Woods sinks his teeth into 'Shark'

BY DIANE WERTS | Newsday Staff Writer

September 21, 2006

Showmanship sometimes seems to be a lost art in TV. Prime time this fall is an impressive parade of craftsmanship - strong ensemble casts in smart scripts, made resonant through crisp direction with classy production values. Never have the networks offered schedules of such broad-based quality with so few weak links.

And yet ...

Where's the wow-appeal of a piece that really sparkles? A show that leaps off the screen with passion, with fury? Something you can not just admire but really sink your emotional teeth into.

Chomp, chomp, here comes "Shark," and James Woods, in a pilot episode - directed by Spike Lee - that essentially dares you to try to stop watching. This hour struts its flashy stuff like Woods' commanding lead character, Sebastian Stark, a big-dollar Los Angeles defense attorney who hangs with the mayor and brags about how "I eat prosecutors for breakfast. They're my main source of fiber."

Before the opening credits roll, Woods and Lee have established the guy's bona fides in court, his braggadocio outside, the consequence of his conquests and the fallout within his own soul. They turn the character inside out to re-establish him within the conceit of the series - putting his "cutthroat manifesto" to better use in "a high-profile crime unit to nail rich folks with fancy lawyers" like him.

Whew. How glib. And how great. Good actors can get away with glib, and Woods is one of the best, persuasive enough to have you spotting freshness in the familiar and wisdom in cliches. They wouldn't persist if there hadn't been some kernel of truth in their creation, which Woods bores toward in lightning fashion, spewing his words with the urgency of a man possessed. He's out to save his soul and, oh yeah, his mantra, "to win." This is a show about "consuming ambition."

And its cost. Like the title predator, Woods leaves destruction in his wake, whether it's professional casualties or personal wreckage such as a neglected teen daughter (Danielle Panabaker), who now makes it her mission to help dad reclaim his humanity. In lesser hands, this might be tripe, but the confidence with which Woods embraces his new TV stage is invigorating. It's a star turn all the way, from flinty sarcasm to full-blown moral rage. Woods takes "Shark" by the reins and runs with it.

Lee is right in tandem, beautifully pacing this busy pilot, knowing when to send the camera in a whirl and when to let things chill. His smart reveals sleekly establish our new hero's ultramodern mansion, his considerably less ritzy prosecutorial digs, and even what we shouldn't want to swallow, a full-blown moot court at home for Woods' green young underlings to practice in.

OK, it's a bit much. But it gets the job done. Sharks can't stop swimming, or they die, right? No, but That's What They Say. Sounds good. Fits the profile. Provides a properly ravenous metaphor. Woods' "Shark" suits our times, too, in terms of both TV and current culture. Who needs more ensembles of equality gradually hashing things out? Time for a take-charge leader - a hero to get things done, to nail the bad guys and to do it with rules-be-damned relish. The star is out tonight, shining bright.

SHARK. James Woods goes for the throat as a high-powered defense attorney turned relentless prosecutor. Series premieres tonight at 10 on CBS/2.