Perfect cast and a good story

Absolutely brilliant

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

The Practice is easily the greatest legal drama ever created. It stands as one the greatest shows of the 1990s. The cast was great from top to bottom, headlined by the exceptional Dylan McDermott, Steve Harris, and Cameron Manheim. David E. Kelley crafted a brilliant show with exceptional writing and great character development. It is a shame that the Practice did not find a larger audience (it was only in the top ten once) because it was definitely worth watching. Even though I was a little bit disappointed with the last two seasons of the show (with the exception of the great James Spader) it is still a classic.I can't believe this show has an IMDb rating of only of 7.2 it deserves a 10.

I used to watch this show when I was growing up. Although I don't remember much about it, I must say that it was a pretty good show. Also, I don't think I've seen every episode. However, if you ask me, it was still a good show. However, I remember the opening sequence and song very well. Everyone was ideally cast, the costume design was great. The performances were top-grade, too. I just hope some network brings this series back one day so that I'll be able to see every episode. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say that I'll always remember this show in my memory forever, even though I don't think I've seen every episode. Now, in conclusion, when and if this show is ever brought back on the air, I hope that you catch it one day before it goes off the air for good.

Network: ABC; Genre: Legal Drama; Content Rating: TV-14 (for language, adult content, and occasionally strong violence); Available: syndication; Classification: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4); Season Reviewed: Complete Series (8 seasons) "The Practice" started humbly on Saturday nights and creator/super-producer David E. Kelley built it into one of the most unique legal dramas on TV. Courtroom dramas where, and still are in many ways, a popular thing, but "The Practice" deviated from the norm with a more intriguing concept. It is the story of, not just lawyers, but defense attorneys who struggle to do their job for the greater integrity of the legal system even if it means setting a guilty murderer Scott free. It puts some intriguing moral questions in the lap of the audience and lets us sort them out.As the show progresses, these moral dilemmas take their toll on the characters. Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) and Eugene (Steve Harris) become beaten down, intentionally getting the life literally pounded out of their once lively personalities. Jimmy (Michael Baddallucco) goes from grunt to whiner and Eleanor Front (Camryn Manheim) gets on her angry soap box and lectures everybody, on screen and in the audience, more and more. Helen Gamble (Lara Flynn Boyle) and DA Walsh (a good Bill Smitrovich) also appear on the edge of collapse by loosing to the firm. Lindsey (Kelli Williams) is increasingly driven mad, stalked by one client after another. Her mid-series marriage to Bobby brings about one of the most unhappy and chemistry-less unions in recent TV memory. Then there is Rebecca Washington (Lisa Gay Hamilton) whom I never cared for and Lucy Hatcher (Marla Sokoloff) whose perky act becomes refreshing the duller the main characters get.No, "The Practice" may not be remembered for its protagonists, but there is a good chance it will be remembered for the villains that walk through the door as clients. Henry Winkler as a bug fetish dentist, John Larroquette Emmy-winning terrific as egomaniacal, homosexual serial killer Joey Heric, Michael Monks as the classically meek George Vogelman and Michael Emmerson as the series' creepiest character, William Hinks. The sheer nastiness of the defendants are where this show shines.The longer it went the more tired of itself the show got. A season 7 client who thought he was Superman found a new low. I loved it sometimes and hated it others, but I kept watching. It kept dragging me along, through its improbability, recycled twists, deflating characters and Kelley's trademark political posturing. But it was a fun antidote to the dryer "Law & Orders" of the world. With Kelley's mountain of TV legal experience behind him and his trademark sensationalized execution. Kelley is also not above lengthy outbursts of psychotic violence to shock the audience. It is pot-boiler, melodramatic fun. It is not hard-and-fast with the law, more of a laymen's "Law & Order", but some wild stories and ending twists give it an edge other shows don't have. "Practice" specializes in the shocking twist. There is an unforgettable, brilliantly set-up, dozy of a shocker at the end of the 3th season. There is a shocking, unsettling, death of a major character at the end of the 5th season. Both are series high seasons. I may not see a nun the same way again.I swore I would never watch again after Kelley through a fit and a massive "budget cutting" round of firings gutted all but 3 members of the regular staff, including stout series star McDermott. In the 8th and final season Kelley seems to have lost interest entirely in this show and these characters. James Spader joins the cast to pump some life into it and pump he does. The show becomes must-see TV again following Alan Shore's (Spader) over-the-top antics and, constantly threatened with termination, wonder how far he will go next. Kelley refocuses and Alan Shore becomes his new love and Spader is larger than life.The final few episodes of the series, including a drab finale, serve merely to set up Kelley's Alan Shore spin-off series, tentatively titled "The Practice: Fleet Street". If what we've seen already is any indication the new show is a logical transition from a dying one and something worth waiting for.* * * / 4

