Squee! Hooray for True Blood. I first saw the rough cut pilot and was definitely nervous, but they really polished the show up before air and the second episode did a much better job at finding its rhythm. And I am -so- glad that I get to be attached to a show without worrying if it'll be canceled right when I start loving it.

...I weep for you, _The Middleman_. Really. :(

I don't see how HBO could decide to renew True Blood after only 2 episodes have been shown (and it looks like the decision was made after only the premiere was aired). So far I'm not sure what to think of the show other than Anna Paquin is incredibly beautiful and looks great as a blond (as opposed to black hair with a gray streak in the front a la X-Men). So far I liked Moonlight better than True Blood.

At least HBO didn't renew John From Cincinnatti after one or two shows.

I will say this - now that I know the show will be back for a second season I'm more inclined to watch it. As others have pointed out, getting oneself emotionally invested in new, first-season shows is an endeavor in frustration and disappointment since so many are randomly cancelled... in fact there's usually a correlation between the quality of the show and the likelihood that it will be cancelled (crap sells and millions of people won't understand an intelligent show that requires mentation, so they'll watch "Will You Eat Worms" instead).

I like the idea of TV shows showing how evil prosecutors are - most cop/law shows make the prosecutors out as wonderful people fighting the evil criminals and "putting them away" for the sake of the poor, sobbing victims. So any show ("Justice" was a good example) that shows how prosecutors really are - evil, unfair, cruel, and conviction-obsessed - is a nice change of pace. So I like that aspect of Raising the Bar. But the show just sucks, and as a lawyer myself, there are just so many legal flaws with it I can't bear to watch. I saw the first two episodes and got tired of it pretty quick. The fact that there will be a second season doesn't change that.

Come on, are you really saying that there aren't some shows that are so bad that they shouldn't be canceled quickly (Hole In The Wall)? Sure, most shows should be given a chance but there are also some shows that are really deserving of a quick death.

Count me in as a fan of Raising the Bar

Raising the Bar does make Boston Legal look like a courtroom documentary isn't it! I completely agree, at least Boston Legal doesn't take itself seriously with its silliness, but Raising the Bar takes itself way to seriously with its over the top antics. Can't stand the show, and just like the majority of critics said, the show actually lowers the bar.

I love Raising the Bar... My brother is a deputy d.a. and it's more true to life than not.

As for Mark Paul Gosselaar... he's terrific....

and it's Steven not ph.... wonder what else you got wrong?
The stupid leading the ignorant......

I'd watch True Blood if HBO didn't charge me $15 a month for it. There is nothing on that channel that justifies that much money these days. They'd get a lot more viewers if they became a normal cable station like TBS or TNT. Even for that crappy legal show TNT is getting 5 million viewers, compared to HBO's 1-2 million.

"... are we entering a new (old) era where shows are given a chance to find an audience. ... Wouldn't that be great for television?"

From your lips to Gods' ears. Please. :-)

Now if someone would pick up Moonlight, Jericho and Blood Ties, that would make my day!

Part of me feels like CBS must be kicking themselves right now. Considering the PR surrounding True Blood and Twilight, if they had kept Moonlight around for another seasons (albeit for fewer eps), they could've cashed in on the vampire bandwagon -

Perhaps network TV should also take a page from cable and British television, it isn't necessary to have a straight up 22 ep season or to force shows to continue long after the punchline has punched -