They Practice Stupidity. Review on The Practise

There are enough lawyer shows on television to keep me content for some time. I love watching them, always have - ever since Paper Chase, which was on for me as a child, I have been hooked. I love watching lawyer movies as well, reading lawyer novels, and while I don't trust any lawyers at all - they are certainly fine entertainment.

I have come to know the cast of the Practice both through the show itself and through other movies and shows that they have been in. But the plot lines are degrading swiftly, the show is heading for my black list at this point, and I am having irreconcilable differences, and frankly - I want a divorce.

This show is usually interesting because these lawyers will take on any client, and even if things look particularly psycho, they still do their best, and they will pull any trick possible to win. They are dirty, underhanded, and they will lie, cheat or steal to win. This is a firm that tries to win at all costs. This is all fun and games because it is TV!!! There is no reality here - nothing resembling actual cases, ethics or reality in any shape form or fashion. So why am I continuing to drag myself to an apparently vacuuous well every Sunday night?

I like the actors, Kathryn Manheim (Road to Wellville, Mercury Rising) is delightful. She attacks, she has lots of earrings, she is a biker momma, and so interesting for certain. Dylan McDermott (Cowboy Way, Steel Magnolias) is a fearless leader. He hires hitmen, he defends the indefensible and he is the ring leader of this madness. Steve Harris (Sugar Hill, The Skulls) is the token negro lawyer and fills the role like the stereotype it is. He is literate, intelligent, ethical and when they have black families they are defending - they use him. He is a tremendous actor, and wasted on this show.

This year and last have been the year of the deal breaking DA. On both the Practice as well as Law and Order, they are trying any way they can to show that DAs love to break deals, and on the practice it is no different. The descent of Michael Badalucco's character into his Gambling problem and his unethical abandonment of clients is disturbing. Last night he should have been summarily disbarred and then never allowed to Practice again...not so.

There is a point when the story lines get too absurd, too unreal and quite silly, and the Practice has landed there in my mind. I don't have patience any more, and I will Band of Brothers hadn't ended. Sunday night football here I come.