The Paper Chase: TV Show Review
1970s Law School Television Show Created by John Jay Osborne, Jr.
May 14, 2009
The Paper Chase TV series was based on the 1973 movie and the 1970 novel of the same title by John Jay Osborne, Jr., a graduate of Harvard Law School. The show hinges on the struggles of an exceptional Harvard Law study group and their interactions with feared and admired contract law professor Charles W. Kingsfield.
Characters
Members of the eager study group are James T. Hart, Willis Bell, Elizabeth Logan, Franklin Ford III, and Thomas Craig Anderson. Charles W. Kingsfield plays the group's main challenger-he is an extremely tough grader, but always proves well intentioned by the end of an episode, no matter how cruel his assignments or criticisms may seem. Supporting characters are Kingsfield's dutiful secretary, Mrs. Nottingham, and Ernie, Hart's hot headed boss and owner of the local tavern.
Actors and Writers
John Jay Osborne, Jr., the author of both the novel and film versions of The Paper Chase, created the television show and wrote many of its episodes. A host of additional writers worked on the show throughout its four seasons.
- James T. Hart is played by James Stephens
- Professor Kingsfield is played by John Houseman
- Franklin Ford is played by Tom Fitzsimmons
- Willis Bell is played by James Keane
- Elizabeth Logan is played by Francine Tacker
- Thomas Craig Anderson is played by Robert Ginty
- Mrs. Nottingham is played by Betty Harford
- Ernie is played by Charles Hallahan
Analysis of The Paper Chase
The show is campy and lacks subtly, and the characters are unbelievably earnest-despite this, The Paper Chase is terrific fun to watch. Seeing the inside view of an elite law school feeds the national voyeuristic appetite in much the way today's reality TV shows do. The classroom setting allows the audience to be drawn in to the problem presented in each episode along with the characters. As the study group fumbles toward an outcome, the audience tries to solve the problem on their own, racing the characters to the conclusion. In this way the show was a precursor to contemporary crime dramas like NYPD Blue, CSI, and Law and Order.
Five Reasons To Watch The Paper Chase
- As a reminder of the political and social climate of the late seventies and early eighties, and as a reminder of how far the country has come
- To see the great John Houseman as Professor Charles W. Kingsfield
- For an exam-free glimpse into the motivations and frustrations of eager young law students
- For a hopeful view of the law, at a moment in time when so much pessimism and red tape seem to weigh down its possibilities
- To see engaging, suspenseful investigations, like the ones in today's crime shows, without the violence
For more information, visit IMDB. To read about The Paper Chase Movie, Click here. For more Suite101.com articles on Television Dramas, Click here.
 |
