As I’ve watched the first season of For The People, I eagerly waited for the characters to grow and become as beloved as the original cast of Grey’s Anatomy. Give me that sweet, heartbreaking Denny and Izzie short-lived romance, that Yang and Burke are better than you connection, and that bad-decisions turns into endgame Shephard love! For The People season one , with only 10 episodes, has given us males that suck (read all about it here) and a season finale that tears it’s women down to their sucky level!
While I personally disliked Kate Littlejohn (Susannah Flood), and knew that she and I could never be friends, I respected her character, driven by career aspirations and disinterest in the distraction of romance. Additionally, I feared her cliche response to the constant come-ons of alpha male Leonard Knox (Regé-Jean Page). But as the season continued, it was revealed that her disinterest was in the men she worked with, not love, since she’s gay… which swayed me and now I like her/ we could be besties.
As for the aggressive prick… I mean, Knox, his character didn’t grow this season. Although he was respectful enough to stop pursuing Littlejohn when her relationship (with a woman) was revealed, his career focused personality persisted. In the finale it was decided that he would further his trajectory by relocating to Austin, TX.
Meanwhile, Sandra Bell (Brit Robertson) began the season as a formidable lawyer – respected and feared on both sides. Over 10 episodes we uncovered a few (and I mean few) truths about her, leaving her unchanged by the end of the season. Judge Byrne (Vondie Curtis-Hall) began our journey with a question: “Are you worthy?”, and since viewers knew the answer from the get go, it felt unnecessary for him to tell Ms. Bell that she indeed was.
Regarding love-birds Seth (Ben Rappaport) and Allison (Jasmin Savoy Brown), by the end of the season Seth grew(ish) from a sniveling whiney mope to someone resembling an adult. Allison, on the other hand, was somehow enticed by an aggressively flirtatious former client (read: Criminal). How her self-esteem plummeted after her ex-boyfriend announces that he’s still in love with her is beyond reason.
Finally, Jay (Wesam Keesh) – the character we know the least about, but I can’t tell if we care the least about – took steps forward in his personal, and professional life. By the end of season one, he not only had a girlfriend, but earned the respect of Littlejohn… which I guess is beneficial?
For The People will return with new episodes next season.
— Yael Tygiel