I was an avid watcher of THE PRACTICE when ABC was still spitting out new episodes, especially from seasons five through seven, though I have seen episodes from all the seasons and I watched a lot at the end of season eight. THE PRACTICE, first off, is a first-rate, thoughtful, intelligent, witty show. It is a shining star in the smog-filled sky that is TV today. The stars were made on that show, a good reflection of how great the show is. I love the way there would often, but not always, by that third or fourth act be an AH HA! moment, just enough to make one start to nod in unison with the characters.Bobby Donnell as the lead character, until the last season, was so smart at times, making a really good path in life and as an attorney. And at times he was so self-destructive and stupid one wonders if he had been cloned or had an identical but dumb twin. Bobby also let his cases get too personal some, but not all of the time. Lindsay Dole was somebody who you could always root for. But, she was definitely flawed. She was stubborn to the point of ridiculous behavior sometimes. She looked at her relationship with Bobby through all stages as one where she always had to do something about that big lug, due to his clearly compromised sense of what was appropriate in any given situation. She truly and sincerely thought that she was ALWAYS right. She didn't know she was being unfair, rude, and arrogant and walking all over Bobby. At least I'm pretty sure of all that. Otherwise she was just a callous, cruel person.I found Eugene and Eleanor's treatment of Rebecca strange at the end of the seventh season. Eugene seemed to structure decisions without regard to how they would impact Rebecca or maybe he hoped to alienate her and force her to quit and take her talents elsewhere. Now I must stress, I'm not trying to say what she did or did not do, but that's what Eugene seemed to want, regardless of what Bec did after learning of an authoritarian directive.I think the differences between David E. Kelly's L.A. LAW and David E. Kelley's THE PRACTICE have to be made clear. L.A. LAW was fantastic and excellent most, if not all, of the time. THE PRACTICE was great most, if not all, of the time. Both shows feature high-quality character development, but that takes something of a back seat on THE PRACTICE to bizarre murders. Both series explore the impact of one's actions on more than the just the obvious players. On THE PRACTICE that is less subtle and more integral to the show. But most keenly is the difference in the fair, just outcome vs. the actual outcome of the trials. On L.A. LAW one comes away saying, 'It may have been harsh' or 'It may have been too lenient in some ways' but either way (USUALLY) 'That verdict was fair and just'. On THE PRACTICE, one usually comes away saying 'That was HARSH' or 'I can't believe that person just got put back on the streets' but either way saying 'That jury must be insane or decided to intentionally give the wrong verdict just to complement the defendant's impeccable grooming habits and fine manners'. I don't think, given how the setting is the U.S.A. in the present day, that the outcome is almost ever realistic. TV viewers want some escapism, but not LAW AND ORDER: ANIMAL HOUSE-STYLE. The bizarre murders highlighted repeatedly probably result from the number of juries that don't believe in convicting people or are anarchists.Overall, THE PRACTICE is a series one must decide to watch to enjoy the first fifty-five minutes, and not for the sake of enjoying the last five (when the verdict is read).