When it comes to TV drama shows, there are all types of sub-genres, from love stories to court drama. When it comes to TV series that predominantly play out in the courtroom, the show is usually centered on a highly competent attorney who has an uncanny knack for winning the unwinnable cases. When you think about some of the greatest TV lawyers of all time, you would probably have to think about Perry Mason. Not only did Perry Mason have a good investigative staff that knew how to get to the facts, he had an unbelievable ability to shake people up on the stand. You could say the same for Matlock.
Well, there is an entirely new generation of TV attorneys that grace the tube, and some of them are immensely sharp and highly witted.
Let’s take a look at the top five TV lawyers of the newer generation
1. Saul Goodman in Breaking Bad
There is this one scene in breaking bad where things get hairy, and one of the criminals says, “we better get Saul.” Now during this particular scene, they never show an image of Saul, but there is no need to, because they show the sign outside his office, which reads, “when the going gets tough, you don’t need a criminal lawyer, you need a criminal, lawyers. Who better to push the legal envelope than someone who doesn’t mind breaking a few rules to accomplish their goal – to win.
2. Josephine Karlsson in Engrenages
Engrenages is not only a show that is hot in France, but it has also picked up a great deal of steam in the UK under the title Spiral. Much of the show’s success can be credited to Audrey Fleurot’s performance as Josephine Karlsson – a tough as nails attorney who is willing to get down and dirty in order to achieve the desired result of winning cases. The show provides a unique peek inside the French justice system.
3. Maurice Levy in The Wire
Normally, when an attorney is willing to represent low-life drug dealers and thugs, it is assumed that the attorney is unscrupulous. While this is not always the case, it is definitely the case when it comes to Maurice Levy in the Wire. Levy is a wise and savvy attorney that is not afraid to pass up on a good plea deal. Then of course, it is not his freedom he is gambling with.
4. Alan Shore in Boston Legal
When most people think about TV courtroom-based shows, they normally think of the typical murder, extortion and drug dealing type cases, but one of the best courtroom scenes in recent years took place as Alan Shore argued that his client was within her rights to supply her terminally ill father with a lethal dose of morphine – allowing him to die with dignity and peace.
5. Oliver Babish in The West Wing
Actor, Oliver Platt definitely has the range and the experience to play the role of an attorney. Who can forget his convincing performance as Matthew McConaughey’s side kick in the thriller, A Time to Kill. He assumes the lead role in The West Wing, and he definitely does not disappoint – delivering chilling scenes over and over again.
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