Will The Practice have three lives? Though the television program will end this summer, its legacy of excellent acting in a drama about a law firm will carry on. The two latest members of the cast, fired renegade lawyer Alan Shore (James Spader) and British legal assistant Tara Wilson (Rhona Mitra) will join a new practice. Denny Crane, veteran actor William Shatner, who appeared in "The Case Against Alan Shore" and episodes leading up to it, is a rainmaker in that new firm.
LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) — David E. Kelley's Emmy-winning legal drama The Practice will bow out May 16 after eight seasons.
The final episodes of the ABC show will set up a spin-off series, which has been given a 22-episode order by the network for the fall.
Sources said Kelley, ABC and producer 20th Century Fox TV evaluated creatively the options of picking up The Practice for a ninth season or spinning off the series into a new drama before mutually agreeing on the latter.
The Practice's first life focused on Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott), a working-class striver who achieved his ideal — partnership in a professional, profitable law firm. McDemott's smoldering good looks and chronic angst kept viewers tuned in for seven years. His supporting cast, particularly (Camryn Manheim) Ellenor Frutt and (Steve Harris) Eugene Young, could be depended on to provide fireworks. The Practice became a favorite of the Emmy Awards. However, after a move to Monday nights from its long lease on Sunday's at 10 p.m., the program lost momentum and audience. Kelley surprised the industry and viewers by firing most of the original cast last year.
A reversal of fortune occurred when versatile actor James Spader (pictured above) took on the role of Alan Shore, an ethically challenged litigator. Spader has performed the role as a fascinating mix of avenging angel and annoying heckler. His performance last night, in which he managed to be righteous and offensive simultaneously, was the best yet. "The Case Against Alan Shore" highlighted the difficulties inherent in employing professionals. Young, fed up with constantly being challenged by Shore, fired him. But, Shore brought in more money than the rest of the lawyers combined during his eight-month stint. To walk away with only pocket change would have been an admission of defeat. It is not possible to demand specific performance, i.e., maintaining an agreed upon relationship, in regard to employment. Shore sued and won. Predictably, he was ambivalent about the result. I still don't know what Alan Shore wants. I don't think Alan Shore knows what he wants either. Perhaps the not knowing is what keeps us coming back for more.
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Article comments
1 - Mark Saleski
can we discuss T.J. Hooker - The Movie some more?
;-)
2 - Ms. Tek
NO, BLOODY NO!!
3 - Ms. Tek
NO!!
4 - Mac Diva
Perhaps Shatner can play Hooker's crusty ole Papa-:).
I wonder how much of Shatner there will be in the new series. He looks healthy as a horse, but Kelley may be nervous about relying too much on an elderly actor. (On the other hand, Robert Blake seems to be doing fine under, um, trying circumstances.)
5 - Natalie Davis
Bones... Eugene, it appears, will cease... to exist!
6 - Mac Diva
I tracked Steve Harris down. He's in the remake of The Mod Squad. But, the reviews of the movie are not kind. Today's NYT kicked the stuffing out of it. I hope Harris will score another television series. He has proven he is a riveting actor. Now?
When I say kicked. . .
I mean kicked.
7 - Scott Pepper
Casting Shatner is obviously a great coup for the network and the show, but what about Rhona Mitra?!? Despite hints that she will be around in Sunday's episode, there's been no mention of whether or not she'll be a regular...
8 - Natalie Davis
Hasn't a Mod Squad remake already been tried? And didn't it fail?
9 - Natalie Davis
Found the answers: Yes and yes.
10 - Pappy
"I believe the spin-off will provide new opportunities for looking at the practice of law, both as we wish it was, and, as it is."
I think this is wishful thinking. Everything we have heard about the spin-off is that it is "not as intense" as The Practice. That screams to me: "HEY! THIS SHOW WILL FOCUS ON THE CHARACTERS, NOT THE LEGAL DRAMA."
The Practice started getting bad when instead of focusing on cases, we had too much Mcdermott drama, like the storyline around his wife, child, etc, etc.
