Creator Tom Donaghy: The Whole Truth Is Not Your Grandpa's Courtroom Drama
The Whole Truth
Despite appearances, ABC's The Whole Truth is not just another lawyer show, says executive producer Tom Donaghy.
"It differs [in] its very form," he says. Whereas other courtroom dramas have focused on either the prosecution or the defense, "our show offers both perspectives. To my knowledge, that hasn't been done before."
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The series stars Rob Morrow and Maura Tierney as dueling defender and prosecutor in weekly cases. Donaghy says the show will be a true procedural, wrapping up cases in each episode.
"I'm a fan of the standalone and what it can do," he says. "It's kind of like a short story that you read at the end of the day that can be completely satisfying in itself. That kind of form for me as a storyteller is most satisfying."
"I don't want fans to feel like they have to track stuff. That's exciting storytelling, but that's not what we're doing with this."
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On the other hand, Morrow and Tierney's characters do have a rich history that will be explored. Their relationship is inspired by the Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn films. "They were always pitted against each other, but always drawn to each other," Donaghy says.
Check out Tierney and Morrow's chemistry in our video interview with them below:
The Whole Truth premieres Wednesday at 10/9c on ABC.