The Paper Chase (TV Series)

[telamon2011]

I have two doctorates (PhDs), and am both a consultant and a professor, and I certainly meant no disrespect toward attorneys. But I will be the first to admit that my doctoral education, long and brutal as it often was, could not be fathomably as close to medical education in terms of its challenges, at least based on my own extensive research and interviews. You must admit, however, that there are law schools out there that will admit virtually anyone, the same cannot be said for medicine.

[Potomacstud]

Oh I hate that man ...it's kings field ...nooooooo

[eyeshadowdurp]

omg Asheley <3333

[telamon2011]

@eyeshadowdurp

I love Asheley! I love Deka Beaudine! Why did they release her from this show!

[eyeshadowdurp]

@telamon2011 I love Asheley because I was her in my school's production and I just live her character <3 She's so sweet and adorable

[telamon2011]

@eyeshadowdurp

I love Asheley! I love Deka Beaudine! Why did they release her from this show, I remember her in the pilot episode!

[telamon2011]

The phrase "if you survive" is kind of ridiculous in that law schools have incredibly low dropout rates, including the Ivy League. While the work is long and tedious, it basically involves little more than rote memory of various cases, in class exams rather than research papers (and papers, when they ARE assigned, are short in length), no comprehensive examinations, and no dissertations. PhD programs have far higher dropout rates, as do medical schools. And it is only three years!

[telamon2011]

Law is all relative. Laws are made up by fallible people, thus laws are themselves fallible, and are in turn practiced by fallible lawyers with limited attention spans or intellectual depth outside of the law. Medicine cures and heals, and is far more absolute. My sympathy lies far more with the doctors. After all, what are lawyers but people without the grades to get into medical school and without the broad based intelligence, stamina and patience to earn PhDs?

[dovp44]

@telamon2011 Hey I have a PhD and went to almost three years of medical school. I did not finish because my interest was not there; after that i went to law school and graduated, on top of that I have owned two business and currently have one on top of my law practice. It is just a different type of education and learning. I know of dumb people in medical schools and practicing as medical doctors. Do you have any advanced degree beyond Masters to judge what higher education is?

[MrLennis33]

Ojalá a alguna televisora costarricense se le ocurra reprogramar ésta extraordinaria serie.

[vnisanianisback]

3 people have a skull full of mush, won't survive, and won't leave thinking like a lawyer.

[Lindawatcher]

@vnisanianisback You mean thinking like a crooked lying snake?

[spacepatrolman]

@Lindawatcher In the movie one of the students tries to commit suicide because he has trouble thinking like a snake that speak with forked tounge 2 other students make harrasing phone calls another harasses a fellow student because he sez his father is so important that he is going to b president of the united states another lies and sez he is a third year student to get a job when he is a secound year student students do anillegal break in

[spacepatrolman]

@spacepatrolman in the tv series the students help a jail inmate that sez he is an oppresed revolutionary but he is really a racist that stabs spics,when woman student is sexually harrased by a professor [ robert reed] john housman comes to her recuse and gets him fired ,houseman also saves the local bar from the wrecking ball by saying it is an historic site i noticed that actor james stephens on the street in greenwich village he was puffing on a cigarette so he wouldnt be

[spacepatrolman]

@spacepatrolman recognized he was playing a son of sam style murderer in the tv series eicheid then

[Lindawatcher]

@spacepatrolman Well what about the episode where the band of ruthless mexicans took the lead character and draged him for 155 miles behind the jeep till all that was left was a bloody, blodgend stump of flesh.. head, arms, and legs all worn away by the merciless dragging event? What about that episode??

[spacepatrolman]

@Lindawatcher Are you makiing this up are you putting me on i didnt see every episode but that cant be one

[Lindawatcher]

@spacepatrolman The "bloody stump" episode as it was known is surely a classic! I kid you not my friend.....

[spacepatrolman]

@Lindawatcher I guess I could handle it with a black and white tv

[spartacus3ful]

@Lindawatcher

Hear hear, I second that!

