Favorite story line - L.A. Law (1986) Discussion

[–] lokar3791 19 years ago

Mine is another Hamlin case, where he tries to get Alfre Woodard out of a murder charge in which she could get the death penalty.

"You're not right in the head/
and nor am I/ and this is why/
This is why I like you"

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] YakPro 18 years ago

The greatest story line on LA Law had to be during Season Four, the one entitled "Justice Swerved" in which a husband and wife are accused of murdering their disabled baby. They bitterly point the finger at each other, which results in jury confusion and leads to both being acquited. As they ride down the elevator together after the trial ends, Victor notices the husband and wife holding hands and the absolute look of horror on his face as he figures out the truth is one of the best "stomach punch" moments, in my opinion, in TV history.

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[–] mravholt 18 years ago

my fav episode was when Jonathon Rollins cross-examined Richard Masur to death on the stand. that was too good.

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[–] Moon_and_New_York_City 14 years ago

The greatest story line on LA Law had to be during Season Four, the one entitled "Justice Swerved" in which a husband and wife are accused of murdering their disabled baby. They bitterly point the finger at each other, which results in jury confusion and leads to both being acquited. As they ride down the elevator together after the trial ends, Victor notices the husband and wife holding hands and the absolute look of horror on his face as he figures out the truth is one of the best "stomach punch" moments, in my opinion, in TV history
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YAKPRO picked my favorite single scene from the series by far. I am still haunted by that image of the husband and wife clasping hands in the elevator.

I also liked the Rosalind character, Diana Muldaur and all her story lines.

"the best that you can do is fall in love"

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] baran_erik 8 years ago

I couldn't stand Roselind. A fitting demise. My favorite scene was when Larry Drake was in the superhero costume and stuck on the wall.

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[–] ohmixmaster 14 years ago

The greatest story line on LA Law had to be during Season Four, the one entitled "Justice Swerved" in which a husband and wife are accused of murdering their disabled baby. They bitterly point the finger at each other, which results in jury confusion and leads to both being acquited. As they ride down the elevator together after the trial ends, Victor notices the husband and wife holding hands and the absolute look of horror on his face as he figures out the truth is one of the best "stomach punch" moments, in my opinion, in TV history."

I agree...remember that one like it was yesterday!

There were several funny ones.....Kuzak and Grace with the helium baloons, Dave Myer's, "People people people!" However my favorite funny episode was the "killing a swan on the golf course, and the caddy 's testimony"..."Got all that frog though". Freakin hilarious!

"Religion is the opium of the people" - Karl Marx

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[–] mmitsos-1 9 years ago

I remember that episode YakPro vividly. That image of them holding hands still crosses my mind every so often, even today, about 25 years later. However, I think they held hands while still in the hallway, walking on the way to the elevator. But, perhaps not. It always made me sick.

I loved Jill Eikenberry's character the best, and loved an episode where some woman, I bieve (possible ly a former client) is in Eikenberry's home and threatens her, then turns the gun on herself. It might have been an escaped convict that she had put away prior. I don't exactly remember, but it was a two-parter, and Eikenberry's character was fantastic in it.

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[–] matt-282 18 years ago

The 1991 episode in Season 5 titlted "Splatoon" where Brackman, Markowitz and Rollins go on an overnight paintball war was quite unusual and funny in many parts where Markowitz became as Rollins put it, 'Rambowitz', in beating team after team single-handedly.

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[–] Toronto1973 18 years ago

Agreed. That was a great story line. I haven't see the episodes since they first aired, but I can still remember the look on the face of the actor playing the college professor when his character was set free - one of mixed relief and stunned disbelief. Great acting.

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[–] falcon2484 15 years ago

Actor's name is Carl Lumbly. He played that moment (and his entire role as Earl Williams, in fact) so well that it was an acting seminar. I've always been mystified as to why he's not more famous.

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[–] film-collector 16 years ago

My favorite was "On The Toad Again!"...
about the elderly guys who decide to import austrailian toads to lick when their social security funds stop paying for their alcohol.
When they threw that dead toad on the judges desk with dentures impaled in it, I nearly died laughing.

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] cabal24 16 years ago

Must be why the show was so good.

Mine only lasted one episode (so it really wasn't an arc). The one where Benny was accused of raping a woman and he confessed he did something bad. In reality he went to a strip show.

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[–] jpoo 16 years ago

One that my dad and I still laugh over is the guy that had Tourette's. Actually it was the second episode they had with him, after he was working from home, and he was ready to sign a huge deal with a major company. And the company insisted on meeting with him and talking with him face to face.

JP

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[–] rodthman 16 years ago

The Ricki Davis storyline. Involved everyone.

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[–] NSurone 16 years ago

I'm really surprised that nobody mentioned the "Venus Butterfly" episode!