I am an attorney, a litigation attorney, and I enjoy watching fanciful litigation drama. I don't think anyone in their right mind can think the spin-off show will be chock-full of legal drama, or else why would they keep saying it's "not as intense" as The Practice.
P.S. Many cases on The Practice were civil cases, so I wouldn't say The Practice mainly focused on criminal law, but yes, this new firm will probably not have anything criminal, which is good.
11 - Pappy
Lastly, does anyone know if The Practice is coming to DVD? I wouldn't mind owning the first 3-4 seasons.
12 - Mac Diva
Pap, I've not heard anything about video or DVD releases. There aren't even direct The Practice tie-ins at Amazon. Methinks the show will be milked for every penny in reruns before it goes general market. I hope people are still interested by then.
One of the things that drew me into the show was watching cases develop. I spent most of my time in law firms researching, interviewing and writing briefs, so that is my focus. In the first five or six years, the writers usually got the elements, issues and likely outcomes right. That became less common as the scripts got more and more far out. (The stabbing of Lindsey, etc.)
However, as in the murder case Alan Shore tried in his home town, blogged here, the show sometimes returned to reflecting the legal aspects well. In the last episode, I thought they breezed over the specific performance issue too lightly for laymen to understand what was going on. The case was resolved much too quickly, too. It would have been in Shore's favor to make Young and company hang by a thread for as long as possible. But, I was pleased with the closing arguments because, as I said above, they presented perspectives on what it means to be a lawyer in stark relief.
Still, overall, I believe The Practice has done a much better job of reflecting what law firms are like than is common on television.
13 - Mac Diva
Just some thoughts on tonight's episode.
I think having Eugene leave to take a significant judgeship is an excellent denouement. Lower court judgeships can be just more crap, with people helping their friends or being bought off. But, a superior court level judgeship provides an opportunity to mete out justice and influence the development of the law. Eugene would be a fool not to go for it.
I don't know where Alan Shore is headed with women. Between the two, I believe he would do better to take up with Hannah. A woman who behaves like Sally has some deep self-esteem problems going on. She and Shore together would be more psychological baggage than a relationship can bear.
Here's hoping Jimmy survives his new practice. As someone who lived and worked in Philly, I know about lawyers with Mafia connections. Here's betting that is his competitor's next move. Jimmy may have to withdraw from that guy's turf to save his life. I hope the finale does not have him getting killed.
14 - Scott Pepper
MD-
What was your take on the assertion that Eugene would get the judgeship because he's black? It's no secret in Massachusetts that Gov. Romney is trying to punch up the diversity quotient with appointments, but I wasn't sure why Kelley had made it a particular point to address this in the teleplay.
15 - Mac Diva
I think Jamie made it clear Eugene is a very talented lawyer in addition to being black. That is fine. Lord knows, white folks have been using race to prevent people from ascending in the professions for centuries. In most Southern states, a black lawyer had to have the approval of several white lawyers before he would even be considered for the bar up until the 1970s. Evenso, there was a good chance they would give him an admission exam and fell him on it. (White lawyers were usually waived in.)
It is okay with me to count diversity as a plus now that most whites claim to no longer be racists. There may have been some background going on there I did not get. I missed most of the episodes when Eugene was romancing Jamie. I've read that race entered into that. I gather that after some soul searching, including the impact he can have as a judge, Eugene will agree to compete.
16 - Scott Pepper
There may have been some background going on there I did not get. I missed most of the episodes when Eugene was romancing Jamie. I've read that race entered into that.
Jamie first denied, then accepted that the reason she couldn't continue her relationship with Eugene was her discomfort at being part of an interracial couple. The comments last night seemed to recall those episodes.
17 - Mac Diva
I'll have to catch those episodes in reruns.
So, which woman do you think Alan Shore should be with -- assuming he should be with either?
18 - Paul
Some seasons of The Practice on DVD are being sold on EBAY, FYI.
Paul