Review: It’s easy to say no, no, no to ‘Notorious’; c’mon, ABC, you know better

You can say this for the new ABC drama “Notorious”: It’s got the answer to “should I watch?” built right into the title.

Though it seems built from other, better, shows, Josh Berman’s by-the-numbers tale of the line-blurring relationship between a smart ‘n sexy talk-show producer (Piper Perabo) and a hunky criminal defense attorney (Daniel Sunjata) is, apparently, based on the real-life partnership between criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos and former “Larry King Live” producer Wendy Walker.

Now, “based on” is a very elastic term in television, and in this case we can only hope that it means something along the lines of “barely,”“hardly” or “just enough to get Walker and Geragos producer credits” because otherwise, King and his team have some explaining to do.

Just in case the “media” hasn’t been roasted enough for the insanity of this presidential campaign, “Notorious” quickly confirms everyone’s absolute worst fears: Bald manipulation of the news cycle — for the sake of ratings, to aid potential criminals or just because it’s so fun to do — really is the name of the game.

With her crisp delivery and “make-it-happen” attitude, Julia (Perabo) may be a relation of Holly Hunter’s control-freak producer in “Broadcast News.” But morally and professionally, she’s third cousin once removed and possibly struck from the family Bible. Introduced mid-coital gasp, she is the standard power gal in a pencil skirt, happy to interrupt l’amour to check a buzzing phone. “Our quickie went into overtime,” she says, heading for the door.

And we’re off.

Happily manipulating everything and everyone to provide her show, “Louise Herrick Live,” with good gets, Julia is regularly aided by Jake (Sunjata), an attorney who clearly is less interested in the law than controlling the publicity that has, apparently, come to replace it.

And in case you thought subtlety was going to be a problem, the first episode revolves around a young billionaire arrested for a hit-and-run involving a young boy.

Jake and Julia are considered The Best at what they do, but they each have personal problems — Julia’s boyfriend’s a dud (see above) and Jake’s in love with his client’s wife. The problem is that, for all their unprofessional line-blurring, they are presented not as antiheroic sharks but as likable, slightly goofy partners in crime.

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Which is nothing compared to what Kate Jennings Grant has to face as Louise Herrick. Suffice to say that while formidable on screen, Louise spends most of her downtime as a negligée-wearing, party-rific, young-stud chaser.

Grant does the very best she can, but come on.

All of this would be troubling if the show offered any reason at all for the viewer to give it much thought.

With its onslaught of new shows good and bad, the fall inevitably reminds us that it’s difficult to make a standout series, but “Notorious” doesn’t even try. It is cynical without being smart.

Berman and ABC apparently believe it’s OK to waste the considerable talent of a cast on a show that halfheartedly duplicates the pacing and attitude of previous hits without bothering to create compelling characters or interesting plots.

But you know what? They’re wrong.

‘Notorious’

Where: ABC

When: 9 p.m. Thursday

Rating: TV-PG (may be unsuitable for young children)

mary.mcnamara@latimes.com

@marymacTV