Harry's Law: Difference between revisions

Line 2:

[[File:harryslaw_2055.jpg|frame]]

A [[Law Procedural]] starring Kathy Bates by [[David E Kelley]].

A [[Law Procedural]] starring Kathy Bates by [[David E. Kelley]].

[[Knight in Sour Armor|Harriet Korn]] is tired. Being one of the best patent lawyers in Cincinnati gets a little boring after a while. As soon as she mentions this to her superiors, though, she quickly finds herself out of a job.

All well and good for Harry, who promptly clears out her desk and starts to move on...only to have someone literally [[Grievous Harm ~~With~~ a Body|drop out of the sky on top of her]]. Malcolm, a [[Troubled but Cute|troubled teen]] trying to kill himself because he's facing drug charges, then pleads with Harry to take his case, since he feels their unique meeting was fate. Despite her better judgment, she ends up helping him and finds she actually likes being a criminal attorney. After the day is won, Harry decides to open a law firm in one of Cincinnati's [[Wrong Side of the Tracks|worst neighborhoods]] in order to help the underprivileged people that big lawyers tend to pass over.

All well and good for Harry, who promptly clears out her desk and starts to move on...only to have someone literally [[Grievous Harm with a Body|drop out of the sky on top of her]]. Malcolm, a [[Troubled but Cute|troubled teen]] trying to kill himself because he's facing drug charges, then pleads with Harry to take his case, since he feels their unique meeting was fate. Despite her better judgment, she ends up helping him and finds she actually likes being a criminal attorney. After the day is won, Harry decides to open a law firm in one of Cincinnati's [[Wrong Side of the Tracks|worst neighborhoods]] in order to help the underprivileged people that big lawyers tend to pass over.

Oh, she also gets hit by a car, not that it [[Plot Armor|matters much]].

Line 26:

* [[Did Not Do the Research]]: There is no "Superior Court" in Ohio's present-day court system. (There used to be a "Cincinnati Superior Court" from 1838 to 1907.)

* [[Disregard That Statement]]: Harry lives for this trope. Subverted in that it actually ''does'' almost get her disbarred.

* [[Double Standard Rape (Female On Male)]]: Tommy's case in '''And The Band Plays On'''. He keeps suggesting the client to drop the case because he allowed it to happen. The client point blatantly asks him if he would be saying the same thing if the genders were reversed.

* [[Double Standard Rape (Female on Male)]]: Tommy's case in '''And The Band Plays On'''. He keeps suggesting the client to drop the case because he allowed it to happen. The client point blatantly asks him if he would be saying the same thing if the genders were reversed.

* [[Expy]]: Tommy Jefferson of [[Boston Legal|Denny Crane]].

** Heck, the entire ''series'' seems to be a [[Spiritual Successor]] to ''[[Boston Legal]]'', with Harry taking the place of Alan Shore. Both shows are [[David E Kelley]] productions.

** Heck, the entire ''series'' seems to be a [[Spiritual Successor]] to ''[[Boston Legal]]'', with Harry taking the place of Alan Shore. Both shows are [[David E. Kelley]] productions.

* [[Four-Temperament Ensemble]]: Jenna (sanguine), Harry (choleric), Adam (melancholic), and Malcolm (phlegmatic).

* [[Gang-Bangers]]: More than a few, but Damien is the most prevalent, being a recurring character.

Line 36:

* [[Hidden Depths]]: Despite Tommy's brash nature, he actually used to be really nervous in court. The only reason he acts the way he does now is to get people (namely jurors) to like him.

** This show loves this trope. Damien seems like a thug at first, but he really just wants to protect people. Jenna acts like a bubbly ditz because that was how she dealt with being molested, and now she feels a responsibility to everyone to keep it up even when it's driving her nuts. Rachael seems like a controlling ex at first, but her actions turn out to be out of love and concern and intimacy. Puck is actually a caring and sensitive, very sad person just trying to do right in the world. Even the street gang stepped up to the plate to offer organ donations for the ex-gang member.

* [[Inherent in ~~The~~ System]]: The entire point of the series seems to be to shine a light on everything that's broken in American society, though there is a clear liberal viewpoint being expressed.

* [[Inherent in the System]]: The entire point of the series seems to be to shine a light on everything that's broken in American society, though there is a clear liberal viewpoint being expressed.

* [[Jerk ~~With~~ a Heart of Gold]]: Harry, Tommy, and Damien.

* [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]: Harry, Tommy, and Damien.

* [[Knight in Sour Armor]]: Harry.

* [[Knight Templar]]: DA Josh Peyton is a non-evil example. Always goes for the maximum penalty, seems to totally scorn plea bargaining and doesn't seem to know the meaning of the terms "extenuating circumstances" or "reasonable doubt"

Line 50:

* [[Peace Conference]]: Harry decides she's going to act as a [[Mediator]] between two local gangs. Thanks to her [[Jerkass Facade]], they do manage to agree on one thing: she sucks as a mediator.

* [[Penultimate Outburst]]: Harry has to get on a soapbox about something at least once per episode.

* [[Put On a Bus]]: {{spoiler|Jenna}} and {{spoiler|Malcolm}}. Given the new direction of the show, they are likely on a [[Long Bus Trip]].

* [[Put on a Bus]]: {{spoiler|Jenna}} and {{spoiler|Malcolm}}. Given the new direction of the show, they are likely on a [[Long Bus Trip]].

* [[Reasonable Authority Figure]]: Harry.

* [[Revolvers Are Just Better]]

Line 56:

** Of course [[Reality Ensues]] in that Harry refuses the case because it's stupid but [[Glory Hound]] Tommy Jefferson takes the case because he doesn't care about the client or the case only that he is well known.

*** {{spoiler|Subverted in that Tommy develops sympathy for the woman and ends up winning the crucial part of the suit not by his typical theatrics, but by good old-fashioned legal ass-kicking (because he cared enough to come [[Crazy Prepared]]).}}

* [[Screwed By the Network]]: Despite decent ratings, NBC canceled the series, because it was apparently pulling in the demographics the network didn't want.

* [[Screwed by the Network]]: Despite decent ratings, NBC canceled the series, because it was apparently pulling in the demographics the network didn't want.

* [[Stepford Smiler]]: {{spoiler|Jenna, in a way. When she had an encounter with her [[Creepy Uncle]], she retreated into a fantasy world where everything was happy and perfect. She never really came out.}}

* [[Wrong Side of the Tracks]]: Where Harry's new firm is set up.