompanied by his "Director of Public Affairs," Nick Pierce (Justin Thoroux) who helps the tell-it-like-it-is Mannion handle the press.

During Mannion's survey of his new office he searches for the statistics office. He finds Ella Farmer (Lynne Thigpen, "Where in the

World is Carmen Sandiago?"), who becomes instrumental in providing the emotional and statistical facts to inspire the chief to take on the entire police hierarchy. On his mission, Mannion enlists the help of two "good" cops: young Temple Page (Sean Patrick Thomas, "Cruel Intentions") as his "driver" (in essence he gives Mannion directions) and Nancy Pares (Elizabeth Marvel) who compiles the number of all crimes every morning from the preceding evening. Not everyone seems all for the new guy. Balking at being passed over, Chief of Patrol Noland decides to manipulate the crime numbers so that crime in the city would already seem on the decline before Mannion arrived, and muscling other officers

to work against Mannion.

Meanwhile a string of date rapes are occurring around the city, and police are looking for a zoo employee who has been stealing drugs. Coincidentally the rapist and the thief are one in the same and also happen to be Ella's brother-in-law, who happens to have a restrainingorder against him. Not surprisingly, in the course of his crime spree, he ends up beating his wife to death. Thus, Mannion becomes personally as well as professionally involved.

While watching the show, the plot did seem a little simplistic compared to the twist and turn stories of "NYPD Blue." The end was wrapped up in a pretty package and justice had been served. However, the show's climax was one of the most powerful scenes ever shown on television. In the end, Chief Mannion vows to end the police corruption and make all precinct chiefs responsible for taking back DC. To emphasize this, a stunning visual computer map of the city illustrates solved versus unsolved crime. The entire screen is covered in unsolved crimes.

"The District" focuses more on the emotional side of crime fighting rather than the actual crimes themselves. The date rape scenes seem out of place until the rapist conveniently turns out to be the good-for-nothing husband of Ella's sister. Chief Mannion's occasional bursts of spontaneous singing from musicals are comical at times and out of place in others. There are many characters that have potential for development throughout the season. Craig T. Nelson delivers a strong dramatic performance for his return to the small screen. Overall, "The District" proves that crime doesn't pay.