[Lindawatcher]

The show quite literaly ended with a bang!

[spartacus3ful]

@Lindawatcher

The show went through some welcome and unwelcome changes. In the pilot episode, there was a preppy red haired woman in place of the liberal activist woman played by Francine Tacker. She only lasted for that one episode. The character of Asheley disappeared after three or four episodes, and the character of her husband was dropped after one season when he suffered burnout. The welcome addition was the middle aged mother played by Lainie Kazan who returned to law school at 49.

[knaujthrash]

What's That Song ????

[norfolk611]

I liked the instrumental piano theme better. Hauseman was a really good actor. He was what made the show.

[spacepatrolman]

@norfolk611 when the kent state massacer happened housman and some other teachers at julliard were going to have a protest the president said dont do that a teacher said fuck you meninn and was instantly fired another aiken was fired later supposedly over a cut back in the amount of courses

[rnigma]

I loved that show. One of my faves.

[Lindawatcher]

I remember how the series ended. The lead character was taken hostage by a bunch of mexicans and had his body draged for 56 miles behind their jeep till all that was left of his torso was a bloody stump of mangeled flesh. Censors wern't too happy about such brutality back then, but they let it go because the realizm helped with the story line...

[vnisanianisback]

@Lindawatcher I can only hope you were joking, because that's not how the series ended.

[Lindawatcher]

@vnisanianisback Well...... Thats how it should have ended!

[Lindawatcher]

@vnisanianisback NOW I REMEMBER!. That wasn't the way it ended!. It ended when the main characters were riding in a 9 passenger van going to a swingers picnic, when a full sized semi loaded with 55000 pounds of TNT was speeding their way at 115 mph and swerved into their lane at the last moment. The combined impact speed of 180 mph caused instand death to all involved and the remaining chunks of flesh were chared to bits as an explosion similar to the 45 mega-ton nuclear blast of hyroshiema

[Lindawatcher]

@vnisanianisback  Oh I was deadly serious!

[flattop55]

I was ending my college career when this show began, looking toward applying to law school and sharing with many others in my position what we then called, "Paper Chase Syndrome." We loved this show and looked forward to watching the weekly experiences of these 1Ls; actually looking forward to experiencing the trial and tribulations, the comraderie and friendships that we saw on TV. Well, we all know that life doesn't always follow fiction...maybe a good thing. But I still love this show.

[pbrucpaul]

Terrific harmony. A good short seals an croft number.

[countbloodula]

shit like this is what cause the downfall of America

[bikr0]

Yes, all true! I used to go watch court cases when I lived in S.E. PA in the 70s and was impressed by the logical thought of many attorneys, some who represented scum, but was able to get them off. I thought of chess, and a bit of acting thrown in. The best ones knew how to use body language in presenting to a jury, and also spoke so clearly. The television depictions are so false. I cannot say I ever saw an attorney wearing flashy clothes .

[ccjuju]

Hey, it's that guy from the Paper Chase.

[antgav79]

@ccjuju lmao i had to see this after i watched mst3k rip him to shreads.

[robertjsawyer]

The DVDs of Seasons One and Two are commercially avaiable from Shout! Factory.

[robertjsawyer]

One of the all-time best opening-credit sequences. Pure class.

[HUSKY57887]

Just watched the movie,for the umpteenth time. Love it,and the series. Wish I could find on dvd.

[PhoenixElller]

@HUSKY57887 Netflix has the DVD's that you can request if you are a member.

[HUSKY57887]

@PhoenixElller Thanks

[duncan1947]

Absolutely the very best thinking show ever produced for television!

[mikey42]

I watched it every week.  I also loved James at 15.

[esanez]

First years are hard years.

Much more than you know.

With good friends to love us,

we’ll field every blow.

