Benched

Synopsis

Nina is a dedicated, career driven corporate attorney who has a very public nervous breakdown after getting passed up for an expected promotion and now finds herself working as a public defender. Her personal and professional worlds are turned upside down when she joins the ranks of the legal world’s underdogs and very quickly realizes that the law isn't quite as fair as she once thought.

First Air Date: 2014-10-28

Last Air Date: 2014-12-30

Number of Seasons: 1

Number of Episodes: 12

Created By: Damon Jones, Michaela Watkins

Networks: USA Network

View Technical Specifications on IMDb

Top Cast

Eliza Coupe as Nina
Jay Harrington as Phil
Carter MacIntyre as Trent
Oscar Nuñez as Carlos
Jolene Purdy as Micah
Maria Bamford as Cheryl
Peter Spruyt as Boring Larry
Fred Melamed as Judge Don Nelson
Cedric Yarbrough as Morris
Jack McGee as Burt

Seasons

Season 1 (2014)

No overview available for this season.

Episodes:

Ep. 1: Pilot (2014-10-28)

Corporate lawyer Nina Whitley has given up a lot in her climb to the top. However, when she's passed over for a promotion and her former fiance gets engaged to another woman, Nina has an epic meltdown.
Ep. 2: Downsizing (2014-11-04)

Nina attends a gala honoring public defenders; however, her former colleagues are unimpressed.
Ep. 3: Hooked & Booked (2014-11-11)

Phil tricks Nina into believing that all of the public defenders voluntarily go to jail to better understand their clients. She learns what lengths she'll go to be a part of the gang.
Ep. 4: Sell It (2014-11-18)

Nina discovers that she needs a refresher on influencing jurors and winning friends. Phil and Trent have to deal with a curmudgeonly judge.
Ep. 5: Shark, Actually (2014-11-25)

Nina is concerned that she is being played by a private defense lawyer assigned to help her. Phil attempts to impress a pretty stenographer.
Ep. 6: Rights and Wrongs (2014-12-02)

Nina must accept that losing cases to Trent is a fact of life. Carlos gives up smoking, which worries the rest of the gang.
Ep. 7: Curry Favor (2014-12-09)

Nina makes friends with a spunky forensics analyst who takes the concept of loyalty a bit too seriously. Carlos gets worrisome glimpse into Phil's life.
Ep. 8: Diamond Is a Girl's Worst Friend (2014-12-16)

Nina is assigned one of Phil's former defendants and lands herself in a bet with Phil. Meanwhile, Phil and Carlos decide to teach Micah a lesson.
Ep. 9: A New Development (2014-12-23)

Nina discovers the D.A.'s plans to arrest the city's homeless and faces a crisis of conscience.
Ep. 10: Solitary Refinement (2014-12-23)

An old friend asks Nina to set her up with Phil, a female judge takes a liking to Carlos, and Nina goes on an ill-fated date of her own.
Ep. 11: Campaign Contributions (2014-12-30)

Phil is on the shortlist for Public Defender of the Year; Trent brings a young boy to court.
Ep. 12: Brief Encounters (2014-12-30)

Nina faces a difficult choice after reuniting with Trent; Phil examines his own relationships.