10 Best David E. Kelley Shows, Ranked

As a Massachusetts-raised son of a Hockey Hall of Famer, Jack Kelley, David E. Kelley traded his hockey stick for a pen after graduating from Princeton with a degree in Political Science. While at the Boston University School of Law, Kelley wrote for The Legal Follies, a sketch comedy group. After taking a position at a Boston law firm, Kelley immersed himself in a "hobby" screenplay that became the 1987 movie starring Judd Nelson, From the Hip. Meanwhile, Hill Street Blues creator Steven Bochco was searching for a writer to assist him on his new series, LA Law. Kelley's name was shared in discovery, and the legal eagle became an official TV writer.

Bochco and Kelley would eventually depart the series to pursue other projects, but the show's success proved Kelley's inherent talent. One of the most prolific television creators, Kelley and his company, David E. Kelley Productions, have produced over 1000 hours of television, and his creations have netted over 200 Emmy Awards. He also won the Batman Returns lottery by marrying the best Catwoman to wear the suit, Michelle Pfeiffer. His achievements are considerable, but without further ado, here are some of his best TV series.

10 'Doogie Howser, MD.'

4 Seasons (1989-1993)

Dr. Douglas "Doogie" Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) is a card-carrying member of Mensa and a 16-year-old licensed medical doctor at Eastman Medical Center. In the fictional sitcom, Doogie straddles adolescence and surgical duties with the finesse of a seasoned pro. Audiences are invited into the Howser home, owned and operated by Doogie's parents and frequented (via bedroom window) by his best friend and neighbor, Vinnie (Max Casella). At the close of each episode, the young doctor sits opposite his enormous computer with life recaps and ruminations.

ABC Network executives weren't convinced of Harris' gifts, so Kelley grabbed a yellow legal pad and pen to assist mentor and collaborator Bochco with the pilot. After positive test screening feedback, Doogie Howser, MD, was a go. Kelley's involvement with the show was brief, but without him, Harris might've missed the opportunity to lampoon his younger self in perpetuity. Scrub in and surrender to the nostalgic pull of the early 90s and the adorably disciplined 15-year-old Doogie/Harris. Bonus points are awarded for watching while wearing a pair of Reebok Pumps.

Doogie Howser, M.D.

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9 'The Lincoln Lawyer'

2 Seasons (2022- )

Novelist Michael Connelly's character, Mickey Haller, the idealist lawyer with an affinity for Lincoln's (specifically, a 1963 Continental), finds a new TV audience aided by Kelley's capable hands. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo steps into the role previously embodied on the big screen by Matthew McConaughey. After a near-death experience and substance dependency took Haller out of legal practice for a year, the post-mortem gift from a colleague is the catalyst that gets the downcast lawyer back into a Lincoln.

A former attorney himself, Kelley is no stranger to the law. Since his early days writing for LA Law, Kelley has followed the age-old credo: write what you know. In The Lincoln Lawyer, he borrows from another book in Connelly's series, The Brass Verdict, allowing audiences to reset and adjust to new acting faces. The show might not be honored at award ceremonies, but it's got all the hallmarks of what makes a David E. Kelley Production great. Viewers take comfort in the fact that Neve Campbell doesn't have to scream to be heard, and Haller can make it across town in under 40 minutes thanks to reliable transportation and a plucky driver. The ruling is in: The Lincoln Lawyer makes a compelling case for Netflix and chill.

The Lincoln Lawyer

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8 'Ally McBeal'

5 Seasons (1997-2002)

Kelley's quirky legal dramedy centers around Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart), a young lawyer beginning a new job at the law firm of Cage & Fish. Ally's boss is a former law school classmate and the firm's co-owner, Richard Fish (Greg Germann), an eccentric character known for his "Fishisms" and peculiar fetishes. Though she's eager to forge a new path at Cage & Fish, Ally's excitement is stymied by the appearance of her former boyfriend turned colleague, Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows). The firm also employs Billy's wife, Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), to complicate the office dynamic. Interoffice shenanigans and fantasy sequences henceforth commence.

Ally McBeal was a massive hit in 97, followed by a steady stream of loyal viewership and fans into its sophomore run. However, Kelley's oddball darlings (assisted by a nose-whistling Emmy-Winning performance by Peter MacNicol as attorney John Cage) couldn't sustain the show's momentum. Kelley and Co. reeled in a trophy fish with the season four casting of Robert Downey Jr., but the actors' conflicts resulted in a catch-and-release before the seasons' end. Though season five witnessed a ratings free-fall, Ally McBeal left its mark and captivated audiences during a saturated era of TV mega-hits. Classic Kelley-created courtroom antics and bizarre bathroom conference cirque are worth your time, and if portions of the show haven't aged well? Bygones.

