- Pilot episode for the TV series introduces the lawyers and employees of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak, a Los Angeles law firm, in dealing with their courtroom cases and personal matters out of the courthouse. While the entire office deals with the unexpected death of one of the founding senior partners, Norman Chaney, junior partner Michael Kuzak reluctantly takes on the defense of a wealthy and spoiled young man, accused with two friends, of raping a woman dying from leukemia. While intern Abby Perkins deals with her abusive alcoholic husband, divorce lawyer Arnie Becker takes advantage of his latest client caught up in her divorce. Public defender Victor Sifuentes is also offered to join the firm, while the ruthless managing partner, Douglas Brackman, deals with a surprising revelation from his new secretary.—matt-282
- At McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak, a law firm in the 444 Plaza located in downtown Los Angeles, a typical Tusday after Labor Day Weekend begins when the entire office tries to deal with the unexpected death of one of the founding senior partners, Norman Chaney. Shortly thereafter, partner Michael Kuzak reluctantly takes on the defense of Justin Pregerson, a wealthy and spoiled young man accused, along with two friends, of raping a woman dying from leukemia. Meanwhile, associate Ann Kelsey clashes with Douglas Brackman, Jr., the ruthless managing partner, over taking on a pro-bono case involving a woman being denied medical benefits. Abby Perkins, a young intern, assists with Kelsey's case while dealing with her abusive, alcoholic husband. Divorce lawyer and partner, Arnie Becker, takes advantage of Lydia Graham, an attractive woman caught up in a divorce, to makes the moves on her. Brackman hires Georgia Buckner, a new personal secretary, who later reveals some unsavory things about her and Chaney during his funeral. Also, Kuzak meets with Victor Sifuentes, a Hispanic public defender, as a possible associate for the firm.—Anonymous
- Arnold "Arnie" Becker, a 30-something, hot-shot lawyer drives his expensive Porsche Convertable through rush hour traffic to the law offices of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak in downtown Los Angeles. He arrives first at the office before 7:00 a.m. where he's greeted by his secretary Roxanne Melman. As they start the schedule for the week after a long Labor Day weekend, they both notice a foul smell circulating in the office. No sooner than Becker sits down at his desk in his posh office decorated with expensive collectables, a desperate man enters Becker's office, pointing a gun at him. The man, identified as Dick Hobart, is apparently a man whose wife Becker represented sometime back during their divorce where Becker apparently forced/blackmailed Hobart into accepting a divorce settlement which financially destroyed him. Hobert fires the gun, but to Becker's relief, it's full of blanks. After Hobert flees, Roxanne discovers the dead body of Norman Chaney, one of the firm's senior partners, sitting at his desk with his face half-buried in a plate of food. Roxanne tells the news to Becker who casually responds: "If he's dead, I got dibs on his office."
An hour later, the firm is in turmoil as the coroner tells Leland McKenzie, the other senior partner, that Chaney has been dead for over 48 hours. He apparently died from a sudden heart attack while working at his desk Friday afternoon and remained that way the entire Labor Day weekend. Douglas Brackman Jr., the cynical managing partner and son of another recently deceased senior partner, is worried that how will they be able to handle the Irving Lewis tax audit without Chaney. Nearby, the firm's tax specialist, Stuart Markowitz, is trying to calm down the grieving Hilda Brunschweiger, Chaney's secretary who never stops crying (a running joke used throughout the episode). Nearby, Roxanne is talking to Ann Kelsey, an associate, about what happened and about being the one who found Cheney's body. Before McKenzie can even grieve, Iris Hubbard, his secretary, informs him that Justin Pregerson, the son of a wealthy client, has been arrested again and his wealthy father wants him bailed out of jail immediately. McKenzie gives partner Michael Kuzak a call on his car phone to go down to the L.A. county jail at once. Nearby, Douglas Brackman is interviewing Georgia Buckner as a potential new secretary. Georgia is visibly distraught when she learns of Norman Chaney's death and reminds Brackman that Chaney was the one who recommended her for the job. Associate Andrew Taylor and clerk Bruce Pollack talk among themselves about how attractive Georgia is.
At the L.A. County Jail, public defender Victor Sifuentes is trying to get in to see a client and is quarreling with the desk officer, Sergeant McKlosky, who refuses to let him see his client even though Sifuentes has all the proper identification. McKosky continues to refuse to allow Sifuentes see his client unless he is physically searched. Sifuentes refuses and gets angry when McKoskey begins saying racial slurs at him and almost gets into a fistfight with the racist police officer. Michael Kuzak arrives and intervenes just in time, prompting Sifuentes to walk out. Detective Lester Tuttle meets with Kuzak and agrees to let him meet with Justin Pregerson who is charged with raping a woman dying from leukemia. In a interrogation room, Kuzak meets with Pregerson, who is shown to be an arrogant, spoiled, overgrown, rich boy who defends his actions by saying the victim had it coming.
