'All Rise' Producer Michael M Robin on Pandemic-Inspired Virtual Episode

Michael M.Robin, the producer of the CBS criminal justice series "All Rise," opened up about the inspiration for the virtual episode and how they were able to make it a reality.

With the world trying to grapple with the current realities of the lockdown, people are looking for ways to maintain a semblance of normalcy in a situation that has not been experienced before.

To help make things feel a little "normal" and introduce people to the new normal, the cast and crew of the CBS criminal justice series, "All Rise," have produced the first virtual episode of the series.

Detailing the experience and what let to it, producer Michael M. Robin explained that the idea to do a virtual episode came after he and the producers had their regular check-in meetings via Zoom.

Michael Robin stated that during the meeting, he began to wonder if there was something that could be done, and if perhaps they could do something with everyone from their various locations. He also said:

"Our actors were going through what the characters are going through — literally. They're like, 'I don't quite know what to d... what's that gonna be."

He further explained, saying that the actors were able to portray what the characters were feeling in terms of the trepidation of the times as they were also going through the same thing with production being shut down.

After he consulted with Gil Garcetti, a consulting producer on the show, Michael realized that there was a story to be told about how the era of social distancing was affecting the criminal justice system.

Michael gave kudos to the "human spirit" of the "All Rise" team.

Robin explained that he had to ask himself the question of how to get the court system moving again, and following a check-in with casts of the show, he realized it was something that could be pulled off.

As this sort of thing had not been done before, the biggest challenge encountered was how to go about the execution of the virtual episode with cast and crew scattered. To overcome the problem Michael revealed, saying;

"We had to go into the homes or wherever our actors happened to be... That provided a challenge, but it was also an interesting thing to try to beat."

With determination to see it through, the crew came up with a means which involved creating an internet room where the character could dial in, and their feed could be captured individually and collectively.

Michael gave kudos to the "human spirit" of the "All Rise" team and thanked them for the innovation at such a time as this.

The new episode set to air on the 4th of May follows how the characters are living their lives in the era of social distancing with Judge Lola Carmichael — played by Simone Missick — virtually overseeing a bench trial that involves a dispute over two brothers and a stolen car.

Ultimately, with the global film industry facing close to a five billion dollar loss due to the coronavirus outbreak, "All Rise" would give people something to enjoy.