PRACTICE, THE: STATE OF MIND (TV)
Summary
One in this series of dramas about the idealistic attorneys at a struggling Boston law practice. In this episode, Lucy decorates the office for Christmas as Bobby continues fretting about the Evelyn Mayfield case, in which a woman is accused of shaking a child to death. Lucy reaffirms her belief in the woman's guilt, and surprises Bobby with a passionate mistletoe kiss. At the same time, Jimmy plans to sit first chair on the Robin case, involving a man accused of murdering his sister, and the others worry that he is not the best person for the job. Bobby coaches the Mayfields and urges the religious Evelyn not to sound like a "zealot," and Lucy apologizes to Bobby, though she adds that she thinks that he is a catch. Roberta informs Rebecca that Michael has been suspended for passing a flirtatious note in class under a strict sexual harassment policy, and demands to take the school to court, feeling that the rule is unreasonable. In court, Helen questions several doctors about the baby's death and makes Evelyn look guilty, but Bobby points out that the child had a bruise from a previous injury, suggesting that someone else caused his death.
Later, Bobby asks Lindsay's opinion about their "Plan B," which involves stirring reasonable doubt by casting blame on a third party, in this case the child's father. They debate a settlement on the Robin case, and Bobby then brings up their previous kiss, but Lindsay avoids the subject. When trial resumes, Bobby questions the boy's father harshly about his previous violent behavior, including an incident in which he hit his wife, and Silva, Jimmy's opposing counsel on the Robin case, observes and takes notes. After telling Lucy that they cannot be involved, Bobby questions the baby's mother, and when she defends her husband, he displays graphic photos of her injuries from when he hit her. He preps Evelyn for the stand, pressing her on the details of the day of the boy's death, and Ellenor suggests calling Helen to the stand to instill reasonable doubt and cause a mistrial. In court, Rebecca challenges the school's sexual harassment policy, saying that Michael's actions were harmless, but the judge upholds the suspension, and Roberta protests strongly. Silva meets with Jimmy and says that his client is more interested in ruining Bobby's practice than in winning money and that the case will be hard. Evelyn takes the stand and struggles to explain the forty-minute delay in her calling 911 when the boy died. She says that she once saved another baby with CPR, but Helen questions why she did not call the child's parents.
Helen urges Bobby to accept a lesser charge of manslaughter, but he refuses, and Silva agrees with his choice. Lindsay stresses the importance of reasonable doubt and emphasizing the doctor's non-definitive comments. When Bobby asks if they are a "couple-in-waiting," she explains that she needs to be with someone separate from her job and that she cannot fall in love with him again. Roberta talks to Rebecca again in distress, feeling that she is failing Michael. Bobby presses Jimmy for details on his plans for the Robin trial, saying the partners will soon meet to decide his fate with the case. The Mayfield jury asks for clarification about "extreme cruelty," and Bobby gently explains to Evelyn that they have already decided upon her guilt. She refuses to take a manslaughter plea, however, saying that God will save her. At the partners' meeting, Bobby overrides the others' votes and declares that Jimmy can stay on the Robin case, though not everyone is pleased. Evelyn is found guilty of second-degree murder, but she seems calm in the face of the verdict, saying that she will appeal and eventually be free. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 6, 1998 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:15
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:55059
- GENRE: Drama, legal
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, legal
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1997-2004
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AT&T phone services
- TV - Commercials - Advil painkillers
- TV - Commercials - American Symphony Orchestra League
- TV - Commercials - Anne Klein eyewear
- TV - Commercials - Burger King restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Clairol Revitalique hair color
- TV - Commercials - Eureka Whirlwind vacuums
- TV - Commercials - FedEx shipping services
- TV - Commercials - JCPenney stores
- TV - Commercials - L'Oréal cosmetics
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Merrill Lynch analysts
- TV - Commercials - Pepperidge Farm cookies
- TV - Commercials - Pillsbury cookie dough
- TV - Commercials - Sears stores
- TV - Commercials - Target stores
- TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
- TV - Commercials - United States Postal Service
- TV - Commercials - Youth for Understanding International Exchange program
- TV - PSA - Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc.
- TV - PSA - Points of Light Foundation
- TV - PSA - U.S. Department of Transportation anti-drunk driving message
- TV - Promos - "Bowl Championship Series" football
- TV - Promos - "NYPD Blue"
- TV - Promos - "Spin City"
- TV - Promos - "Sports Night"
- TV - Promos - "Vengeance Unlimited"
- TV - Promos - "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
CREDITS
- David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Joseph Berger-Davis … Supervising Associate Producer
- Robert Breech … Co-Executive Producer
- Jeffrey Kramer … Co-Executive Producer
- Pamela Wisne … Producer
- Christina Musrey … Producer
- Gary M. Strangis … Producer
- Julie Kay Rogers … Associate Producer
- Adam Nimoy … Director
- Jill Goldsmith … Writer
- Stewart Levin … Music by
- Jon Hassell … Theme Music by
- Pete Scaturro … Theme Music by
- Dylan McDermott … Cast, Bobby Donnell
- Michael Badalucco … Cast, Jimmy Berluti
- Lisa Gay Hamilton … Cast, Rebecca Washington
- Camryn Manheim … Cast, Ellenor Frutt
- Steve Harris … Cast, Eugene Young
- Kelli Williams … Cast, Lindsay Dole
- Lara Flynn Boyle … Cast, Helen Gamble
- Kathy Baker … Cast, Evelyn Mayfield
- Marla Sokoloff … Cast, Lucy Hatcher
- Tempestt Bledsoe … Cast, Roberta Baylor
- Frank Ashmore … Cast, Mr. Mayfield
- Ken Abraham … Cast, Mr. Barlowe
- Tracy Wilson … Cast, Mrs. Barlowe
- Mel Johnson Jr. … Cast, Dr. Cadney
- V.P. Oliver … Cast, Michael Baylor
- Dan Desmond … Cast, Mayfield Trial Judge
- John Gowans … Cast, Baylor Hearing Judge
- David Bowe … Cast, School Attorney
- Joe O'Connor … Cast, Minister
- Cindy Basco … Cast, Detective
- Tony Danza … Cast, Atty. Tommy Silva
- Paul Goodman … Cast, Dr. Jules Francis
- David Ellenstein … Cast, Foreman