Stay open to all things,

Unknown and new,

Then one day, we’ll all say

“Hey look, we’ve come through

The first years”

[dovp44]

"Thinking like a lawyer" means that your mind is trained to be logical, compare issues, analyze facts instead of fiction, reason instead of emotion, be sharp and undestand the gray areas and nuances of human interaction, be able to think on your feet and perform under pressure, these qualities were not only good in the 70's but today. It's funny how some people put lawyers down but when they need to right a wrong they seek a lawyer right away.

[AlbieGray]

@dovp44 Thanks. I think you summed that up BRILLIANTLY! Professor Kingsfield would have been VERY proud! :)

[theoldgalah]

@dovp44 hahahahahaha like Rumpole of the Bailey. I have been to court quite a few times as an interested observer and have never actually seen anyone suiting your description. Even QC's and SC's being payed huge amounts of money per day can generally only enunciate in a very limited fashion.

[shuggaqube]

@dovp44 ....that is indeed true but the sad thing is that "one bad apple" usually ruins it for the good ones and it is indeed unfortunate.

[fuzzywzhe]

@dovp44 "It's funny how some people put lawyers down but when they need to right a wrong they seek a lawyer right away."

The country is currently run by lawyers, who almost exclusively inhabit congress and our executive branch.

This easily explains why we have a 14 trillion dollar debt, the Patriot Act which is clearly unconstitutional is still law, we have unconstitutional warrantless wiretapping, and a gamut of laws hostile to business.

Lawyers don't deserve respect.

[xiaozai707]

@fuzzywzhe You don't make the connection. "This easily explains why we have a 14 trillion dollar debt..." is just a conclusion without any sort of reasoning to back it up. You don't actually say WHY. That's a mistake a non-lawyer would make. So go ahead, tell me why....

[Pumpsify]

@dovp44 Indeed, and is the exact opposite of how it works today, where people are over emotional hysterical, never look at facts and think what they believe is more important regardless of proof.

[spartacus3ful]

@dovp44

You do say a lot here, but do not forget that there are so many numbheads graduating from third and fourth tier law schools who sound like they did not even graduate from high school, let alone college. In my own experience, I have encountered lawyers, even those graduating from Ivy League institutions, who are unable to carry on the most basic conversation about art, history, literature, music or politics, as their minds are so incredibly one track.

[kfw444]

Now this was good TV.

[MarcusLeepapi]

This wa a great show

[65rapunzel]

Claro, era otra época, la pedagogía ha cambiado desde entonces.

Igual, Kinsfield era mi ídolo: Maestro.

[thx291]

"And if you survive you leave thinking like a lawyer." That may have sounded like a positive thing back in the 70s but not anymore.

[shigenobu0]

@thx291 No, you sill have to survive.

[Wellch]

@thx291 ---I didn't want to be a lawyer. Yea, I agree with you.

[pacovision]

the series is on video right now.

[Averagebum2]

Gosh I miss this series. May I know where I can purchase it?

[johnrunion]

@Averagebum2 shout factory has released the first two seasons.

[Averagebum2]

@johnrunion Thanks, John!!!

That was very helpful!!! I will get the series!!!

[johnrunion]

@Averagebum2 you are very welcome. i think two seasons is all it ran on cbs. a few years later pbs started showing repeats and it proved so successful that pbs produced more new episodes. there are a couple of youtube clips promoting the shout factory release of the series on dvd.

[Averagebum2]

@johnrunion Thanks John! I saw them with your link.

[johnrunion]

@Averagebum2 good deal. :)

[Averagebum2]

@johnrunion

:)

[edutorrescalle]

alguien tiene esta serie en español ?

agradeceriamos si la sube

gracias

[Laceykat66]

Showtime had several good series back in the early 1980s. I wish they would take time and reshow some.

Thanks for this post.

[Momeaux]

As a huge S&C fan and having listened to their lyrics for years, consider the line "with good friends to love us we'll field every blow". Agree it was a great theme song at the height of their commercial success. Movie soundtrack for "One on One" starring Robby Benson came out about the same time. Excellent cuts there, too!

[dd1985]

RIP Robert Ginty

[salott38]

I just heard last week. Very sad. RIP

[recordman64]

He DIED? I hadn't heard a word about it till now. RIP.