At the firm's noon staff meeting, the first big issue on Becker's mind is who will get Chaney's office and wants to be the one on it. Everyone, including McKenzie, jumps on him for being so insensitive. Becker then brings up his latest divorce case where he's trying to get a settlement for client Lynda Graham, whose husband has apparently been cheating on her. Associate Abby Perkins brings up a pro-bono case she and Ann Kelsey have involving an insurance company refusing to pay medical costs for a client named Celia Robinson. Brackman, being the natural and cynical businessman he is, cautions Kelsey and Perkins about taking on pro-bono clients, for the firm needs the revenues to survive. As the meeting breaks up, Abby is met by her unemployed husband, Jim, who is drunk and wants to borrow money.
Afterwards, Becker meets in his office with Lynda Graham, an attractive woman wanting him to represent her in the case of her divorce from her husband. Lynda tells Becker that she just wants a quick divorce, but Becker tries to persuade her to have her husband investigated for his alledged infidelity for evidence for it would mean a bigger divorce settlment for her (as well as a bigger paycheck for the greedy Becker). Lynda refuses to stoop to that level, but Becker decides to plan otherwise.
That evening, Perkins meets with Kelsey where they discuss their case about the insurance company refusing to cover the CAT scan for their pro-bono client as well as their own personal lives.
The next day at the L.A. courthouse at the arraignment, Kuzak enters a plea of not guilty for Justin Pregerson while two of Pregerson's friends, Emanuel Garcia and William Dollar who were arrested with him, are assigned lawyers. Garcia is given public defender Nick Klein who is quarreling with Leslie Aaron, an employee from the district attorney's office, in Judge Schroeder's courtroom about a turbulent on/off again romance they are having. Dollar is given lawyer Rob Cavanaugh as his representation. Bail is set for Justin Pregerson of $25,000, but Garcia and Dollar, who cannot afford bail, are left behind. Afterwards, Kuzak speaks to Aaron about a "body" his firm is looking for and she recommends Victor Sifuentes. Kuzak goes to Judge Armand's courtroom where Sifuentes is arguing his case about being denied visitation to his client, Carlos Hermosillo, whom Sifuentes is defending for drug procession. After hearing from Kuzak about witnessing the incident the other day at the jail, Judge Armand dismisses the case against Carlos Hermosillo. Kuzak gives Sifuentes his business card and offers him a job at his firm.
Later that day, Sifuentes has lunch with Kuzak, McKenzie and Brackman at a local resturant where they talk about Sifuentes joining the firm as a junior associate. But Sifuentes is not impressed by them and feels that they want him to do nothing more than handle the cases no one else in interested it. Feeling insulted, Sifuentes walks out of the restaurant.
Meanwhile, Kelsey and Perkins go to meet with Lester Mestman, the rep from the insurance company their client is being denied access to and wants them to handle payment for Celia Robinson's CAT scan.
That evening, Kuzak meets with lawyers Nick Klein and Rob Cavanaugh over drinks at a local bar to discuss their case. But the lawyers, to Kuzak's revulsion, detail their plans to keep the case tied up until the rape victim either quits the case, or dies.
The next day, Kuzak arrives late for the probable cause hearing where Judge Alice Ratakowsky reprimands him for being late. The hearing begins with district attorney Malcolm Gold putting the rape victim, Adrian Moore, on the witness stand. Afterwards, Cavanaugh cross-examines her and, in his underhanded ploy, tries to turn things around by implying that Moore led his clients on. Things go from bad to worse for Miss Moore when she explodes at Cavanaugh and wishes she would get a gun and kill the three men who raped her. As a result of this outburst, Judge Ratakowski holds her in contempt and has her taken away to a holding cell. Kuzak, having a change of heart, enters Judge Ratakowski's office to protest. But the judge talks with him about why he was late for court and reveals a parking ticket he got. Judge Ratakowski reveals that Kuzak apparently has over $4,200 worth of unpaid parking tickets for the year and has him taken away too. Kuzak is put in the jail cell next to Moore where she tells him that she cannot go through with her treatment in court anymore and decides to call her case off. Kuzak counters that if she would really get a gun and kill those three men (including Pregerson) who raped her, he would not lose any sleep over it. Moore replies: "That's the difference between us. I would."
