In a recent editorial, “Public (Sector) Television,” The New York Times suggested that judging by the current prime time TV schedule, Americans are “in the throes of a love affair with the federal government.” Although it may be an overstatement to call it love, the newspaper of record is clearly on to something here, perhaps what could be called a serious crush on the dramatic exploits of our public officials — and most of this affection having little to do with the Sept. 11 heroism of so many public employees. Just a few clicks of the remote control and one can find television shows that focus on any number of public employees, including members of Congress, national security agencies, the military, public schools and teachers, district attorneys and public defenders, and, of course, the White House, courtesy of the show they all try to emulate if not outright copy, “The West Wing.”

But perhaps the best evidence of this infatuation is that this past season, producers aired not one, but two dramatic series about the U.S. Supreme Court and the men and women who work there. Given that the public holds few institutions in as high esteem as they do the Supreme Court, and that few settings offer as good a natural dramatic backdrop as the Court’s majestic marble-encased courtroom and corridors, this attention probably shouldn’t have come as a surprise. What is surprising is that both of the shows flopped. Why?

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