The Best Law Related Television Shows Since 1990

Since the year 2000, law related dramas on television have really taken off and seem to be a popular hit among young people and middle aged folks. So without any further ado, here is my Top 5 list of the best law dramas on television since 2000.

#5 Shark: This television drama stars James Woods as a prosecutor who had previously been a defense attorney. The premise storyline of "Shark" is very good. It started with character James Woods getting a wife beater off the hook after a jury said the defendant was not guilt, only to have James Woods find out that the defendant would go on to kill another woman. Woods transfers sides and begins dealing with high profile cases from the District Attorney. Woods makes the show into a great drama but it does lack the detail in the court case drama and detective work that the other law shows demonstrate.

#4 Crime Scene Investigators (CSI): My favorite episodes of CSI are the ones that take place in Miami, Florida rather than the CSI cast of NY. The CSI Miami cast includes a charismatic detective named Horatio Cane whose appearance is simply too cool with his Hummer SUV, sun fire hair color and black sun glasses. The show focuses on the detective aspects of the crime instead of prosecuting the people they think are guilty of the crime. CSI NY just doesn't seem to get me as excited, partly because I don't think the cast is as good.

#3: The Practice was a great drama that was on for so many years. It was a simple yet dramatic show as it followed the lives of court attorneys. I did follow the show but at times I found the show to repeat its storylines and run out of fresh ideas. Still, the cast has paved the wave for great future law dramas on television.

#2: Law & Order has turned into a mega series led by producer Dick Wolf. There have been so many spin-offs from the original Law & Order show that it has become absurd. The Law & Order: SVU series is good but not great. I still prefer the original Law & Order series that featured detective Lenny and Sam Waterstone as the Assistant District Attorney named Jack McCoy. Current presidential candidate Fred Thompson played the role of the District Attorney in a limited role. Yet even Thompson fit his role perfectly. The 2008 Law & Order series features good but not great detectives and the new ADA is nothing special either. Waterstone has filled in for Thompson as District Attorney since Fred Thompson is running for U.S. President. Sam Waterstone has an increased part on the show but I still prefer Waterstone in the court room where he was best.

#1 Boston Legal is my favorite show on television and the best law drama show since 2000. William Shatner and James Spader have made this show a huge success and the two men have great chemistry on the show. James Spader appeared in the final season of The Practice and he really seemed to spice things up on The Practice. However, Shatner and Spader are in a league of their own and make the show great. The show is witty and very funny yet serious and dramatic when it needs be. Plus there's always the ending scene of Spader and Shatner smoking a cigar and drinking whiskey. The show features a defensive law firm representing high profile clients and the show always in entertaining and dramatic as the court of law is on display.