Since you’re probably reading this review on your phone or on your laptop, you’re well aware of how deeply technology has permeated our everyday lives. (Unless you printed this out to read on paper, in which case: Respect!) Robert and Michelle King’s new CBS drama “Cupertino” — premiering this Thursday at 10 p.m.; I’ve seen the first five episodes — tackles that tech invasion head-on, with an upstart law firm battling Big Tech billionaires in the courtroom. It’s a strong premise, written with brains and precision… and it’s admittedly kind of fun to see these smug tech bros get their just desserts for once.
Mike Colter, who also starred in the Kings’ earlier CBS drama “Evil,” plays attorney Michael Price, who’s fired from a rising tech start-up and accused of leaking proprietary information. But he suspects they got rid of him to seize his valuable equity, and when a low-level lawyer at the company named Olivia (Rachel Keller) is fired the same day, they join forces to fight back. No attorney in the greater Bay Area will take their case, though, because they don’t want to bite the Big Tech hand that feeds them. (“You’re in the gold rush,” another lawyer warns Michael. “Don’t sue the gold mine.”) So Michael and Olivia strike out on their own, forming their own law firm and teaming up to represent the disgruntled workers that the giant tech companies use up and then carelessly discard.
It’s an underdog story, with Big Tech as the bad guys
With Michael and Olivia’s shoestring firm taking on high-priced legal teams, the Kings have conjured up a real underdog story here, and it’s undeniably satisfying to see the lawyers holding arrogant tech CEOs’ feet to the fire. (“These tech bros are reckless, and need guardrails,” Olivia declares.) “Cupertino” has a sturdy story engine, too, with new cases of high-tech malfeasance walking through their doors each week, from a murder egged on by a chatbot to desperate workers paid pennies to train A.I. systems to volatile prediction markets rigged for political influence. These tech companies have taken on such a massive role in our society that it’s easy to feel like they’re untouchable, but Michael and Olivia manage to land some solid punches, and it’s a pleasure just to sit back and watch smart people do their jobs well.
There’s a quirky comedic vibe to all of this, too, with a peppy flamenco score and a host of ornery judges for Michael and Olivia to face in court. “Cupertino” offers a darkly satirical perspective on the current tech boom that’s reminiscent of the HBO comedy “Silicon Valley,” where even your Uber driver has a killer app they’re trying to sell you. Michael and Olivia manage to squat in a luxury office abandoned by a failed start-up, showing off their gorgeously appointed lobby while hiding the barren rooms behind each door. (It’s a metaphor, really, for the smoke and mirrors found everywhere in the tech world.) There, they contend with everything from swaggering young dudes who pay in gold bars and have “6969” as their password to kooky anti-technology militants who would rather die than use ChatGPT. There’s also a wild twist in the form of a mysterious client named Bo that feels like science fiction at first… but actually, it might just be tomorrow’s headlines today.
The cast offers lots of fun guest stars
The Kings know legal drama from their years helming “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight,” and they bring in plenty of courtroom tricks and traps here, along with a heavy dash of whimsy. (Between this, “Elsbeth,” and “Matlock,” CBS is cornering the market on legal dramas that double as screwball comedies.) The cast is stellar as well: Mike Colter brings a commanding presence as Michael, and Ella Stiller — who recently broke out on “The Comeback” — is a blast as the firm’s sassy assistant Christy. We get lots of fun guest stars, too, like Busy Philipps as billionaire divorcée Natalia, Renée Elise Goldsberry as Michael’s ex Nichole, and Joe Morton as Michael’s celebrity lawyer dad Bayard.
It pays to air on a network, too: “Cupertino” will deliver a whopping 20 episodes (!) in its freshman season, which feels downright luxurious these days and gives the characters the room they need to stretch out and grow at their own pace. Five episodes in, they’re growing quite nicely, in fact. “Cupertino” might make you want to throw your smartphone into the ocean, but hang onto your laptop, at least — so you can see how Michael and Olivia’s quest for justice turns out.
THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: CBS’ courtroom drama “Cupertino” tackles Big Tech with brains and precision, giving us an underdog story that’s easy to root for.
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