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[–] ducdebrabant 16 years ago

It's the one where the D.A.'s office forces Gracie to prosecute a case involving the theft of frozen bull semen, on the ground that she is the only prosecutor without any sense of humor whatsoever. The testimony of the owner of the bull semen is so unintentionally hilarious (he is lugubrious about his loss of his last trace of his beloved bull) that the judge immediately orders a conference in his chambers -- where the prosecution, defense and bench indulge in fits of doubled over, screaming laughter. Later, Mikey soothes her fear that she's too stiff and serious by inhaling helium and talking to her in a high high voice, and she does the same.

GOP Spammers: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/06/AR2008 080603589.html

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[–] Lakemystery3 16 years ago

It's not really a storyline, but one of my favorite episodes is when Kuzak was defending a man on murder charges, but his client suffered from Mulitple Personalities. None of the known personalities killed the victim, but it was brought out that the clients' (plural clients because of the 3 personalities) grandmother, Camille (an unknown personality) came out and killed her. It was great.

Tommy Mullany had a great line in that episode. "She (Zoey, the DA) finds it funny that you're defending a man with multiple personalities when you don't even have one."

"She flattened a Dear John with a John Deere." - Douglas Wambaugh

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[–] falcon2484 15 years ago

Interesting thing about that - Andrew Robinson, the actor who played Greg Edmonson (the defendant) also played the killer in "Dirty Harry" and played in one of my favorite horror films, "Hellraiser."

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[–] falcon2484 15 years ago

I hate to nitpick, but Earl Williams was never proved innocent. The judge held that with the exclusion of the DNA evidence, which was ruled an unfair surprise to the defense, plus the inclusion of the evidence of "Pinto" having been in the building the night of the murder and therefore another suspect in the killing (which Margaret Flanagan had supressed), the evidence was insufficient to support a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Yes, I am an L.A. Law freak.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] rodthman 15 years ago

I still say the Rickie Davis trial. Lasted 3 eps. Involved everyone.

If you're just looking for memorable cases....the one where Victor defends a couple that had a child die, and it turned out they conspired to beat killing it.

Quo Vadimus

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[–] Gheelnory 15 years ago

Rosalind Shays (!!!) wrote:
I's great to know that there are some L.A. Law freaks out there (I started to think I was the only one)!

.......................................

You're definitely not the only one. I'm freshly astonished each time I see an episode on ALN and recall that this amazing series isn't available on DVD.

The writing was so good that I long for writers of currently-airing shows to be forced to watch a good long "LA Law" marathon. They'd benefit.

As for favorite story lines: several that are favorites of mine have already been mentioned.

The scene in the elevator in which Victor realizes he'd been bamboozled by the couple whose developmentally-disabled child died has stayed with me for two decades as one of the most effective television moments ever.

And the end of the Bull Semen episode, with Mickey and Gracie talking in helium voices, has also recurred to me often.

Two that haven't yet been mentioned: a speech by Grace (and maybe someone can help me remember the episode from which it came) about hard-heartedness.

And the arc about Stuart and Ann adopting a baby. Yes, I suppose it's a clichéd situation. But having seen the final episode in the arc just this week, I can testify to the power of the fine writing and acting: I did tear up again, just as I did twenty years ago.

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[–] lld3497 15 years ago

I liked the Rox and Dave Meyer storyline Being a Dann Florek fan It was nice
I did however hate the was Roz treated him.

May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.
Sláinte

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[–] theessers1 15 years ago

I loved the episode where Abby's son is missing and they find a body of a young boy, but before she can come to ID it, the morgue makes a mistake and he is cremated. She finds the woman who made the mistake of cremating the body, and Abby says something like "My son is missing, that might've been him, but I will never ever know, all because you screwed up, lady" or something. It was a great acting scene by Michelle Green, who, although her character was sometimes unlikable I will always remember her in that scene.

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[–] sjbradford 15 years ago

Mine was the "office mutiny" story at the end of season 5, that led to the departures of Michael, Victor, and (temporarily at first) Grace. The partners were sick of Leland delegating so much authority to Douglas, so they proposed a new election for senior partner. Douglas, with Leland's blessing, shot back by firing Michael, who in turn recruited Victor, Grace, Abby, and Jonathan to start a rival law firm. They all wound up in court, and Michael, Victor, and Grace wound up starting a smaller practice, while Abby and Jonathan returned to McKenzie/Brackman. (When season 6 began, Grace returned as well, while Abby departed).

The reason I liked it so much is because when it was already known halfway through the season that Harry Hamlin, Susan Dey, and Jimmy Smits were leaving. And there was no reason to believe that their characters wouldn't get a happy sendoff into the sunset, which is what generally happened when regulars left TV shows back then. To see these main characters leave under such contentious circumstances was pretty unique.

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