Ally McBeal

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7 'Chicago Hope'

6 Seasons (1994-2000)

Kelley's first foray into the always-popular medical drama genre arrived on the scene with a stacked cast of thespians, including Mandy Patinkin, Hector Elizondo, Peter Berg, Christine Lahti, and Adam Arkin, to name a few. The series followed a group of gifted surgeons treating patients while struggling to temper their respective egos at a Chicago area charity hospital. Kelley implemented his signature quirk-soaked writing style, fusing it with the palpable energy of each patient's case. A who's-who of guest stars appear in hospital beds, love interests, and adversaries, further elevating an impressive ensemble cast as Kelley trades his legal pad for a medical chart.

Performances on the show are high-caliber, with seldom a hollow character.

Chicago Hope boldly competed for viewership against rival medical procedural drama, ER, and though it garnered various accolades during its run, it couldn't outperform the NBC George Clooney-led show. Though Clooney and Co. proved to be worthy adversaries, Kelley's creation won seven Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe before it was canceled in 2000. Performances on the show are high-caliber, with seldom a hollow character. There's blood, guts, insubordination, and bravado. There's also a lot of heart and heart transplants, and, periodically, the cast members break into song. Patinkin is incredible. Just watch it.

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6 'Goliath'

4 Seasons (2016-2021)

Billy Bob Thornton stars as Billy McBride, a disillusioned attorney and co-founder of Cooperman McBride, a high-powered law firm Billy left behind. After an acquittal via a technicality, the man Billy defended murdered an entire family, altering the lawyer's perception of the legal system. In addition to living in a motel, the once-powerful and successful attorney has also developed a passionate relationship with alcohol. A persuasive young lawyer, Patty Solis-Papagian (Nina Arianda), pulling double duty as a real estate agent, approaches Billy with an irresistible foe: Cooperman McBride.

In a Golden Globe-winning performance, Thornton played Billy McBride with subtle nuance sprinkled with weariness and authentic likability. On paper, McBride could've easily appeared to audiences as an irredeemable curmudgeon, but with the gifted actor's help, viewers rooted for the unlikely hero. Though later seasons detoured into the weeds, the series was never dull and had the unmistakable Kelley undertones of murky melancholy mixed with the supernatural. Between funnyman Mark Duplass's depraved deadpan developer, Tom Wyatt, in season 2 and Dennis Quaid and Amy Brenneman's bizarre sibling subplot in season 3, it's difficult to declare a "creepiest character" winner. Get into it and decide for yourself.

Goliath

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5 'The Practice'

8 Seasons (1997-2004)

The Practice, a legal drama that aired concurrently with Kelley's other, lighter legal drama, Ally McBeal, has a premise similar to his first series, LA Law. With a golden pen, Kelley's writing distinguishes stale regurgitation from innovative freshness. The show features cases mirroring current events and the committed ensemble of associates trying those cases operating from a scrappy Boston law firm. The series stars Dylan McDermott, Lara Flynn Boyle, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Camryn Manheim, and Steve Harris. In the final season, James Spader joined the cast (and made a splash).

The Practice, Winner of 15 Primetime Emmy Awards, is one of Kelley's longest-running, successful television series. Additionally, the show holds the Emmy Award record for most guest-starring wins in a single series. In a stunning feat of TV production, Kelley created two simultaneous hit shows and took home unprecedented dual Emmy Awards with The Practice (winning over The Sopranos) and Ally McBeal in 1999. While some networks opted for surface-level programming, Kelley supplied a fast-paced legal drama introducing controversial cases, pushing the line instead of towing it. Lucky for viewers, he parlayed Spader's beloved Practice character, Alan Shore, into another massive hit show, Boston Legal. Now, that's raising the bar.

The Practice

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4 'Picket Fences'

4 Seasons (1992-1996)

Often compared to the dark and eccentric vibes of Twin Peaks, Picket Fences fused strange, violent crimes with suburban small-town living. The show is set in the fictional town of Rome, Wisconsin, where Sheriff Jimmy Brock (Tom Skerritt) lives with his wife Jill (Kathy Baker), Rome's physician, and their children. The series weaves in and out of the Brock household, the county courthouse, and the police station, seamlessly unifying episodic threads. Oddball characters, zany courtroom scenarios, and the woman from Poltergeist (Zelda Rubinstein) provided additional flavor to an already robust dish.

