AVERAGE

David E. Kelley paused his attorneys for a while and created a show about Winslow High School in Boston, a fictional inner-city school that was always short on cash but long on dedicated teachers.

Kelley employed his usual mix of soapish drama, humor and the occasional touch of absurdity; it was fresh and interesting. The writers addressed many social issues and the problems teenagers were concerned with, but the show did lose steam after a while and was canceled before a proper finale could be taped.

Always reliable were the performances by Chi McBride, Anthony Heald and Loretta Devine as complex, flawed but devoted educators. 

2000-2004:U.S. 81 episodes. Color. Created by David E. Kelley. Theme: Thomas Newman. Cast: Chi McBride (Steven Harper), Anthony Heald (Scott Guber), Loretta Devine (Marla Hendricks), Sharon Leal, Fyvush Finkel, Jeri Ryan (01-04), Michael Rapaport (01-04), Jessalyn Gilsig (00-02), Nicky Katt (00-02), Jon Abrahams (02-04), Joey McIntyre (02-04), Tom McCarthy (00-01), Joey Slotnick (00-01), Rashida Jones (00-02), China Shavers (01-03), Kathy Baker (00-02).