L.A. Law

I binge watched LA Law through Season 5 over the span of a few weeks. (I found that I could just listen to it, and got as much out of it as watching it.) The acting was great and the writing mostly great for those seasons. Am I the only one who liked Diana Muldaur as Roslyn Shays? She was spectacular; I loved how her presence affected everyone on staff differently. Larry Drake was a fantastic Benny. Binge watching did underscore, though, how yelly the litigators were.

With Season 6 came a lot of drama and overemotional scenes plus hack writing. I'm assuming it just gets worse, so I'm not continuing.

I used to watch this off and on back when it was originally on and recently started re-watching from the beginning. For three seasons, it was a great show; great people who created a family. They had their issues and problems but they always worked everything out in the end. Unfortunately, in Season 4 they introduced the character of Rosalind Shays and ruined it completely. All the continuity and camaraderie that made the show great was gone. Suddenly there was nothing but controversy, back-stabbing, manipulation, lying and it became increasingly uncomfortable to watch. I'm currently almost at the end of Season 4 and honestly doubt I will watch much more; it's just no fun anymore.

This show concerning the lives of lawyers at an LA law firm was a breakout hit during its first season for its well written plots and great characters. This of course was because of some incredible writers and great actors. However as the show entered about it's sixth season the best writers and actors began to leave en masse the plotlines fell apart and the show became much more stale. Avoid this period if you can.

Very excited to start binging LA Law. I watched it when it aired originally back when I was around 9 and 10. I always stayed up late to watch these dramas back then because my dad would watch them and he didn't mind me staying up. I was also a big St. Elsewhere fan as well. My favorite part of this show is the conference room meetings. Often funny, well written and well acted. Reminds me of Hill Street Blues roll call segments. So far, I find myself still chuckling at the comedic scenes so I guess they hold up better than the hairstyles. I don't know if this was the heyday of television, but it is to me. The nostalgic feeling it gives me, mid to late 80s tv like this, just brings me back to a much simpler time. And I sure had a boyhood crush on Michelle Green, too.

L.A.Law was a standout drama from '86-'94. At the end, as many drama's have happen, it became somewhat stale and may cause many to forget the gripping storylines Bochco, Kelley etc. created. The acting was superlative from the mainstays Dysart, Rachins, Tucker, Eikenberry, Ruttan, Bernsen, Hamlin etc. As the show expanded Law brought forth additional characters played by Dey, Smits, Greene, Underwood, Donohoe, Spencer, Drake, Muldaur etc. These actors made their roles and characters as unforgettable as the originals made there's.

Probably the best thing that can be said about this show is that no one player was the focal point. No one character had to be the "lightning rod" for the show to be great. In an interview for the 100th show Richard Dysart, who played Leland McKenzie, the paternal "glue" of McKenzie, Brackman, Cheney, Kuzack, and Becker, told Jane Pauley that the actors weren't the genius of the show...the writers were. Awful high praise from an actor at a very candid moment.

Catch it in syndication on A&E each Monday thru Friday. You'll love it the second time around.