The Paper Chase

It has been 20 years since broadcast, and it remains a favorite of mine.

The Paper Chase was then called "too good for television", assumedly due to its highly intellectual, fast moving content. The characters were well chosen right from the start. Running from 1983 to 1986 it was to follow a group of students through law school, from the very first day to graduation.

The show was extremely well written. Social interaction, challenge, struggle, and eventual triumph (in most cases) formed the plots. I recall describing this series as "making more points than a rose bush". It would be great to re-air the series, as every topic is just as valid today. John Houseman will be forever irreplaceable.

This show was a spin-off from the earlier movie starring Timothy Bottoms and John Houseman. This time, instead of Bottoms, the series stars James Stephens and Houseman returns in his role as the incredibly brilliant but scary Professor Kingsfield. The show concerns the growth and experiences of a Mr. Hart in law school and his fellow students.

Originally, the show aired on CBS but was very short-lived. Then, a few years later, Showtime began making more episodes. In both cases, the quality was very high and the show was never dull, but somehow the show has been forgotten and is not available on DVD or video. Should this ever occur, pop my an message so I can buy it ASAP. This show was a real gem and deserves to be remembered and enjoyed.

UPDATE--Season 1 and 2 have been released! Hallelujah!

The television show "The Paper Chase" is one of the greatest television shows of all time. That seems like an incredible statement to say about a show that lasted about 2 seconds on commercial television but it was that good. It unfortunately never had a chance to continue because it was placed at the same time spot as one of the hottest shows on television at the time.

Amazingly enough, it got a second chance on the cable network Showtime years after it was cancelled! Because cable allowed the show greater freedom, I actually found the show to be superior to the commercial network version! The show centers around the great actor, John Houseman and James Stephens as the law professor Charles W. Kingsfield and his student James T. Hart but the ensemble cast was also excellent. Tom Fitzsimmons and James Keane were the main supporting characters but it also had major contributions in later years from excellent actors like Jane Kaszmarek, (Malcolm in the Middle) Penny Johnson (24 and The Larry Sanders Show)and Michael Tucci.

The show eventually ran its course on cable and ended with the graduation of the students, 8 years after the show started on commercial television! A show that should be rated with the greatest shows of all time but is largely forgotten today. Just superbly acted with great writing.

Please put this out on DVD or some odd cable channel in repeats. This is one of the few shows that outdoes the movie version and where even a with second broadcast chance on Showtime, there was no loss in quality either. I'm tired of HBO always getting the raves as having the best original series. This qualifies, as it received new castings each year and yet maintained quality throughout. I loved it so much I tried following the cast members who moved on to other TV shows, movies, etc.. The show even intermixed some humor and parody into basically a serious drama, for example; the episode "My Dinner with Kingsfield" or the "Moot Court" episode to name a few. I've had to keep my beta VCR working since I kept them on tape all this time. Easily the best thing ever put out on Showtime and probably in the top 10 on broadcast TV too.

Overall it was consistently good. The early episode where Hart was shrouded was a very strong one and quite original. Dream sequences added a unique touch to numerous episodes. A number of stories stand out: saving Ernie's, The Day Kingsfield Missed Class, Scavenger Hunt, Moot Court and the Law Show. They are still a joy to watch. I have not seen anything close in years. Although scholastic to a degree it also had touches of humor. How could any one not enjoy the story of Bell's picture and being locked in the closet? The cast was a strong on with John Houseman being excellent. Thought of as a tyrant ('Your idol is just a mean old man') he let slip smiles, which gave glimpses into his inner soul. His effort in aiding the students save Ernie's was a wonderful thing to see. James Stephens was a great asset, but Bell, Ford among other characters were not only enjoyable but grew through the years. I taught for many years and in some ways the greatest compliment I ever had was hearing one student remark to a friend: "Another Kingsfield" With all the shows being restored it stuns me that the Paper Chase has not been re-released. The show spans generations too. I was surprised to find that my eleven-year-old loves the show possibly as much as my wife & myself.