‘L.A. Law’ sequel starring Blair Underwood gets ABC pilot order
The project, which had been in the works at the network since December, is headlined by Blair Underwood, reprising his role as attorney Jonathan Rollins in addition to executive producing
L.A. Law has taken a major step in its TV comeback. ABC has given a pilot green light to a new incarnation of the iconic Steven Bochco legal drama, reports Deadline.
The project, which had been in the works at the network since December, is headlined by Blair Underwood, reprising his role as attorney Jonathan Rollins in addition to executive producing.
The sequel pilot is written/executive produced by Marc Guggenheim - who is a lawyer by trade - and Ubah Mohamed, and executive produced and to be directed by Anthony Hemingway via Anthony Hemingway Productions.
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In it, the venerable law firm of McKenzie Brackman reinvents itself as a litigation firm specializing in only the most high profile, boundary pushing and incendiary cases.
Underwood's Jonathan Rollins has gone from idealistic to more conservative as he clashes with millennial JJ Freeman to decide the best path forward for the firm to effect political and legal change.
Bochco's son, TV director-producer Jesse Bochco, who played a key role in putting the project together, and the late producer's widow, Dayna Bochco, executive produce via Steven Bochco Productions. 20th Television, which was behind the original series, is the studio.
L.A. Law sequel had been moving very slowly through the decision-making process at the network. In the past couple of months, there was mounting pressure on ABC to make a decision soon as a number of the key creative auspices, including Underwood and Hemingway, had been approached for other projects and couldn't stay in limbo for much longer.
During a TCA virtual panel for another Disney reboot of a Steven Bochco series, the new Disney+ comedy Doogie Kamealoha MD, Jesse Bochco sounded optimistic about L.A. Law's chances.
Created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher, L.A. Law ran for eight seasons on NBC, from 1986-94, followed by a reunion movie in 2002. The show was set in and around the fictitious Los Angeles-based law firm McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak.
Many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot-button issues such as capital punishment, abortion, racism, homophobia, sexual harassment, HIV/AIDS, and domestic violence. Underwood joined the cast in season two and remained on the show until its end, earning a Golden Globe nomination.
