Today, we look at when (or if) you folks believe that The Practice “jumped the shark.”
This is “Just Can’t Jump It,” a feature where we examine shows and whether they “jumped the shark.” Jumped the shark (coined by Jon Hein) means that the show had a specific point in time where, in retrospect, you realize that show was going downhill from there (even if, in some rare occasions, the show later course-corrected). Not every show DOES jump the shark. Some shows just remain good all the way through. And some shows are terrible all the way through. What we’re looking for are moments where a show that you otherwise enjoyed hit a point where it took a noticeable nose dive after that time and if so, what moment was that?
The Practice was an acclaimed drama about a small law firm that slowly got more successful as the series progressed, as it went from being a “grunt” law firm to being one of the highest profile criminal defense firms in Boston by the end of the series. The Practice won two Best Drama Emmys for Seasons 2-3 and was nominated for seasons 2-5 (Season 1 was essentially a miniseries of just six episodes). Its Season 2 victory was notable in that it was the last time that every Best Drama nominee was a network drama. It famously rebooted itself in its eighth and final season, stripping the show down to its parts, and then essentially relaunching as Boston Legal, which ran another five seasons.
So first…DID IT JUMP THE SHARK? I believe so, yes.
WHEN DID IT JUMP THE SHARK If you’re ever interested in one of the few shows that rebounded after it jumped the shark, The Practice would be a good example, as its aforementioned rebooted final season really WAS quite good, so good that it, as noted, was given its own spinoff series, as it was too good to keep it going as, like, The Practice Season 9, ya know?
However, before it got to that point, I think the series jumped the shark early in its seventh season. Season 6 ended on an absurd bit where one of the firm’s top lawyers, Lindsey Dole (Kelli Williams), wife of the firm’s founder and star attorney, Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott), was convicted of murder. Her conviction was thrown out early in Season 7, but then the show really went off the rails, as Lindsey started her own firm across the hall from the original firm. It was just so dumb. There were still some good episodes, of course, but not like early on.
I’ve noted before that I really disliked how the show handled the case of George Vogelman (a seemingly hapless nerd who is accused of being a murderer. Half a season after they clear his name, it turns out he WAS a serial killer), but the show adjusted to that misstep very nicely in Season 4, with some excellent episodes, including a Post-Super Bowl two-parter that was one of the show’s highlights. But by Season 7, everything was just too far gone (it was already a bit long in the tooth earlier in Season 6). It really needed that Season 8 reboot, as it was TIRED by Season 7’s end.
Let me know what you think in the comments or on social media!
Feel free to e-mail me at brian@poprefs.com for suggestions for shows to do in future installments!
Actually, The Practice ‘s first season was a short one in spring of 1997. it was not Emmy nominated. i
It won for seasons 2&3
Now if you say the spring run was part of season 1, there is no season 8 .
Yeah, good point, I’ll amend! They really do treat Season 1 and 2 as a weird hybrid. Some of those Season 2 episodes HAD to be Season 1 episodes, right?
yes Many of the season 1 episode were held until season 2. it was filing in for NYPD Blue reruns and The Practice struggled in the slot and Blue returned early.
And seasons were more determined on when something aired then when produced. (i.e. When many of the canceled Iincredibe Hulk season 4 were held before a strike, it was called season 5)
I would say the first crossover with Ally McBeal.