L.A. LAW {LA LAW}: THE PLANE MUTINY (TV)
Summary
One in this series of legal dramas set in the Los Angeles law firm of McKenzie Brackman. In this episode, Arnie is elated to learn from Dave that he stands to make millions from his divorce-information videocassette, and as Victor explains that he intends to use a P.I., Stephanie Hall, to track down his errant witness for his hitman/divorce case, everyone is excited to meet Stuart's new baby. In the courtroom, Grace and Victor question the would-be assassin, Dunham, with Victor attempting to prove that Mr. Schaeffer called off the hit on his soon-to-be ex, having never truly intended for her to die. Victor tries to get Grace thrown off the case, citing a conflict of interest because of her relationship with Michael, but the judge refuses and orders him to track down Kosar. Arnie is frustrated when the other partners state that they are entitled to cuts of the profit from the tapes, and when Douglas heads for Chicago to secure an important client, Maxwell Industries, the plane is delayed and he ends up arguing heatedly with the pilot, who refuses to allow the passengers to disembark. Mr. Schaeffer testifies about meeting Kosar in a bar and commiserating about their divorces, but swears that he was just "rambling" when he accepted Kosar's offer to have his wife killed. Grace, however, points out that he asked detailed questions about the hit and had financial motive to want her dead.
Douglas uses his attractive seatmate's phone to contact Jonathan, who obtains a court order to force the pilot to allow Douglas and the others to get off, citing the "permanent, irreversible damages" to their firm caused by the delay. The passengers are all grateful for Douglas' actions, though he is arrested upon returning to the terminal. Victor meets with Stephanie, who promises to find Kosar by any means necessary and even offers to tamper with the jury, though Victor quickly refuses. Ann advises Arnie to negotiate with the other partners, as his contract does indeed stipulate that he must cut them in, and Arnie, as Schaeffer's divorce attorney, takes the stand and swears that his client would never have genuinely ordered his wife killed, though Grace points out that he has failed to foresee his clients' drastic actions in the past. Arnie tries to compromise for 75% of the profits, arguing that he did the work and took the risk in making the tape, but Leland bargains him down. Leland then scolds Douglas for his "childish temper-tantrum" on the plane, annoyed that he may have lost Maxwell as a client, but Douglas promises to head to Chicago after all and smooth things over.
Stephanie and Victor track Kosar to a sleazy hotel, and Stephanie roughs him up as she demands that he testify about Schaeffer's true intentions. Grace, knowing of Stephanie's less-than-legal methods, threatens to give Kosar immunity to test if he is telling the truth, but Victor convinces her to plead Schaeffer down to a lesser charge. On the stand, Douglas impresses everyone, including the judge, with a grand speech about the "common sense" of his actions on the plane, and he soon learns that his seatmate is his competition for the Maxwell job. Arnie vents his frustrations about the videotape debate to Roxanne, who seems startled to hear that she would receive a large cash payout if she divorced Dave. Douglas is pleased to learn that Maxwell Industries has hired him, impressed by his determination and bold actions on the plane, and Victor is startled when, after the conclusion of their trial, Grace praises his talents as a lawyer and then kisses him. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: February 9, 1989 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:47:23
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:55001
- GENRE: Drama, legal
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, legal
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1986-1994
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Steven Bochco … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Rick Wallace … Co-Executive Producer
- Phillip M. Goldfarb … Coordinating Producer
- David E. Kelley … Supervising Producer, Writer
- Robert M. Breech … Supervising Associate Producer
- Michele Gallery … Producer
- Scott Goldstein … Producer
- Judith Parker … Co-Producer
- William M. Finkelstein … Co-Producer, Writer
- Michael M. Robin … Associate Producer
- Sandy Smolan … Director
- Terry Louise Fisher … Created by
- Mike Post … Music by
- Harry Hamlin … Cast, Michael Kuzak
- Susan Dey … Cast, Grace Van Owen
- Corbin Bernsen … Cast, Arnie Becker
- Jill Eikenberry … Cast, Ann Kelsey
- Alan Rachins … Cast, Douglas Brackman, Jr.
- Michele Greene … Cast, Abby Perkins
- Jimmy Smits … Cast, Victor Sifuentes
- Michael Tucker … Cast, Stuart Markowitz
- Susan Ruttan … Cast, Roxanne Melman
- Blair Underwood … Cast, Jonathan Rollins
- Larry Drake … Cast, Benny Stulwicz
- Richard Dysart … Cast, Leland McKenzie
- Lindsay Frost … Cast, Stephanie Hall
- Kathleen Lloyd … Cast, Adrian Joyner
- Dann Florek … Cast, Dave Meyer
- Philip Sterling … Cast, Judge Jonathan Cramer
- Graham Beckel … Cast, Willie Kosar
- Christine Belford … Cast, Lily White
- Michael Durrell … Cast, Joseph Schaeffer
- Ken Letner … Cast, Captain Charles Laughlin
- Nancy Vawter … Cast, Dorothy Wyler
- Stan Kamber … Cast, Judge Harlan Shubow
- Michael David Lally … Cast, John Dunham
- Rose Weaver … Cast, Judge Constance Kersey
- Gene Borkan … Cast, Top Shirt
- Dante Di Loreto … Cast, D.D.A. Robert Appel
- Michele Pawk … Cast, Astrid
- Michele Harrell … Cast, Judy
- Mike Muscat … Cast, Bessen
- Stuart Nisbet … Cast, Grant
- Ami Rothschild … Cast, Pamelee Collins
- Alec Murdock … Cast, First Reporter
- Kim Murdock … Cast, Second Reporter