There haven’t been many better years for legal dramas than 2022 as fans of the genre have been blessed with the Netflix remake of The Lincoln Lawyer as well as the final season of Better Call Saul. And there is still more to come, with Disney+’s She-Hulk: Attorney At Law set to premiere later in the year.
Over the years, the law profession has proven to be an infinite reservoir for TV series creators and writers to tap into. But which of the hundreds of legal dramas do fans consider to be outstanding? The contenders are many, but Redditors have pointed to a few shows as the most exemplary.
Boston Legal (2004 – 2008)
Stream On Hulu
Alan Shaw, an unethical attorney, joins a new law firm where he quickly becomes the star. About the ABC project, Redditor McTuffy says, “It’s the only show you will find lawyers making arguments about exceptions to the rule against hearsay.”
James Spader has proven himself as a lead actor in various TV shows and he does so again here, portraying the character of Alan Shore with extreme confidence. There isn’t too much law jargon either, making cases easier to understand for viewers who lack legal knowledge. Both fans and critics will also appreciate the fact that cases are never rushed, with just about every angle getting explored before a judgment is made.
Law & Order (1990 – )
Stream On Peacock
Redditor ColeWozniak states, “the original Law & Order with Sam Waterston is peak legal tv.” The series focuses on investigations, arrests, and convictions, with Waterson playing the executive assistant district attorney (EADA), James McCoy.
Law & Order brilliantly juggles police work and courtroom, allocating about half of each episode’s time to both areas. And in the early seasons, McCoy truly is the star. He shocks fans several times by blatantly bending the rules in order to get the convictions he desires and he rarely apologizes to those he hurts. Since most of the villains are despicable, the courtroom segments come off as wholesome and worthy of celebrations because guilty verdicts outnumber the innocent ones by far.
Rumpole Of The Bailey (1975 – 1992)
Stream On BBC iPlayer
In one of the best British hidden gems, an elderly barrister devotes his career to defending underdogs. Truthisnotallowed describes the British drama as “an excellent show for all those who want to understand the philosophy of criminal defense attorneys.”
The show has been described as very realistic, and that’s because it was created by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. Thanks to the lawyer whose mantra is “I never plead guilty,” each episode is packed with some of the best defense arguments ever seen on TV, and most of them are quite convincing. The show also differentiates itself from the rest by including some of the most absurd defendants.
Suits (2011 – 2019)
Stream On Peacock
College dropout Mike Ross is hired by one of the best lawyers in the city and together they rule the boardrooms and the courtrooms. LF3000 notes that, from a legal eye, it’s not 100 percent accurate but it’s a great offering because of ” the fun characters and awesome fashion.”
Suits is a fun ride because it’s clearly tailored to general audiences rather than those in the law profession. There is a lot to learn not just from a fashion sense but also from a business perspective. Moreover, the drama doesn’t have a wooden protagonist problem, since the two superstar lawyers have incredible personalities and are some of the most likable characters in Suits.
The Good Wife (2009 – 2016)
Stream On Paramount+
In The Good Wife, Alicia Florrick, the wife of Cook County’s State Attorney, is forced to juggle between court, politics, and parenting when her husband gets locked up. TraderTed2 notes that the show “did a really nice job of showcasing how each judge runs their courtroom a little differently.”
The Good Wife carved its own space out right from the start by being the only CBS show with a continuous narrative at a time when the network was populated with procedurals. The show is also packed with numerous tasty ingredients that make it worth investing time in. Whenever the camera isn’t in the corridors of the courthouse, viewers are served Machiavellian political games and marital feuds. Most importantly, Julianna Margulies gives a powerhouse performance as Alicia Florrick.
Franklin & Bash (2011 – 2014)
Stream On Pluto TV
In one of the best ever TNT shows, two lawyer buddies get hired by a law firm, where they use unconventional means to win cases. Mcadrixx likes it because “it’s comedic.”
Most TV dramas rely on emotional moments to propel events forward but Franklin & Bash unapologetically discards this formula. And by packing in the chucklesome moments, it erases any form of tension, hence blessing fans with a laugh fest. There is solid chemistry between the two leads too who never know when to stop, even when their reputation is on the line.
Billions (2016 – )
Stream On Hulu
On a thread about legal dramas, Redditor papanurgle098 asks “how the hell is Billions not here?” with ColeWozniak adding, “Billions is great for sure.” In the series, US Attorney Chuck Rhoades dedicates his life to bringing down billionaires with shady business dealings.
The Showtime series is a treat not just for fans of courtroom drama, but also for those keen on financial matters. Logically, Rhoades ought to be the protagonist but he comes off as quite antagonistic by using his brains and powers to pursue wealthy individuals whose schemes have been glamorized enough to make audiences root for them. Interestingly, there is never any satisfaction for him. Once he is done with one case, he simply jumps to the next.
How To Get Away With Murder (2014 – 2020)
Stream On Netflix
A law professor and his team of students work hard to solve cases and also cover up crimes. Annalise5Pope acknowledges that there are some flaws such as attorney-client privilege being broken but calls it an “otherwise great show.”
Unlike other legal dramas, which mostly focus on established lawyers, How To Get Away With Murder also focuses on the education process. Annelise is as great a tutor as she is a lawyer and through her guidance, both honorable and shady lawyers emerge. The courtroom proceedings also alternated perfectly with dark schemes between the main characters.
Goliath (2016 – 2021)
Stream On Amazon Prime Video
Disgraced lawyer Billy McBride takes on a major case in order to get revenge on a law firm he helped create. Redditor iseeyoursole sums up the drama as one with a “great plot and a great performance from Billy Bob.”
Goliath isn’t unique by any means since revenge plots have been recycled many times. Additionally, there have been numerous TV protagonists dealing with personal demons. But as the Redditor puts it, a strong performance by Billy Bob Thornton benefits the series greatly. The actor carries just about every scene and delivers his one-liners convincingly. Even better is the grounded nature of the plot, with only a limited number of cases being explored.
Better Call Saul (2015 – 2022)
Stream On Netflix
CapitalExcellent323 calls the Breaking Bad spinoff “a phenomenal show in general,” The show focuses on lawyer Jimmy McGill as he tries to become a star lawyer while still having to deal with vicious cartel members.
It isn’t hard to see why Better Call Saul has turned out to be one of the spinoffs that lasted longer than the original show. The protagonist is as sleazy as they come, making fans hungrier for his next move. The dozens of well-thought-out schemes are guaranteed to awe viewers whereas the creative dialogue begets some memorable quotes. In addition, the show also eliminates any possibility of viewers tuning out by alternating the courtroom and corporate drama with the parallel action-packed cartel storyline.
