"L.A. Law" (1986)TV series 1986-1994

Writer:

Josef Anderson (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Release Date:

3 October 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The lives and work of the staff of a major Los Angeles law firm.

Plot Keywords:

Courtroom | Law | Human Relationship | Bisexual | Lawsuit

Awards:

Won 5 Golden Globes. Another 36 wins & 113 nominations

Cast

Corbin Bernsen	...	Arnie Becker (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Jill Eikenberry	...	Ann Kelsey (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Alan Rachins	...	Douglas Brackman, Jr. (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Michael Tucker	...	Stuart Markowitz (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Richard Dysart	...	Leland McKenzie (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Blair Underwood	...	Jonathan Rollins (149 episodes, 1987-1994)
Larry Drake	...	Benny Stulwicz / ... (139 episodes, 1987-1994)
Susan Ruttan	...	Roxanne Melman (138 episodes, 1986-1993)
Susan Dey	...	Grace Van Owen (126 episodes, 1986-1992)
Jimmy Smits	...	Victor Sifuentes (107 episodes, 1986-1992)
Harry Hamlin	...	Michael Kuzak (105 episodes, 1986-1991)
Michele Greene	...	Abby Perkins (105 episodes, 1986-1991)
John Spencer	...	Tommy Mullaney (83 episodes, 1990-1994)

Runtime:

46 min (170 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono (early episodes) | Stereo (later episodes)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

The license plate in the beginning of the opening credits was during the first seven seasons mounted on the rear of a Jaguar, but for the eight and finale season it changed to being mounted on a Bentley Continental R. The Bentley Continental R was mentioned for several of the first episodes of the season when Arnie Becker was thinking of buying one, and finally received one as a gift in episode 3 of the eighth season.

Quotes:

Michael Kuzak: That's because I've never had anything this responsive underneath me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Saturday Night Live in the '80s: Lost & Found (2005) (TV)

Faithfully watched this show

As NBC's staple show "ER" enters the rarefied air of a fourteenth season,entirely planted atop the vaunted position of 10 eastern/9 central slot on Thursdays,it embarrasses me a little to have to stop and recall that THIS show occupied that slot with some of that same sticking power. From its second season onward,this show was a stalwart of "Must See Thursday" and,for much of that run,carried the banner ably and even proudly.

The exploits of the Los Angeles law firm of McKenzie,Brackman and(by season three)Becker covered the work and(to greater or lesser degrees)their lives. Even though the show had its ostensible "stars"(at the onset,it was Harry Hamlin and Susan Dey as firm mates Michael Kuzak and Grace VAn Owen,later it was Jimmy Smits as fiery attorney Victor Sifuentes,Corbin Bersen as perpetually sleazy divorce attorney Arnie Becker or Blair Underwood as smooth,black lawyer Jonathan Rollins),this show was as much about supporting players(most notably Horror/Sci-Fi staple Larry Drake as the gentle,high-functioning retarded office worker Benny Stulwicz,Alan Rachins as the upright,uptight head of litigation Douglas Brackman,John Spenser as rumpled,recovering alcoholic lawyer Tommy Mulaney and,of course,veteran actor Richard Dysart as senior partner Leland McKenzie)and the writing,which tackled a whole smörgåsbord of issues of the day as well as a variety of cases ranging from the absurd to the morose(sometimes in the same episode!). The show had some dark turns(most notably around season five,when the show changed producers for the first of two times)and the cast became a revolving door of "main" characters,but all in all,it still evened out to make a good run. I probably haven't laid eyes on an episode of this show in at least five years,but it would feel pretty familiar if I did. Creator Steven Bochco(post-"Hill Street Blues",pre-"NYPD Blue") and co-producer/writer David Kelley(before "Picket Fences","Boston Legal","The Practice","Ally McBeal",etc.)made a fine offering of television that I recall favorably. While I may not run out to buy the eps on DVD,I wouldn't rule out watching an episode if I run across one in the vast landscape that is cable reruns.