Sign up

The Practice

1997 – 2004Show8 seasons168 episodesTV-14

Drama
76
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.7Metacritic748.6

A moving, philosophical drama series about everyday modern life and society, with standout performances and dialogue.

Good for friends night · teens · binge-friendly

Where to watch

Set your services
What's new on Amazon Prime Video

Fingerprint

Not for laughs, scares or comfort.

Shows with

Episodes

8 seasons · 168 episodes · best: S5E8 "Mr. Hinks Goes to Town" 9.0

Episodes

8.0
7.8
7.9
7.9
8.0
7.7
7.4
7.7

Story

Between Justice And Morality Can We Choose?

A provocative legal drama focused on young associates at a bare-bones Boston firm and their scrappy boss, Bobby Donnell. The show's forte is its storylines about “people who walk a moral tightrope.”

Feels like

  • Gritty Legal Procedural
  • Moral Ambiguity
  • Sharp Dialogue
  • Social Commentary
  • Character-Driven Drama
  • Boston Atmosphere
  • Ethical Dilemmas
  • High-Stakes Litigation
  • Ensemble Cast

Cast

24 of 1,152 · most episodes first

Crew

Directors
Dennis Smith, Jeannot Szwarc, Christina Musrey
Written by
David E. Kelley, Peter Blake, Alfonso H. Moreno
Produced by
Robert Breech, Christina Musrey, Pamela J. Wisne
Music by
Marco Beltrami, Stewart Levin, Christophe Beck

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

March 4, 1997 · May 16, 2004 · Ended

First aired
March 4, 1997
Last aired
May 16, 2004
Status
Ended
Length
8 seasons · 168 episodes
Age rating
TV-14
Content
Strong Language
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Available in
8 countries

Tropes

No Ending, Likes Older Women, Token Minority +9

  • No Ending
  • Likes Older Women
  • Token Minority
  • Stupid Crooks
  • Suspiciously Clean Criminal Record
  • Berserk Button
  • Maligned Mixed Marriage
  • Friendly Enemy
  • Frame-Up
  • False Rape Accusation
  • Freeze-Frame Bonus
  • Internalized Categorism

12 of 117 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream The Practice?"

Questions about The Practice

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The Practice?

Prime

In the United States, The Practice streams on Prime. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 4 other countries.

Is The Practice worth watching?

76
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 76 (IMDb 7.7 and Metacritic 74).

Which season of The Practice is best?

Seasons 1 and 5, with an IMDb average of 8.0. Season 7 is the weakest at 7.4. The highest-rated episode is Mr. Hinks Goes to Town (season 5, episode 8) at 9.0, and the lowest is Les Is More (season 7, episode 19) at 6.7.

Is The Practice okay for kids?

TV-14Strong language

Not for young kids: it's rated TV-14 in the United States for strong language, and the viewing guide lists it for teens and adults.

Is The Practice plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and dialogue centrality (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

What tropes does The Practice use?

No EndingLikes Older WomenToken MinorityStupid CrooksSuspiciously Clean Criminal RecordBerserk ButtonMaligned Mixed MarriageFriendly EnemyFrame-UpFalse Rape AccusationFreeze-Frame BonusInternalized Categorismand 105 more

TV Tropes lists 117 tropes for it, including No Ending, Likes Older Women, and Token Minority.