No habeas cases to be heard this week.
With the new television season starting,* I thought I'd share my thoughts about legal tv shows. And to be honest, I don't think much of them.
*It's tough to view any time of year as the start of the television season anymore, considering that shows premiere and tv seasons start pretty much all throughout the year at this point. But September is traditionally known as the start of the season, so I'll abide by that continuing fiction for this post.
I recently came across this list of the so-called "Twenty-five greatest legal tv shows." Let me just say, not many of them are great. And you can be sure of that since number 10 is "Night Court." I won't waste any time making any ironic arguments about how great "Night Court" is. And after that show there is a rapid descent into some pretty awful stuff (as much as I love James Woods' appearances on family guy, Shark was in no way a watchable show. It checks in at #14).
I don't know why legal tv shows are consistently so bad. There have been so many of them, you'd think that they would get it right once in awhile. I guess lawyers simply are not that interesting.
But I am not really being fair. The top 9 aren't too bad. I am not a fan of Law and Order, but it's hard to argue that it hasn't been one of the biggest tv shows of all time.
And of course there is the standard bearer - L.A. Law. I have to admit, I didn't watch it when it was on. Something about not being able to see Harry Hamlin as a lawyer after watching him so many times in Clash of the Titans.
Anyways, a couple of years ago, I decided to give in and watch some episodes in syndication. I could see the attraction. It was like Melrose Place in a courtroom. But it ended up feeling really, really dated, so I just had a hard time watching it.
Nevertheless, the theme song was, and remains, pretty spectacular. Enjoy:
Probably way before most readers' time, but I loved this 1970 show, The Young Lawyers, about idealistic law students in a neighborhood law office. Starred Lee J. Cobb and Zalman King. Lasted one season.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztwJz-mZVpk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaoeZ3vak6E
(Blink and you'll miss Richard Pryor as one of the defendants.)
Posted by: Al O'Connor | September 15, 2010 at 08:37 AM