Murder One

Of my Birthday swag, this has gotten the 2nd most attention. Steven Bochco and Co.'s Murder One is far and away the best coutroom drama of the 90's (eat shit The Practice, L.A. Law, and Law & Order). The thing that sets it apart, and makes it so much more... engaging than every other show is that the entire season is focused on one legal case, an underage rape/murder involving a business tycoon and a movie star. We see every twist and turn, each day in court plays out in front of us, rather than the glossed over jumps of the triumvirate of aforementioned shows. Far and away, the highlight of the show was Daniel Benzali, as Ted Hoffman, the bald headed shark with a heart of gold. He manages to show off a warmth and compassion that manages to never quite undercut his sharp mind. On every other legal show, he would be the villain, the high price attorney defending immoral, self-obsessed millionaires, yet, the beauty of the show makes him out to be a moral man in an immoral world. It's quite a striking balance, and Benzali handles it like no other.

I highly recommend the first season of the show (the second season is a different cast and different format, and excellent but in a very different way..)