Later that day, Kuzak goes to McKenzie where he tries to get himself taken off the Pregerson case. But his request falls on deaf ears. McKenzie tells Kuzak that they have to do what Mr. Pregerson Sr. tells them to help his son, even though Kuzak knows he's guilty.
Meanwhile, Becker meets with Angela Sipriano, a private investigator on the firm's payroll, who gives him photographic evidence of Lynda Graham's husband's extra-marital affairs.
The next day, memorial services are held for Norman Chaney. McKenzie leads off the eulogies, followed by Stuart Markowitz. But then, everyone is stunned when Brackman's new secretary, Georgia Bruckman, stands at the church podium and reveals that she's actually a transexual and that she and Norman Chaney had been lovers. Both Andrew Taylor and Bruce Pollock are shocked and somewhat amused. Brackman, being the bigot that he is, walks out of the church and immediately fires Georgia.
Back at the firm, Dr. Mandel, the doctor whom examined Ceila Robinson, arrives and he tells Kelsey and Perkins that Mrs. Robinson has an inoperable brain tumor and had it been diagnosed earlier, she might have had a chance of surgery and recovery. As a result, Kelsey sets out on a new task of proving the insurance company operated in bad faith in its dealings.
Back at the courthouse, Adrian Moore is put back on the witness stand, where she feigns memory loss, attributed to the medication she is taking. Despite D.A. Gold's opposition, Judge Ratakowsky dismisses the case for there is not enough sufficient evidence to support it. Justin Pregerson is still nervous, noting out-loud about Miss Moore's earlier threat to kill him and his two friends. But he's unable to gain a sympathetic ear.
At the firm, Lester Mestman arrives with a small settlement from the insurance company, which Kelsey instantly rejects.
Meanwhile, Becker introduces the photographic proof of Lynda's husband in an amorous embrace with another woman during a lunch date with her. Lynda is furious with Becker for doing this behind her back since she previously told him that she just wants a clean break from her marriage. Becker reminds her that one day she'll thank him for this for it will help her get back on her feet, financially, with the improved settlement. Lynda knows that Becker did it because he only wants a larger share of the increased settlement, but she ends up saying nothing in order to accept this.
That evening after work, Pregerson, high on drugs, approaches Kuzak in the parking garage saying that his father had financially cut him off for this latest brush with the law and he wants money to get out of town. Kuzak refuses to give him any money, and Pregerson pulls out a gun on Kuzak and robs him. Kuzak goes to a nearby bar to call the police when he spots Detective Tuttle there getting drunk. Instead, Kuzak implies to Tuttle that a robbery just took place and leaves.
An hour later, Kuzak is back in his office, sitting at his desk and waiting, when Victor Sifuentes arrives to talk with him about his offer to join the firm which would help him out. Then, Kuzak receives a phone call from someone saying that Justin Pregerson was arrested again on a new string of charges involving possession of drugs.
Kuzak meets with Pregerson in jail again where he offers him a deal: if Pregerson pleads guilty to the rape of Adrian Moore, Kuzak will work on a deal that will get all the other charges dropped. Pregerson reluctantly agrees.
At the next court hearing, Pregerson and his two friends, Garcia and Dollar, plead guilty to the rape and they are sentenced to 18 months in jail. Kuzak goes to Adrian Moore sitting nearby where he offers her assurances that they will not bother her again, and even gives her his business card.
At a formal dinner party for the firm, a somewhat drunk Kelsey invites Markowitz to spend the night with her at her apartment. Nearby, Georgia arrives with a lawyer and they give a subpoena to Brackman which states that she's suing him for wrongful termination and sexual discrimination. Abby's husband, Jim, gets drunk and begins causing a scene. When Abby tries to calm him down, he responds by splashing his drink in her face and physically pushing her away. Also, Sifuentes agrees with McKenzie that he will join the firm on a trial basis.
The following afternoon, after everyone has left the office for the day, McKenzie asks Kuzak about the conclusion of the Pregerson case, and tells him that he's aware that Kuzak had tipped off the police to Pregerson's drug-induced condition and that he helped the prosecution with their case. Kuzak apologizes for letting his conscience get in the way, but stands firm on his moral views with the law and of the people he has to represent... most of whom he knows are guilty of the crimes he defends them from. McKenzie accepts this and reprimands Kuzak to try not to let it happen again.
The final scene has Kuzak working after-hours and alone at the firm when a tearful Adrian Moore arrives wanting attention since she's dying, and she has no one to comfort her. She and Kuzak embrace.
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What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of Pilot (1986) in Australia?
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