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Why 'Cupertino' Is CBS's New AI-in-the-Courtroom Legal Drama
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In brief
"Cupertino" is a CBS legal drama, created by Robert and Michelle King, about two Silicon Valley lawyers who sue tech companies over harms linked to artificial intelligence. It premiered on October 8, 2026, and has drawn strong reviews for using courtroom cases to dramatize real debates over AI oversight, from chatbot harms to algorithmic decision-making.
"Cupertino" is a new CBS legal drama built around a question many viewers are already asking offscreen: who is accountable when artificial intelligence causes harm? Created by Robert and Michelle King, the series follows two Silicon Valley attorneys who turn that question into a weekly courtroom fight, according to the show's official overview and reviews published around its October 8, 2026 premiere.
What the show is about
The series centers on Michael Price (Mike Colter), a startup attorney who loses his job and his stock options, and Olivia Siffre (Rachel Keller), another dismissed lawyer. Together they open a firm that represents people harmed by technology companies, according to Wikipedia's entry on the series and a review in Time. The supporting cast includes Ella Stiller, Nik Dodani, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Busy Philipps, per the same sources.
The series was developed by Robert and Michelle King through their King Size Productions banner together with CBS Studios, and Robert King directed the pilot episode, according to Wikipedia's page on the show.
How AI enters the courtroom
Each episode frames a different AI-related dispute as a legal case. Reviews from Time and The A.V. Club, both read for this piece, describe storylines involving a chatbot accused of encouraging violence, a betting app, a large language model involved in decisions about organ-transplant recipients, and AI-generated songs that cut into royalties for human musicians.
Time's review, by critic Judy Berman, frames the show's underlying conflict as "David and Goliath," noting that in the Kings' telling, the tech-industry 'Goliaths protect each other.' The review also describes the series as balancing informational material about technology's social impact with humor and character work.
Time's review flagged limited development for the Michael Price character beyond his resentment toward his father, and noted a running joke about service workers pitching startup ideas feels dated.
The A.V. Club's review, by Saloni Gajjar, gave the series a B+ and described it as "the strongest new broadcast series in recent memory," praising its dialogue and lead performances while noting a lack of Asian representation in the cast relative to the real demographic makeup of the region the show is named after.
Where and when to watch
"Cupertino" airs on CBS on Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET, following "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage," according to Wikipedia's entry on the series. New episodes are available on Paramount+ the day after broadcast for subscribers on any plan, or live for those with the Premium plan.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Network | CBS |
| Premiere | October 8, 2026 |
| Creators | Robert King and Michelle King |
| Leads | Mike Colter, Rachel Keller |
| Setting | Fictional law firm suing tech companies |
| Core theme | Legal accountability for AI-related harm |
Questions
- What is 'Cupertino' about?
- It follows two lawyers, Michael Price and Olivia Siffre, who are fired from a Silicon Valley startup and start their own firm to sue tech companies over AI-related harms, according to Wikipedia's entry on the series.
- Who created 'Cupertino'?
- Robert and Michelle King created the series through their King Size Productions banner with CBS Studios, according to Wikipedia and reviews in Time and The A.V. Club.
- When did 'Cupertino' premiere and where can I watch it?
- It premiered on CBS on October 8, 2026, airing Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET, with episodes also streaming on Paramount+, according to Wikipedia's page on the show.
- What kinds of AI legal cases does the show cover?
- Reviewed episodes include cases involving a chatbot linked to violent behavior, a betting app, an AI used in organ-transplant decisions, and AI-generated music affecting human artists' royalties, per Time and The A.V. Club reviews.
- How has 'Cupertino' been received by critics?
- Time's review described it as an enjoyable, tightly constructed debut, and The A.V. Club gave it a B+, calling it the strongest new broadcast series in recent memory, though both noted some shortcomings in character depth or cast representation.
Sources
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