Top 3 Fictional TV Lawyers
While far from being realistic, the world of lawyering in fictional TV is nothing short of memorable. They are the kind who exude charm, are quick-witted, and are able to win cases even when they are backed into a corner. Regardless of how realistic they are, TV lawyers make for great intellectual entertainment.
Recent legal dramas have introduced lawyers who stand out whether or not they play central roles in the narratives in which they thrive. There are too many of them to count, but let’s focus on the ones who dominate the screen with their legal knowledge, skill, and personality. Here’s a quick list of important fictional TV lawyers in recent memory.
Saul Goodman/Jimmy McGill (Better Call Saul)
The first on the list was created by the same mind behind the multi-award-winning crime drama Breaking Bad. Bob Odenkirk’s portrayal of Saul Goodman was a masterclass in showing how some in the profession are capable of bending the law to suit the interests of their side. Starting as a secondary character opposite Brian Cranston’s Walter “Heisenberg” White, Goodman’s evolution from the crafty Jimmy McGill into a duplicitous criminal defense lawyer is compelling.
Compensating for his unprofessional approach, Goodman resorts to manipulation to get out of otherwise hopeless situations. He does so without masking his brilliance when he enters the courtroom. Whether you love him or hate him, Saul Goodman’s presence in Better Call Saul and its predecessor is nearly impossible to top.
Harvey Specter (Suits)
No list of top TV attorneys is complete without mentioning Harvey Specter, one of the protagonists of Suits, opposite Mike Ross. Portrayed by Gabriel Macht, Specter oozes the typical professional lawyer trope. Good-looking and charming in his own right, he is ambitious and never backs down from taking risks. He is uncompromising and hell-bent on winning regardless of the means he employs, unlike Mike Ross and his empathetic personality.
It’s due to these traits that amplify Specter’s alpha male appeal, as though his sense of style and domineering attitude towards the people in his firm weren’t enough. However, these also add to his complexity as a deeply flawed character struggling with past betrayals that trigger anxiety atacks. To the audience, he is as real as he gets in portraying the actual psychological baggage that real-world lawyers wrestle with, making him a character that’s worthy of the audience’s sympathy.
Matt Murdock (Daredevil)
We often think lawyers can do everything from dealing with asbestos claims to vindicating wrongfully arrested individuals. However, they can only be successful when all the facts are in place, which makes it all the more tempting to imagine an attorney taking the law into their own hands.
We can think of a few names, but in recent years, Matt Murdock and his Daredevil alter ego are top of mind. His appeal isn’t limited to the fact that he is a blind superhero who uses echolocation and fights members of The Hand. Even if you strip away this persona, Murdock can stand on his own as a competent lawyer.
He takes advantage of his condition by amplifying other senses, allowing him to hear heartbeats and pulses. This uncanny ability allows him to detect whether a witness is lying or not. Paired with his technical litigation skills and oratory prowess demonstrated to full effect by Charlie Cox in the recent Daredevil series and subsequent film cameos, Matt Murdock has everything that a real-life lawyer will ever dream of possessing.
Endnote
Not everything we see on a legal drama is ever close to actual courtroom experiences. Thanks to these three fictional TV characters, we have good reasons to be fascinated by what happens in the world of law.
