David E. Kelleyis a modern-day master of scripted TV, who’s created, written and produced hit show after hit show over the past 40 years. Since his medical sitcomDoogie Howser, M.D.debuted on ABC in 1989, several of Kelley’s brainchildren have become hugely popular. Most recently, the show developer has achieved massive success with Netflix’sThe Lincoln Lawyer.
While David E. Kelley’s series span various genres, it’s hisbest legal dramasthat have really caught fire. Decades before he brought Mickey Haller to the small screen, Kelley was churning out legal dramas for fun, most of which have a sharp comic edge to them. Michael Connelly chose the perfect person to adaptThe Lincoln Lawyer’s charactersfor television.
Aside from Kelley’s Netflix megahit, he’s created three legal comedy-dramas, one of which was spun off from another of his lawyer dramas, and two more recent legal drama series for different streaming platforms. In addition, Kelley started his TV career writing episodes for a seminal legal show in the 1980s. In total,he’s been involved in eight shows primarily about lawyers.
Harry’s Law
Cast
Harry’s Law: Debuting in 2011, this legal dramedy series follows Harriet, Matthew, and Malcolm as they establish a law practice in a repurposed shoe store. Despite their differences, the trio seeks new beginnings while navigating the complexities of the legal world in an unconventional setting.
Harry’s Lawis the one David E. Kelley legal show that unfortunately fell flat. A comedy-drama about a comfortable patent lawyer who suddenly finds herself going it alone as a criminal defense attorney,there are glimpses of what Kelley has done withThe Lincoln Lawyerin this short-lived series. However,Harry’s Lawtends to miss the mark with its storylines.
David E. Kelley himself came up with two far superior legal comedy-dramas beforeHarry’s Lawsaw the light of day.
Canceled after two seasons, the show has been forgotten by time, and wasn’t particularly funny to begin with.Suitsis the way to go for genuinely funny scenesabout corporate law. Otherwise, Kelley himself came up with two far superior legal comedy-dramas beforeHarry’s Lawsaw the light of day.
The Practicewas the ultimate legal drama to star in during the late 1990s and early 2000s. A major upgrade on everything that came before it, the series is polished and packed with clever subplots. Returning toSuitsmomentarily, Kelley’s first self-created legal dramaThe Practicefeatured actor Rick Hoffmanas a lawyer long before he became Louis LItt.
Unlike its forerunners,The Practicealso gives us realistic insights into the legal profession, while balancing procedural elements with compelling personal storylines.This show laidthe blueprint for legal dramas in the modern era. What’s more, it accidentally gave us one of the best lawyer characters in the history of television, to whom we’ll be returning later in the article.
Just as a version ofThe Lincoln Lawyerappeared on the big screen before David E. Kelley turned it into a TV juggernaut,Presumed Innocentwas a movie long before this murky serial drama fronted by Jake Gyllenhaal. Its lead actor playsa prosecutor who becomes entangled in a murder case in which he’s regarded as a likely suspect.
TheApple TV+ series differs from Harrison Ford’s movieadaptation of Scott Turow’s bestselling novel in certain key details, as David E. Kelley draws on his expertise as a legal dramatist to take the suspense up a notch.Presumed Innocentwas originally a limited series, but was so popular and acclaimed that a second season is now in production.
The progenitor of every legal drama being made today,L.A. Lawwas how David E. Kelley got his startin the TV business. As a budding Boston lawyer in his late twenties, Kelley wrote a movie script which impressedL.A. Lawco-creator Steven Bochco, who soon hired Kelley to help script his new series.
One of the biggest shows on televisionduring the late 1980s and early 1990s,L.A. Lawallowed Kelley to earn his stripes in the business. He spent eight seasons writing for the series, learning how to develop characters across extended narrative arcs and plot twist-laden storylines within a legal-procedural setting.
L.A. Lawwas watched by at least 7% of American TV-owners throughout its first six seasons, according to Nielsen ratings.
It was Kelley who was primarily responsible for one of thebiggest plot twists in TV history, as the lead writer on L.A. Law’s season 5 episode “Good to the Last Drop”. Once he’d graduated from the show, he was more than ready to create his own legal drama.
It was withAlly McBealthat David E. Kelley really came into his own as a legal drama specialist.Hedid away with the situational and tonal constraints of the genre, allowing the title character’s personal life to take center stage, and blending procedural drama with comedic and satirical elements.
The likes ofLegally BlondeandSuitsowe a massive debt to this series, which deservedlywon acclaim for its humor, biting satire of male-dominated office environments, and experimental fantasysequences. Its reception gave Kelley the confidence to work comedy into most of his legal dramas from that point on.
Amid rumors of a potential reboot,Ally McBeal’s lead actor Calista Flockhart has said she’s “game”to return as the character. Fans of the show are still waiting on tenterhooks for her to be asked, and a revival would also allow a whole new generation to enjoy this forgotten TV gem.
Goliathis David E. Kelley’s ultimateLincoln Lawyeralternative. No one in the TV universe would understand Mickey Haller better than its protagonist, Billy McBride. An addict who’s as cynical about the legal profession as he is brilliant at being a lawyer,McBride is Haller’s kindred spirit, albeit a little rougher around the edges thanThe Lincoln Lawyer’s central hero.
Those who enjoy dark dramas will enjoyGoliath’s noir aesthetic.
Debuting on Prime Video in 2016,Goliatheffectively served as the dress rehearsal for Kelley’s bigger Netflix series. But it’s a great watch in its own right, withBilly Bob Thornton’s performance as McBride arguably even better thanManuel Garcia-Rulfo’s Mickey Haller. Those who enjoy dark dramas will enjoy the show’s noir aesthetic, too.
This series began as a spin-off ofThe Practicethat was lighter in tone. ButBoston Legalquickly surpassed its parent show, primarily thanks to thebest role of James Spader’s careerprior toThe Blacklist. Alan Shore only appears in the final season ofThe Practice, but he’s markedly more interesting than anyone else in the show.
James Spader’s role as Alan Shore inThe PracticeandBoston Legalwas his first as a regular TV show cast member since 1983 drama seriesThe Family Tree.
Shore is intensely neurotic, somewhat arrogant, but incomparably gifted as a defense lawyer. Some ofhis monologues in the courtroom are the best in TV history, combining wit and rhetorical gravitas with profoundly moral sensitivity.
Outside the courtroom,Shore is a maverickwhose underhanded evidence-gathering methods frequently lead to clashes within his law firm. Alongside these professional quirks, the immensely entertaining dynamic between Shore and the equally eccentric Denny Crane is one of the highlights ofBoston Legal, of which there are many more.
Boston Legalgave David E. Kelley many of the ingredients for an even better show, from its protagonist’s maverick approach to the law to the bond he shares with an older mentor figure. ButThe Lincoln Lawyerups the drama stakes, with itsbest lawyer charactersproviding engrossing personal storylines as well as their prowess in the courtroom.
The pinnacle of Kelley’s long career, this incredibly popular series has harder-hitting legal cases than any of its creator’s other shows, too. Twists abound throughoutThe Lincoln Lawyer, and we’re gripped by Mickey Haller’s story from the moment we meet him.
Much of the credit for the show’s mastery of plotting and characterization has to go to novelist Michael Connelly, whose work is the entire basis forThe Lincoln Lawyer. But Connelly still needed to place his stories in safe hands for a TV adaptation, and there are none safer in the legal drama business than those ofDavid E. Kelley.