Multi-season Primetime Emmy wins for Outstanding Drama Series, and 14 additional Emmy wins were awarded to the unique and other-worldly show during its run on CBS. Kelley attempted a series crossover whenever possible because he could and because we wanted him to. In 1994 and '95, characters from Chicago Hope were introduced to some salt-of-the-earth citizens of Rome, Wisconsin. At the same time, Kelley attempted a Picket Fences crossover with The X-Files episode, "Red Museum," but sadly, it wasn't meant to be. An invitation to collaborate and mingle with Chris Carter's burgeoning sci-fi series is an endorsement reserved for TV cult classics. Tune in for sage nuggets of wisdom from Judge Bone, witness Lauren Holly's era of red, and applaud the ensemble cast in Kelley's remarkable, off-beat piece of TV history.

Picket Fences

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3 'Boston Legal'

5 Seasons (2004-2008)

Alan Shore (Spader) and Denny Crane (William Shatner) leave ThePractice and join Candice Bergen, Julie Bowen, and Monica Potter in Kelley's spin-off, Boston Legal. The series revolves around cases handled by the Crane, Poole, and Schmidt law firm and its kooky collective of legal counselors. While Shore employs slippery, unconventional methods to win cases, Crane ("Denny Crane!") balances cognitive decline and courtroom theatrics with a Kelley-sponsored flourish. Customary cigar-smoking balcony chats between Shore and Crane at the end of each episode satisfy an itch viewers didn't know needed scratching.

Boston Legal earned 26 Primetime Emmy Award Nominations, taking home five wins, four Golden Globes, and a Peabody Award. Shatner and Spader's undeniable chemistry and screen presence were an asset, but Kelley's vision and familiarity with the legal terrain of Boston provide an endless inkwell of ideas. Boston Legal is a courtroom comedy, but like many David E. Kelley Productions, it didn't obfuscate the truth or conceal evidence. The show was daring through charm and wit, and the illustrious guest roster didn't hurt either (Betty White rules!). Do yourself a favor and revisit this legal gem.

Boston Legal

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2 'LA Law'

8 Seasons (1986-1994)

The opening credit sequence for LA Law begins with the official musical instrument of the '80s and '90s: the soulful saxophone. Shoulder pads, feathered manes, and outdated content followed. Each episode of the legal drama focused on interpersonal relationships within the L.A.-based firm and featured new clients and cases ultimately playing out in a courtroom. The show featured talented stars like Jimmy Smits, Harry Hamlin, Susan Dey, Blair Underwood, and Corbin Bernsen, as well as an impressive roster of guest stars.

The Bochco series that started it all forKelley might have an antique patina now, but LA Law was provocative during its tenure on network television. Legal statutes and risqué court cases supplied excellent ratings and influenced real-life legal precedents. Kelley's role as a writer on the show ratcheted up several notches once Bochco departed the series, and Kelley stepped up as Executive Producer. From his pen to the Primetime Emmy voting committee's eyes, Kelley's influence resulted in considerable Emmy wins (fifteen), including a four-year run of taking home the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series beginning in 1987. Ultimately, LA Law scored 89 award nominations-- not too shabby for a lawyer-turned-writer-super-producer.

L.A. Law

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1 'Big Little Lies'

2 Seasons (2017- )

Based on Liane Moriarty's best-selling 2014 novel, Big Little Lies was adapted by iconic television wordsmith Kelley. Moriarty's thrilling whodunnits and built-in fan base provided a fecund landscape for A-List actors like Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, and Zoë Kravitz to play in. Through flashbacks, police interviews, and present-day sequences, viewers are as perplexed as the "Monterey Five" regarding the school fundraiser murder mystery. The independently powerful women, some of whom are not friends, are thrown together following the tragic event, and everyone is a suspect. Scenic California views, next-level acting, and a killer soundtrack join forces with gargantuan talent behind the camera to create a must-see mega-hit.

Actors, producers, and avid readers, Witherspoon and Kidman optioned the film rights with a movie adaptation in mind but, luckily for fans, pivoted to a limited series. Through HBO (now MAX), Kelley signed on to write the show; the rest is history. With 29 series creations to his name (and counting), the debut of Big Little Lies was Kelley's Titanic in the perfect storm of collaborative talent and artistic synergy. If, somehow, Big Little Lies got past some audiences, they were undoubtedly summoned to the shores of Monterey when Meryl Streep climbed aboard in Season 2. Thankfully, a new season is officially in the works, and fans can't wait to ride the wave.

Big Little Lies

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