[mikey42]

@recordman64 I've just heard! How sad!

[BootPatrol]

@dd1985 This passing of Robert Ginty must have slipped by me, friend. I'll be sure to look up the information.

Thanks for the post.

[recordman64]

Checked the IMDB after I saw this...sad to say, but it is indeed true. :(

[pghguy]

The first season (from CBS) is already out on DVD, and the second season (from Showtime) has been announced for release a bit later in the fall.

[armaghmike]

James Keane had a very small part (buying a car), in "Seabiscuit" I think he was also a fireman or policeman in "Pleasantville"..

[armaghmike]

dp19032k9:

You have to look hard, but I did in fact buy the ENTIRE series (incl. Showtime's) on e-bay (?) in 2005 or so. Cost me around $110, but it was money well spent!

This is one classy show - arguably the best network drama ever, but it was simply far too good for most people's tastes. It's a shame that it lasted only one season on CBS.

The person I bought it from was called "Chicagogirl" or similar. It was made from tapes copied from television - not an official release - Good Luck!

[AvuncularFeldspar]

Kingsfield, though played by the same actor, was much scarier in the movie. Perhaps John Houseman was already starting to become the "John Houseman" character.

[dp19032k9]

I first saw this series on PBS in 1979. Wish they'd run it over again. I'd love to get my hands on some episodes. I looked forward to watching it every week. Haven't seen it in 30 years.

[kxx46]

Did you ever see the "Showtime" cable follow up ?

It was good.

[mikey42]

What the hell happened to this young cast? The series ended and the actors disappeared.

[kxx46]

I saw James Keane on "7th Heaven" an episode from several years ago.

The last time I saw James Stephens "Hart" was on St Elsewhere

in the 80s, shortly after the cable version of "Paper Chase" ended.

[renxo05]

when i was a kid in my country, in early 80's, i used to watch that series, and defined my vocation as a lawyer now :)

[FluffyFin01]

This helped me escape

and I loved the Seals And Crofts Also Thankyou ~

[BootPatrol]

You couldn't fool Professor Kingsfield - not for all the tea in China!

Love the memory of this opening. Thanks for posting, friend!

[eaglepoke56]

also my all-time number one show!!!perfect casting!!

[juliebn]

I love this and wanted to link to it in my blog. So, why refuse to let us embed it?

[salott38]

I have the dvd set. I have been watching it for the second time this weekend. I wish they would put the other seasons out on DVD too.

Does anyone know what happened to the main characters on the show? I know that John Houseman died in 1988 (RIP) and that James Stephens was in the Father Dowling Mysteries but I have not heard anything about the others. I am most curious about Tom Fitzsimmons.

Thank you.

[kxx46]

Francine tacker and robert Ginty were married, then divorced. I think they both ended up doing Broadway.

James keane had a recurring role on "7th heaven". Tom Fitzsimmons, I'm not sure.

[salott38]

Thank you.

[oregon96sct]

I watched this so many times that I decided to go to law school. Gave up my job as chief economist at a commodity exchange--went to a top 15 law school and never looked back--thank you Professor Kingsfield. By the way, I also got called on to discuss Hawkins v McGee (the case of the hairy hand when I was in law school). You Paper Chase freaks will recall it. Just got the first year on DVD so I can stop looking for my VCR tapes.

[kxx46]

Really ? Hawkins v Mcgee is an actual case ?

Wild.

[dovp44]

Yes it is, It is a case from either the  1920's or 1930's

[satonakis]

loooooooooooveeeeeeeed it

i miss it

put it on dvd

hart rools

[pandeman]

WOW! That's a blast from the past. I dated Robert Ginty for a short while in 1978. LOL Man I'm old. =])

[salott38]

You dated Robert Ginty? Cool!!! Do you know what he is doing now?

[pandeman]

I did! I don't have any idea what he's doing these days. I would assume he's married, or was. LOL I may try to look him up, just for fun. =])

[BlakeVII]

OH WOW!

