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Critic Reviews
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The procedural, case-a-week format is filled with legal cliches, and Weatherly’s know-it-all character, aptly named Jason Bull, is tiring.
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As interesting as Bull‘s juror-research aspects are, the actual courtroom scenes are over-the-top, with witnesses arguing with lawyers (and, in one case, assaulting them) from the stand.
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Weatherly is the here, the now and the only overriding reason to watch Bull. On his own or in the NCIS ensemble, his star quality is obvious and likely enough to carry Bull through a multi-season run.
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Bull is certainly a light, breezy offering that could help you unwind after a long Tuesday. But if you’re looking for something with a little more meat and meaning, you’re going to have to visit another courtroom.
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It's an OK CBS procedural where Weatherly's character, Dr. Jason Bull, always seems like the smartest guy in the room when he's running mock trials using a mock jury.
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Bull is sleek in look, pace and technique--and crafty enough to indulge CBS’ trademark dollop of human feeling amid the flash. But it’s essentially breezy TV junk food, leaving behind a prefab aftertaste.
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In following a case-of-the-week format with the series, the show must rely on its level of technical nuance and the wit of its characters, and Bull doesn’t let anyone but Weatherly really stand out.
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Weatherly is a very appealing star. The Dr. Phil thing would seem to be more a detriment than an advantage. Only the fact that Weatherly is so likable keeps Bull from being unbearably obnoxious.
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No one in Bull’s crew stands out after the first episode; it’s a generic batch of hard-charging employees. Mr. Weatherly fares better, retaining some of the impishness of his “N.C.I.S.” character, Anthony DiNozzo, while growing up a bit.
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While the series tries to dazzle you with high-tech sophistication, it fumbles around when it comes to the human factors.
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Weatherly, who spent 13 seasons with “NCIS,” is an able charismatic lead--snarky and smart-alecky in a way that suggests both unnecessary toughness and vulnerability underneath it. ... But the show itself is totally ridiculous, in concept and execution.
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CBS already has (and has had) a lot of shows like Bull, only better constructed and less annoying. Even Weatherly's most devoted fans may find this one a load of bull.
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There’s hardly a moment that’s believable, or an actor who isn’t wasted.
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There’s probably an interesting show to be made about this line of work, but Bull quickly lapses into the standard prime-time bull.
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The courtroom scenes are both melodramatic and unconvincing. ... The production makes frequent use of man-on-the-street interviews and social media overlays, which makes it feel prematurely dated, rather than of the moment. It's a little ridiculous, and rarely convincing.
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Designed mostly as a showcase for Weatherly and generator of one-off episodes that go down easy after NCIS, Bull is still working to meet even that low bar, though I guess minor revisions to the original pilot helped.
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Bull isn’t trying to be a bad show. It just is. That’s probably because it doesn’t know itself. From watching the pilot, it’s evident that the show’s M.O. is taking buzz-worthy aspects of other shows and smooshing them all together into one program, thus attempting to create a new smash out of ingredients from others.
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Weatherly is a solid actor as well, but his performance in Bull isn’t enough to overcome that show’s bad writing.
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It's a wretched mess and arguably an offense against human intelligence.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 47 out of 108
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Mixed: 13 out of 108
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Negative: 48 out of 108
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Sep 21, 2016
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Sep 30, 2016
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Sep 27, 2016