"Family Law" (1999) TV series 1999-2002

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Writer:

Vivienne Radkoff (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

20 September 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 7 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Kathleen Quinlan	...	Lynn Holt (68 episodes, 1999-2002)
Dixie Carter	...	Randi King (68 episodes, 1999-2002)
Christopher McDonald	...	Rex Weller (68 episodes, 1999-2002)
Salli Richardson-Whitfield	...	Viveca Foster (68 episodes, 1999-2002)
Julie Warner	...	Danni Lipton (49 episodes, 1999-2001)

Runtime:

60 min | USA:60 min (69 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

CBS Productions

Trivia:

After three seasons, CBS canceled the show due to low ratings.

Quotes:

Randi: Sure you got your self screwed here, didn't you Linn?
Lynn: Yes, well.
Randi: I'm not gonna take up much of your time. You're meeting with a lot of terrific attorneys. Any one will represent you vary aggressively. And depending on how smart your husband was, they might even get you some decent money. That's not who I am, and that's not what I want for you...

Soundtrack:

War

Move over, L.A. Law

A 40-something lawyer comes to her office on a Monday morning to find that her husband has cleaned out their law firm and has started a new firm across the street. She must cope with the loss of her husband, her firm, and start over from scratch. She must also deal with the sudden job of being a single working mother.

This show is so much better than over law series for several reasons. For one, the cast is superb. Kathleen Quinlan (Breakdown, Zeus and Roxanne) stars as the most sensitive yet strong woman I've ever seen on television. This is her first television series since the '70s, and I'm glad she's back. Julie Warner (Doc Hollywood, Tommy Boy) co-stars as the young and up-and-coming associate, Dixie Carter (Designing Women) co-stars as Quinlan's ruthless divorce attorney, and Christopher McDonald is the "odd man out" who decides to change his sleazy ways a bit and join the firm.

Unlike L.A. Law and others, this is a small firm. It is much easier to get to know the characters and really feel for what they are experiencing in life - both in the law firm and out. The best word for it is "cozy." It makes you feel like a true insider into a small and (sometimes!) crazy family law firm. It is a cozy one hour escape from reality.