Steve Blackman and Greg Ball know there's no tougher jury than one made up of couch potatoes.
So it's understandable the former Edmonton lawyers-turned-television-producers are suffering pre-trial jitters, awaiting the verdict on their new CTV series The Associates, which debuts Tuesday at 8 p.m.
"It's hard to judge right now, but we're optimistic," says Blackman, 30, of the series' chances for survival beyond its initial 13-episode commitment.
"We'd love to have 18 to 20 episodes next year. Twenty-two episodes would be a huge success."
The premiere marks the culmination of three years of work for Blackman and Ball, who conceived the drama while still articling.
They'd met at a Christmas party in 1997, surrounded by struggling frustrated lawyers like themselves.
"Everyone was talking about how miserable they were and what they'd do if they weren't lawyers," Blackman recalls.
The two quickly discovered they'd rather be writing screenplays than filing affidavits.
"I had a background in theatre, while Greg had a background in creative writing. We thought we should work together."
It made sense that they should write about what they knew best -- lawyers.
But they also wanted their series to stand out from the Allys and Practices of the TV world.
"We wanted to do something very different. Law shows had always been successful -- from Perry Mason to Law & Order. So how could we be different? None of those shows had young lawyers.
"There was The Paper Chase, but that was about law students, and then you jump 15 years ahead to Jack McCoy of Law & Order."
The Associates aims to fill the time between -- think The Young Matlock Chronicles.
"The thing that will make it work for lawyers and non-lawyers alike will be that it's about the characters' first job. Whatever career you're in, you can relate to that anxiety," Blackman says.
A year-and-a-half later in 1999, armed with 120 pages of character sketches and script notes, they headed to the Banff Television Festival.
There, they met with Practice producer David E. Kelly and ended up pitching their project to more than 20 producers. "We were just happy to be there. We didn't think we'd get offers," Ball, 28, says.
By August of 2000, cameras were rolling in Toronto, where the two relocated after ditching their legal careers.
The result stars Gabriel Hogan as a lawyer with a history of sexual indiscretion and Jennie Raymond as a bratty millionaire's daughter. As well, look for a canny legal genius and a fiery Texan.
Viewers, too, can expect the actors to doff their duds as much as they don their courtroom robes.
"We've got sex," Blackman says. "We have people who are 25 and they're full of hormones."
Having wrapped production on The Associates' first season, the producing pair head to L.A. next month to pitch more projects. "Ultimately we'd like to be a cross-national company -- shooting in Canada with American money."
Whatever The Associates' fate, neither of them are planning a return to law. "It'd be too hard to adjust to that lifestyle again," Ball says.
They've also inspired others to dust off long-shelved creative passions, he adds. "We have people who say, 'If you guys can do it, I can do it. I'm playing the trombone for the first time in 15 years.' "
Your Survivor pick
The Survivor with the Canadian connection will clean up Down Under, according to fans who have made their early picks on www.fyicalgary.com.
Kel Gleason, the U.S. army intelligence officer who was raised in Fredericton, N.B., leads the pack with nearly 30% of the online vote.
Gleason moved back to the U.S., where he was born, after graduating high school and currently lives in Texas. Tied for second place are retired cop Maralyn "Mad Dog" Hershey and custom auto designer Colby Donaldson, both with about 10%.
Elisabeth Filarski rounds out the final four.
Castaways make a Buzz
Original Survivors Gretchen and Ramona have made the Buzz cut. The two show up on the Comedy Network series that sends its hosts across Canada, harassing the public. They spent a day at an amusement park with the two castaways. The episode airs on j Jan. 28, which marks -- not coincidentally -- the return of Survivor.
