Monday, December 20, 2010

10 Best Legal Shows in TV History

10 Best Legal Shows in TV History

8 comments:

Todd Mason said...

No.

THE GOOD WIFE is already better than all of these.

And while it was weakest dealing with the courts, THE WIRE was better than most.

And THE PRACTICE/BOSTON LEGAL wasn't better than much of anything...despite being the work of a lapsed lawyer, as honcho...who nonetheless had also led LA LAW to much of its most artificial drama.

Anonymous said...

Boston Legal? The Practice?

You must be kidding.

I agree with everything Todd said, though I wish someone would drop Alicia's kids in the middle of Lake Michigan real soon.

David Kelley has another new one coming. I'm not expecting much, though Kathy Bates looks amusing in the preview.

Jeff

Dwight Brown said...

List fails without mention of "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers".

Bud said...

I guess it depends on one's definition of and expectations for "legal shows". Still fonder of L.A. Law with all its "artificial drama" than the others mentioned.
Rumpole of the Bailey remains my favorite because of Leo McKern & John Mortimer's writing.
Most interesting & entertaining view of American legal system at the time (1974) was a made-for-tv movie "The Law" with Judd Hirsch et al.

Brent McKee said...

Surprisingly good list if for no oher reason than that they mention the original "The Defenders," whic was one of the great relevant series of all times. "Murder One" was a great show for one season. Unfortunately it ran for two seasons; the Daniel Benzali season is the one to see, skip the Anthony Lapaglia season.

Todd Mason said...

You know, I didn't even hate the second season of MURDER ONE, though the first was indeed better. LA LAW was better when Kelley wasn't working on it, in its first and last few seasons...a cute name-check for Harlan Ellison was one of the few non-lowlights of the Kelley seasons. And I missed THE BOLD ONES, and unlike THE DEFENDERS and PM, never got tos see repeats. RUMPOLE, however, was also better than any of the cited series, even as good as L&O could be.

Another slighted series, by NBC as well as by the listmakers, is SHANNON'S DEAL.

Another, which I haven't seen but have heard nothing but good about, is SLATTERY'S PEOPLE.

Todd Mason said...

CAVANAUGH, QC, was also better than good.

Todd Mason said...

...oops, not SLATTERY'S PEOPLE, but another mid-'60s series I've heard nothing but good about, THE TRIALS OF O'BRIEN.