L.A. Law Christian Review

Let’s talk about L.A. Law. You probably remember it, or at least have heard of it. This isn’t just any TV show—it’s a relic from the golden age of 80s and 90s television, a show that dared to step into the hallowed halls of Los Angeles legal drama and turn the genre on its head. From its first episode, it established itself as something radically different, a heady cocktail of courtroom tension and boardroom intrigue that has left a mark on TV history. But if we peel back the layers, look a little deeper, what’s L.A. Law really offering? More importantly, as Christians, should we be watching it? That’s what I want to dig into.

Where It All Began

The premise of L.A. Law is simple on the surface: a prestigious law firm, McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney, and Kuzak, situated right in the heart of Los Angeles. It’s a place of power and prestige, where lawyers are polished, the stakes are high, and the cases they handle are anything but straightforward. But it’s the characters and their messy, complicated lives that turn this show into something compelling. You’ve got everyone from idealistic young associates to cutthroat partners, all of them caught in a web of professional ambition, personal vendettas, and moral dilemmas.

What makes L.A. Law so different from its contemporaries is its willingness to go places most shows wouldn’t dare. It tackles issues that were considered almost taboo at the time—gender discrimination, corruption, racism—head-on, with a kind of rawness that’s as uncomfortable as it is riveting. This is no simple courtroom procedural. There’s something far more complex brewing here, a dark undercurrent that asks questions about justice, power, and what happens when the two collide.

Walking the Tightrope Between Good and Evil

So, is L.A. Law a show that celebrates morality, or one that slyly undermines it? Honestly, it’s a little bit of both. On one hand, you’ve got characters like Michael Kuzak, a lawyer who’s genuinely trying to do the right thing. He’s got this almost naïve belief in the system, a hope that, despite its flaws, the law can be an instrument of good. Then there’s Leland McKenzie, the firm’s patriarch, a man who’s seen enough to know that idealism has its limits. He’s the voice of reason, the steady hand who tries to steer his ship through the murky waters of legal maneuvering without losing its moral bearings.

But for every Kuzak and McKenzie, you’ve got someone like Arnie Becker—a divorce attorney who’s as sleazy as they come. Arnie is all about winning, no matter the cost. To him, the law isn’t about justice; it’s a tool to get what he wants. And the show doesn’t shy away from making us sympathize with him, even as we cringe at his behavior. This is where things get tricky. Are we supposed to root for these morally compromised characters, to cheer when they pull off a clever legal trick? Or is the show subtly condemning them, holding up a mirror to our own tendencies to prioritize success over integrity?

The Double-Edged Sword of Realism

Part of what makes L.A. Law so compelling is its realism. These aren’t cardboard cutouts mouthing off about justice and the American way. They’re flawed, broken people, doing the best they can in a world that’s messy and often unfair. And that’s where the show’s brilliance lies. It doesn’t give you easy answers. It doesn’t tie everything up with a neat little bow at the end of each episode. Instead, it leaves you wrestling with the same questions its characters face: What does it mean to be good? Can you be both a good lawyer and a good person?

But there’s a danger here, too. In its quest to be realistic, L.A. Law sometimes veers into cynicism. The show revels in the moral gray areas, and while that can make for compelling drama, it can also be a little disheartening. You start to wonder: Is there any room for goodness in this world? Or is everyone just out for themselves? That’s a tough question, and it’s one that L.A. Law doesn’t always seem interested in answering.

A Christian Lens: Navigating the Moral Maze

From a Christian perspective, L.A. Law is a show that requires discernment. There’s a lot here that’s worth engaging with, a lot that can prompt deep, meaningful conversations about justice, morality, and the human condition. But there are also moments that feel almost nihilistic, as if the show is saying, “This is the way the world is, and there’s no point in trying to change it.”

For example, take the way the show handles infidelity. Characters cheat on their spouses, lie to their colleagues, and betray their friends, and often, there’s little in the way of consequences. Sure, there’s guilt and regret, but rarely is there any real accountability. That’s troubling because, as Christians, we believe that actions have consequences, that sin isn’t just a personal failing—it’s something that damages our relationship with God and with others. L.A. Law doesn’t seem to know what to do with that idea. It’s more interested in showing the fallout of these decisions, the way they ripple out and complicate the characters’ lives, without ever really addressing the deeper spiritual implications.

The Good, the Bad, and the Messy Middle

But despite its flaws, there’s something undeniably powerful about L.A. Law. It’s a show that’s not afraid to ask hard questions, to put its characters through the wringer and see what comes out the other side. And in that, there’s a kind of honesty that’s rare in television, even today. It’s a reminder that the world is broken, that people are complicated, and that the law—like life—isn’t always fair.

At the same time, it’s a show that sometimes feels like it’s teetering on the edge of despair. There are moments when you want to shake the characters, to tell them to wake up, to stop compromising, to stand for something bigger than themselves. But that’s not the world L.A. Law lives in. It’s a world where victories are hard-won, where good people get trampled, and where the line between right and wrong is blurry at best.

Final Verdict

So, where does that leave us? Is L.A. Law worth watching? I’d say yes—with some caveats. It’s not a show you can just sit back and passively consume. It demands engagement, reflection, and a willingness to grapple with some uncomfortable truths. For Christians, it’s a show that can provoke meaningful discussions about faith, justice, and what it means to live with integrity in a world that often seems indifferent to both. But it’s also a show that can be frustrating, even disheartening, in its portrayal of human nature.

If I had to give it a rating, I’d say L.A. Law earns a 7 out of 10. It’s a show that’s worth watching, but it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a reminder that we live in a fallen world, one that desperately needs redemption. And while L.A. Law might not always point us toward that redemption, it does make us long for it. And sometimes, that’s enough.