Legal dramas are television series that take place in the justice system and follow the lives of attorneys, plaintiffs, defendants, and all other individuals associated with legal cases. The genre is distinct from detective fiction and police dramas, which are generally focused on investigating and solving crimes. However, there is overlap between them, as they all deal with justice as a central theme and tend to be marked by suspenseful scenes and several plot twists. While the genre in and of itself sounds serious and no-nonsense, legal comedies exist as well, and are perfect for those who want to enjoy something that is both clever and light.
If you’ve been thinking about adding some legal dramas to your watchlist, here are a few of the captivating titles you should take into account.
Suits
This American legal drama is a classic that has entertained legions of fans since its original release in 2011. It was added to Netflix and Peacock in 2023, a move that led to the development of a spin-off series titled Suits LA that was cancelled after one season. The show featured many interesting cases, including financial dealings and corporate espionage, divorce, and the impact legal proceedings have on people’s personal lives, addiction, and even the revelation that one of the lawyers didn’t actually have a law degree.
Compensation claims and their intricacies are also covered in Suits. In real life, you can reach out to Public Interest Lawyers in the UK if you have a case you deserve to get remuneration for. They will help you navigate all the convoluted aspects of the case, including the type of proof you need to be able to present in court, as well as the amount you can expect to obtain depending on the severity of your case. In Suits, several compensation cases are depicted. In season 4, a compensation formula is needed following a train derailment, but it is soon revealed that the entire incident could be the result of faulty equipment, with a cover-up being revealed.
The whistleblower requires individual compensation as well, after being fired from the company for revealing the real reason behind the railway accident.
The Good Wife
This legal drama had its original run between 2009 and 2016. The setting is Chicago, and the main character is Alicia Florrick, whose husband, Peter, who is the Cook County, Illinois State Attorney, was jailed following a corruption and sex scandal. By that point, Alicia had been a stay-at-home mom for more than a decade, but the events forced her to return to work as a litigator in order to provide for her children and get their lives back on track. As the series progresses, she regains her agency and confidence but also becomes obsessed with power, causing trouble for many people and becoming caught in scandals of her own.
The series also had several spin-offs. One of them is The Good Fight, which has 60 episodes across 6 different seasons, with the last one released in 2022. The plot takes place a year after the finale of The Good Wife and follows young lawyer Maia Rindell, whose reputation is destroyed as a result of a financial scam. The Good Fight incorporates significant social commentary, addressing topics such as the rise of the alt-right and fake news, the consequences of online harassment, and the emergence of the # MeToo movement. Elsbeth is an ongoing police procedural following the eponymous Elsbeth Tascioni, an unconventional attorney.
There are also South Korean and Japanese versions of The Good Wife, released under the same title, as well as an Indian drama called The Trial, starring Kajol in the lead role.
Better Call Saul
Breaking Bad is widely regarded as one of the greatest television series of all time, being lauded by critics and viewers alike. Better Call Saul is a prequel to the original series, with some of the scenes taking place during and after the events depicted in Breaking Bad as well. The action unfolds during the early to mid-2000s and is centred around the actions of Jimmy McGill, who becomes involved in the criminal underworld of Albuquerque. He works under his alias, Saul Goodman, and acts as the consigliere of Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.
The core of the series is Jimmy’s transformation from a well-intentioned albeit flawed lawyer to a man lacking ethics. The events and connections that shape his decisions are also depicted, including his dynamics with his brother and his romantic interest, Kim Wexler. As he becomes increasingly embroiled in the criminal underworld, he ends up encountering more and more people associated with the drug trade, and ultimately faces the consequences of his actions. However, his choices don’t only impact him but also those around him as well.
How to Get Away with Murder
If you’re a fan of thrillers, you will definitely love this one. The main character is Annalise Keating, played by Viola Davis, an attorney and law professor at a Philadelphia university who becomes involved in a complex murder plot alongside five of her students. The character has been recognized as one of the most groundbreaking in television history, particularly for her representation of the experiences of both African American women and LGBTQ individuals.
She is a self-sufficient and respected attorney and professor, but ends up dealing with numerous challenges throughout the series, including alcohol addiction and trauma. How to Get Away with Murder follows several murders involving the main characters, with some being intentional while others are purely incidental. New mysteries regarding past relationships are continuously revealed, so that you end up learning more about the characters as the seasons progress.
In conclusion, there are many things that can draw you to legal dramas. Their complexity, the moral ambiguity of the characters, the questionable moral decisions, and the struggle between right and wrong (which often differs from what’s legal and what isn’t) are among the features that make these shows so engaging. If you want to add a few titles to your watchlist, here are a few of the classics that will never leave you disappointed.
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