All Rise season 2, episode 8 preview: Bette Davis Eyes

The next episode of All Rise has some serious star power, both in terms of characters and the actors playing them.

The TV crime drama has lined up some more impressive guest stars for “Bette Davis Eyes.” Fans will get Golden Globe winner Lesley Ann Warren, whom genre fans will remember fondly as Jinx Shannon on USA’s In Plain Sight, playing a Hollywood actress charged with a 30-year-old murder.

It’s also a huge plus to see Jere Burns come back for another episode as Adam Pryce. Burns is one of those actors who chews the scenery to perfection (see his recurring role on Justified), and with Warren’s character Samara Strong being Pryce’s next client, that should be a great combination.

Unfortunately, that also means a major headache for Mark Callan (Wilson Bethel).

All Rise season 2, episode 8 preview

After All Rise wrapped up Mark’s battle with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department during the previous episode, you’d think the writers would give him a break.

Instead, he has to go up against one of his nemeses prosecuting a crime that allegedly happened well before he even thought of becoming a lawyer—and to make matters worse, the episode reveals that Mark used to be a huge fan of Samara’s as a child.

Now that sounds like the kind of thing that might make someone recuse themselves from a case, just not wanting to deal with the headache or perception of potential bias, so keep an eye on how All Rise explains Mark getting attached to this case. He’s certainly going to have his work cut out for him, and this would also be a good time to learn more about Mark’s childhood.

Don’t forget the rest of the main characters, though. While Lola Carmichael (Simone Missick) is still out on maternity leave, everyone else on the CBS series still has their own cases and problems to deal with.

How will Luke Watkins (J. Alex Brinson) continue his exploration of restorative justice—and after how he got into some hot water for the idea, will he be able to find a way to make these ideas fit within the existing system at the District Attorney’s Office?

Will the court staff continue to panic over having to work for someone other than Lola? What cases will the defense attorneys pick up this week, and will there be a media frenzy around the courthouse thanks to Mark’s case that everybody else will also have to deal with lest their cases get lost in the shuffle?

When big-name guest stars drop into TV shows, particularly crime dramas that often follow a strict episodic structure, there can be the tendency for them to become the center of the show at everyone else’s expense. But All Rise has two great ones here, paired together in a plot that has tons of potential—and still other topics it can utilize to flesh out the hour.

Get your popcorn, because this is going to be a fun ride.

Next. How All Rise makes the argument for restorative justice. dark

All Rise airs Mondays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

Home/TV Crime Dramas