If there was one thing that Leland McKenzie was good at, it was being a leader when he needed to be since he sought to bring out the best in everyone while dealing with the worst at the same time. That’s one of the many factors that tend to make a person the best character on a show, especially since it makes them far more appealing to a wider range of people. It’s much easier to respect a person that can deal with people in a kind manner than someone who will take sides more often than not. Leland wasn’t a perfect character obviously since he had his own faults and his own difficulties at times, but among the cast, he was without a doubt one of the absolute best characters since he knew how to get things done and stay professional at the same time, most times. Richard Dysart, who played the character, passed away in 2015, but considering that there’s a rumor of a reboot of L.A. Law coming eventually it’s a hope that he’ll get a mention here and there considering that his character was definitely of great importance to the story.
His legacy is hopefully going to be a show that will once again climb its way up with ratings that will keep it around for a while, but it’s hard to say if this will happen since back in the day when L.A. Law was still quite popular there was no such thing as streaming and the number of popular TV shows out there wasn’t nearly as expansive as it is now. Trying to keep up on every show these days is nearly impossible since it would mean watching TV around the clock, and it still wouldn’t be enough. L.A. Law belongs to a time when people would still gather around the TV to watch their favorite shows as a family, or after the kids had been tucked in for the night. After all, this show was kind of like a soap opera since there were plenty of episodes that dealt with relationships and encounters as much as the law.
But through all of it, Leland was the kind of guy that did the best he could with those he had to work with since there are times when one can’t help but grow a bit frustrated with their colleagues given that co-workers can be just as aggravating as anyone else. But the poise and discipline he showed more often than not was kind of impressive since when it comes to studying and practicing law there’s a great deal that needs to be known in order to defend a client and to discredit or disprove the words of one’s legal opponent. Leland was by far one of the more astute and knowledgeable individuals on the show and his acting proved that he knew his lines and how to hit his mark just as well as anyone and in some cases even better. A person doesn’t just become the best character on a show since it does take a great deal of work and a lot of confidence to create a character that people will like, not to mention one that will be capable of lasting for a while to come.
Central characters in any show definitely need to be taken on by someone that can help to lead things and push them in whatever direction they need to go, and Dysart was definitely one of the many actors that could take on such a role and make it work. His time as Leland McKenzie was time well spent during his long career since it gave him a great deal of attention, and created a character that a lot of people could easily enjoy and look up to. The fact that Leland was sleeping with the competition was kind of a sticking point, but it also wasn’t something that turned anyone off since it was another bit of drama that fit perfectly within the show since, after all, this was a big part of what the show was about, as well as the law. It’s kind of expected in such shows that there’s bound to be a lot of tension that will come from time to time, and it’s become expected over the years.
When all is said and done, Leland was the best character not just because he was the type of guy that could handle a law firm and everything that came with it, but because he was human and capable of making mistakes, and because he could keep moving forward while admitting to it. Anyone that takes on a leadership role in a show like this is usually someone that has faults of their own but isn’t necessarily defined by them. The best characters are those that can find a way through adversity of any kind. popular TV shows
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