Shark Bytes

For Canterbury's Law and its (ahem) audience, the water skis haven't hit the ramp yet, but wait for it. It's slated for a four season run -- sorry, t.v. isn't the democracy Neilson suggests. Thanks to an unusual personal services contract Julianna Margulies has with Rupert Murdoch himself, it's either this show or be the weekend girl on Fox News. The upside is it's actually good enough to warrant a four year run; but starting two episodes into the third season ER alum Anthony Edwards will dodge a murder rap and creepily pine for Canterbury in a later episode. Trust me, it's lame. Edwards is signed for two appearances and co-producer Dennis Leary will pinch hit for that character's third spot at season's end. Maybe all the time in the middle will dull our memories, but how's Tommy Gavin (whose series will finish a year earlier...don't ask) going to play it mousy and still call everyone a**hole? Fourth season will see more ER and Sopranos pop-ins. No Clooney though. The weirdest shark might be the off-season scenes planned for shooting this summer but not due to air for about a year featuring a pregnant Margulies showing "as much skin as allowed". The concept is nightmares of Canterbury's love life while preggers with her missing son. Know how it will go for turds? Because Rupert Murdoch developed it out of his schoolyard crush for Margulies and will give notes to keep his vision. He will have a writing credit; and probably go down as the biggest name to ever write an episode that jumped the shark...except for Alan Smithee, I guess.