Season 1 of the legal/crime drama Goliath on Amazon Prime may provide clues as to whether Season 2 is worth binge-watching. Both seasons consist of eight episodes starring Oscar-winner Billy Bob Thornton. Season 2 premiered on June 15.

In a somewhat of a callback to The Verdict starring Paul Newman, Goliath is a trope-fest with Thornton playing Billy McBride, a down-and out alcoholic trial lawyer seeking redemption (is there any other kind on TV or in the movies) by suing a defense contractor represented by his former high-profile firm. In case you’re wondering, McBride does indeed have an ex-wife and an estranged teenage daughter to cover the rest of the trope bases.

Thornton is good in just about every role he tackles, and the McBride character is assisted by another sketchy attorney (Patty Solis-Papagian) portrayed by Nina Arianda, who also does a fine job. Supporting actors, including trial adversary Molly Parker from House of Cards, also do well.

Goliath was created by David E. Kelly (of L.A. Law and Ally McBeal fame) and Jonathan Shapiro. Parenthetically, the opening credit sequence  seems to be evocative to some degree of HBO’s excellent Boardwalk Empire.

Admittedly, the content in Goliath is engaging throughout. That said, the plot is completely implausible to the point of ridiculousness, suggesting that the production really needed a common-sense monitor on set.

First, would the Solis-Papagian character really hand a wrongful death and negligence case worth millions to a lawyer who works  (and lives)  out of a sleazy motel room and meets clients in a bar?

As an aside, McBride smoke more cigarettes than the typical suspect pulled over on LivePD, which is saying something, notwithstanding the latest CDC data that smoking has hit an all-time low in the U.S.

Further, McBride seems to be able to easily reveal the coverup involving the evil corporation, assisted by people who miraculously show up on the street to provide information to advance the plot. The evidently incompetent BigLaw firm — situated in outlandishly luxurious offices — despite an army of lawyers, investigators, and support staff and other resources apparently know  nothing about the case and is constantly blindsided. The clichéd events in Goliath got so incongruous — including murder,  going full Rockford Files — that viewers can’t be blamed for the temptation of rooting for the bad guys rather than the underdog.

Moreover, motions to dismiss aren’t heard the day after a case is filed. And discovery doesn’t start immediately either. And since when are cases thrown out of federal court without notice? Legal cases, especially of this magnitude, drag on for years even before they are set for trial. And given that the deceased employee’s wife has already settled, it’s unclear if the son would have legal standing to sue in the first place.

With all of its F-bombs, Goliath could give an episode of The Sopranos for its money, and apparently the production didn’t get the memo that cursing is frowned upon in the courtroom.

Another absurdity is McBride’s foe and former law partner Donald Cooperman (William Hurt), the Bond-like, voyeuristic villain who lives in a always-dark penthouse suite above the firm, agreeing to testify at trial as if McBride’s subpoena power is a form of Kryptonite. Cooperman is well connected in several different ways, but nonetheless blunders.

While it would not be out of the question for a hypocritical law firm to fire an employee in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, it’s ridiculous to assume that a firm would let go an attorney (in this instance, Cooperman’s protegé) directly involved in a case in the middle of a trial.

In the real world, the evil CEO would never reveal the corporation’s dastardly deeds to the plaintiff’s attorney, and the latter would likely hold off on notifying the FBI until the settlement check cleared. It appears that California is a two-party-consent state, to the tape-recorded conversation would presumably be inadmissible anyway.

The Got This Covered website, which came up with the Bond villain comparison, summarized that “There’s no doubt Thornton brings his southern charm and apathetic charisma to McBride, but a character this thinly veiled isn’t in need of more superficial quips and hangups.”

Given how Goliath Season 1 unfolded, Season 2 is probably more of the same.