Not that he deserves one just now. The DA wants to make cell phones in cars illegal. Between you and me, I think that's an excellent idea. Nick uses one of those ear piece thingies and manages to make it look sexy (that's no mean feat), and Jake really should get one of those. He's driving too fast and not paying attention to the road, he drops his phone between his legs and knocks down a pedestrian - and yet somehow he's convinced that he's blameless. But not to worry. Like all good TV lawyers, he does a little detective work of his own and manages to get off with nothing more punitive than driving school. Okay, there was a lot more to that story and Raphael Sbarge did an excellent job of looking progressively more ragged as his life proceeds to get flushed down the toilet, but there wasn't nearly enough Nick in there.

Nick does have some great moments, such as his tough-guy step forward at Jake's arrest, hands on hips, with 'What's the charge?' Or his reaction to Malcolm's lawyer joke. Or when he hangs his head during his weekly dressing down (from Alvin this time) and ends the conversation with a petulant 'Yeah, I got it.' Or the way he stares with a mixture of disbelief and lust at the baggie he finds in his pocket. Or his failed attempt to threaten to turn in his former drug dealer - who calls his bluff, and that's the end of that. As my father always told me, never make a threat you don't intend to carry out.

Nick has to deal with another freaky parent - this time it's Mrs Dempsey, Malcolm's mother. She wants her son back home because he is allegedly being used as a drug courier by his 'friend' Freddie Paddock. Nick shows uncharacteristic patience with Malcolm, without being patronising. I say uncharacteristic, because patience when dealing with his clients and colleagues is not Nick's strong suit. But it's becoming obvious that for all his reluctance at being a do-gooder, our hero has an affinity with young people that he must find extremely surprising.

Alvin has a little trouble keeping his boys under control this week. James gets a finger-wagging because he refuses to help a pooper-scooping woman with allergies. Nick gets several finger-waggings for all kinds of reasons, including making an F&A-related phone call from his broom closet, pretending to be a criminal lawyer, and accusing Mrs Dempsey of murder. One thing I love about this show is the way the characters can tell outright lies and yet believe they're telling the truth - hey, that's just what real people do all the time! We saw it in Indian Summer when Alvin denied ever feeling 'weak' - this was right after he'd slept with some scary woman with long fingernails - and now Nick denies accusing Mrs Dempsey when that's exactly what he just did, and got a bracing slap in the face for his efforts, too. Yet both men seem to think they're telling the truth. (Lawyers will be lawyers, I guess.)

On the other hand, we meet a couple of wonderful, honest, helpful folk this week to balance out those sweet-talkin' reckless-drivin' vehicular-homicide-committin' bald-faced-lyin' back-stabbin' lawyers. Firstly there's Colin, who used to be responsible for providing Nick with 'electric lunches', whatever that might be (what a sweet guy). Colin is certainly what we would call a fine upstanding citizen, inviting Nick in for refreshments, offering to help with the murder investigation, even slipping a parting gift into his pocket. If only there were more people like this in the world. For some reason, Nick is not impressed. He storms back to Colin's place, breaks down the door, throws the poor guy on his arse (that's 'ass' to you), and with barely contained rage he mutters, 'Don't make me angry... you wouldn't like me when I'm angry!' Before Nick has the chance to swell, turn green and pop out of his neatly pressed starched shirt (damn shame), Colin distracts him by introducing Miss Debbie.

And what a delectable damsel is young Debbie! This lovely lady risks life and limb to provide some helpful information to a cynical detective, who is awfully rude to her, I might add, leading to the arrest of a nasty drug dealer for murder. Okay, so the guy didn't actually kill anyone this week, but let's not worry about the details. It makes me go all gooey inside thinking about the possibilities with these two delightful people. I propose that Mr Hollander begin at once to write a new drama show, called Colin and Debbie: Love and Coke in a Time of Innocence.

I would watch it. I would!

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* Resists temptation upon finding himself confronted with a bag of Special K.

* Attempts (somewhat unsucessfully, but it's the thought that counts) to be supportive of Jake.

• Nick is squeamish about blood and/or dead bodies.
• Nick probably used to frequent Colin's place for 'electric lunches' in his bad-boy days.
• After his arrest, Nick gave Colin money and didn't turn him in.
• James is the best lawyer that Alvin's got.

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