The Practice

The Practice
Show name	The Practice
Genre	Legal drama
Creator	David E. Kelley
Starring	Camryn Manheim; Dylan McDermott; Kelli Williams; Steve Harris; Michael Badalucco; Lara Flynn Boyle
Country	United States
Language	English
Num episodes	168
Executive producer	David E. Kelley
Network	ABC
First aired	March 4, 1997
Last aired	May 16, 2004

The Practice

The Practice is an American legal drama television series created by David E. Kelley that aired on ABC from 1997 to 2004. The series centers on a small Boston law firm navigating criminal and civil defense work, featuring ensemble performances and recurring courtroom confrontations. It won multiple Primetime Emmy accolades and launched crossovers with contemporaneous series in the television landscape.

Overview

The series was created by David E. Kelley after his success with Picket Fences and Chicago Hope, produced by 20th Century Fox Television and associated with ABC Studios in its era. Set in Boston, Massachusetts, it focuses on ethical dilemmas and the adversarial process in high-stakes cases involving clients from neighborhoods like South Boston and institutions such as Boston University and local hospitals like Massachusetts General Hospital. The show featured guest appearances from actors linked to productions like ER, NYPD Blue, Ally McBeal, and recurring legal crossovers with Boston Legal characters created by the same showrunner. It aired opposite other landmark dramas including The X-Files and Law & Order during the late 1990s and early 2000s television seasons.

Plot

Episodes generally follow the firm defending clients accused in notable incidents reminiscent of real-world controversies such as corporate scandals tied to Enron, civil rights disputes echoing Brown v. Board of Education, and violent crimes similar in tone to coverage of the O. J. Simpson murder case. Plotlines combine client representation in criminal trials with internal firm stresses involving partner disputes, ethical quandaries, and personal crises. Particular seasons dramatize events akin to high-profile trials in jurisdictions like Suffolk County, Massachusetts and portray prosecutorial adversaries from offices like the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts. Story arcs involve jury selection, plea bargaining, appeals, and Supreme Court–style constitutional questions that recall matters litigated in United States v. Nixon and other landmark cases.

Characters

Lead characters include firm founders and attorneys portrayed with ties to actor networks from series such as The West Wing and NYPD Blue. Principal roles saw portrayals by actors associated with projects like The X-Files and The Sixth Sense. Ensemble dynamics pit defense attorneys against prosecutors, judges, and law enforcement figures from agencies such as the Boston Police Department and federal bureaus including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration. Recurring characters include judges connected to storylines reminiscent of decisions from the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and jurors modeled after demographics in regions like New England neighborhoods. The show also featured clients drawn from entertainment industry controversies involving performers represented similarly in real life by firms like Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Production

Production took place with sets replicating courthouses, law offices, and city streets evocative of Boston Common and the Charles River waterfront. Executive producing and writing personnel included veterans from Ally McBeal and NYPD Blue, while directors were recruited from series such as The West Wing and feature films associated with Columbia Pictures. Casting drew talent who later appeared in Hollywood films linked to Universal Pictures and stage productions on Broadway near the Shubert Theatre. Music supervision and scoring involved composers who had worked on dramas produced by 20th Television and for awards ceremonies like the Tony Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

Themes and Reception

The series interrogated legal ethics, client confidentiality, and zealous advocacy, paralleling debates in bar associations such as the American Bar Association. Critics compared its courtroom realism to programs influenced by landmark legal scholars and cases, citing similarities to issues raised before the Supreme Court of the United States and hearings in congressional committees like those held by United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary. It received accolades including multiple Primetime Emmy Award wins for acting and writing, as well as nominations from the Golden Globe Awards and recognition from the Writers Guild of America. Scholarly commentary in law reviews referenced episodes when discussing attorney conduct and plea bargaining.

Cultural Impact

The series influenced public perceptions of trial strategy and fostered interest in careers at institutions such as Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, and state bar programs. It contributed to the popularity of legal dramas alongside Law & Order, L.A. Law, and Boston Legal, leading to increased enrollment in paralegal programs at colleges like Northeastern University and Boston College. Its courtroom depictions were cited in journalism about real cases in outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times.

Adaptations and Legacy

The show's legacy includes a direct spin-off series created by David E. Kelley that continued to explore legal themes with characters crossing over into narratives connected to Boston Legal and other network projects. Cast members moved on to roles in films and series associated with studios such as Paramount Pictures and networks like CBS and HBO. Episodes remain studied in law school clinics and referenced in media studies courses at universities including Columbia University and University of California, Los Angeles for their dramatization of jurisprudential dilemmas.

Category:American legal drama television series Category:1990s American drama television series Category:2000s American drama television series