Main Cast: Jennifer Finnigan, Kimberly Elise, John Carroll Lynch, Christian Kane
Release Year: 2005
Country: US
Run Time: 60 minutes
Plot
Though created by Jim Leonard, the weekly, hour-long CBS crime-and-punishment series Close to Home bore the distinctive stamp of executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer, whose previous procedural dramas included Cold Case and the CSI franchise. Jennifer Finnigan starred as Annabeth Chase, a hotshot prosecutor -- and new mom -- living and working in Indianapolis. Returning from pregnancy leave, Annabeth discovered that her motherhood had cost her a promotion, and that during her absence she'd acquired a new boss, Maureen Scofield (Kimberly Chase), who was now worried that Annabeth would let her hormones rule her head in legal matters. Nonetheless, our heroine was dedicated to the point of obsession with ridding her town of serial murderers and sex criminals, especially those who hid behind the veneer of "folks next door" respectability. Also in the cast were Christian Kane as Annabeth's husband, Jack, and John Carroll Lynch as her colleague Steve Sharpe. Close to Home made its network bow on October 4, 2005. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Wendy Weidman - Casting, Barbara Fiorentino - Casting, Rebecca Mangieri - Casting, Simon West - Director, Kevin Krasny - Editor, Jerry Bruckheimer - Executive Producer, Jonathan Littman - Executive Producer, Jim Leonard - Executive Producer, Michael A. Levine - Composer (Music Score), Jeanette Surga - Composer (Music Score), Edward Mcavoy - Production Designer, Eric Schmidt - Cinematographer, Jill Danton - Producer, Jim Leonard - Screenwriter
Annabeth Chase is a criminalprosecutor with a near perfect conviction record. Throughout the series, she lost only one case, in the first season's second-to-last episode. She was married to a construction worker, Jack Chase (Christian Kane), and has an infant daughter, Hailey.
The show revolves around her balancing her career and family life, as a prosecutor in the city of Indianapolis.
First season
In the pilot episode, Chase returns from a 12-week maternity leave to find herself with a new boss, Maureen Scofield (Kimberly Elise), who has been promoted instead of her. Maureen is a no-nonsense woman who sometimes resents Chase's personal life. Above her is County Prosecutor Steve Sharpe (John Carroll Lynch). Chase wins the first case she prosecutes upon her return to work: an abusive husband is sentenced to 25 years in jail without parole.
Second season
Annabeth returns to work four months after her husband was killed by a drunk driver on the first season finale. Annabeth's coming to terms with her husband's death, her grief, and her struggle to return to normalcy coupled with the guilt and trials of being a single parent are recurring themes throughout the season.
Annabeth and Maureen also face a new boss, Chief Deputy Prosecutor James Conlon (David James Elliott), who has just arrived from New York, and whose methods appear to the two prosecutors to be too forceful and sometimes unethical.
Near the end of the season, Conlon attempts an attorney general campaign which is derailed as police corruption is discovered, resulting in several prosecutions. Scofield is assassinated as a result of these prosecutions. The season (and series) ends with Chase successfully prosecuting Scofield's assassin.