Thanks very much for putting this on youTube. I haven't heard this since I was a kid of 11 and that was a looong time ago, believe me.

I loved the TV show more than the actual film that the series was based on. Why that was, I don't know.

Every week I saw the show I'd learn a line from the theme song untill I knew all the words. Please don't make fun of me (laugh) I was only a kid of 11.

[brawnbear]

lol.. dude, don't worry, I was exactly the same.. this series was like a religion for me.. they don't make them as good as this anymore.. x

[NazTb0y]

just saw an episode of mst3k, which kept making references to this show. awful movie called _warrior of the lost world_ apparently starring an actor from this series. man, what a fall from grace!

[Kevin90028]

If you love The Paper Chase, check out Cradle Will Rock. Cary Elwes plays a young John Houseman and does a hilarious impersonation of him.

[Kevin90028]

I still have a skull full of mush.

[columbia67]

pepperdog, thanks so much for this theme which i haven't heard since that great series was cancelled. TV was never better than this intelligent and superbly acted short-lived series. The forthcoming DVD is highly anticipated

[robertjsawyer]

Season One on DVD is now available for pre-order at Amazon. Ship date:  April 7, 2009.

[norfolk611]

I liked the piano instrumental much better.Whatever season that started.

[dd1985]

Seals & Crofts are the best!

[RINGOSTARRIR]

I loved the video and theme song from this show. Season 1 of The Paper Chase is coming out on April 7. I can't wait.

[notariap]

This TV Series, aired in Channel 5 - Lima, Peru when I was a High School student, inspired me to be a lawyer. Later, at the outstanding University of Lima Law School, I got the unmatched academic pleasure of the challenging Socratic-method classes.

And finally it'll be released!!

I've already pre-ordered it at Amazon!!!

[Armada3lite]

How was law school ?because i want to be a lawyer and am looking into the experience. I'm above average and am confident I can overcome hard challenges. Thanks

[notariap]

Well, Here in Peru you leave High School at 16 or 17 years old and you apply directly to the University or Universities that you want (Every university has its own admission exams, unlike USAs LSAT which is an standard exam). As in the States, in Peru there are mediocre, middle, good and outstanding Universities. In Law the best Universities are private: University of Lima for Business and Corporate Law and Católica University for Contracts & Civil Law.

[notariap]

Peruvian legal system is Civil Law (Roman-Germanic Legal System) and not Common-Law: That means that were based on positive laws and Codes, and not so much on cases and jurisprudence.

The whole career lasts SIX (06) years, which means you finish your studies at 22 or 23 years old.

[notariap]

The FIRST year is called general studies: sociology, philosophy, psychology, anthropology, economy, political sciences and several optional courses, such as cinema appreciation, history, art, mathematics and even oenology (introduction of wine study). From the SECOND to FIFTH YEAR are Law courses: Criminal, Contracts, Liability, Property, Labour, Taxes, Trade, International Law, etc. In Peru theres no such a specialization: you study almost every legal branch.

[notariap]

The sixth and last year you study practical law courses. For having the professional degree, you must have a thesis dissertation and full knowledge of one foreign language (English, French, German or Italian) and for getting into the Lima Bar you have to pass an exam (which is actually very easy).

[notariap]

Being a Lawyer can be both easy (and with little possibility to get a good job) or challenging and demanding (and having the possibility of a great professional and economical success). It depends mostly on the University that you have chosen, and surely also depends on you. So try to get to the best University that you can reach. Good luck on your LSAT.

[dovp44]

Going to the "best" University does not necesarily mean automatic success as a not well known one mean failure. Once you pass the bar and have your license the world is wide open. Maybe you are right if you want to be a stiff in a large law firm. I went to a not well known law school and now have myu own law firm making much more than many who went to the "best " law school. Just a thought.

[BlakeVII]

I admire and respect that.

[Tavlo]

The song sounds like "The best part of waking up... is Foldgers in your cup". Ha ha!!

Loved this show.

[htuomnom]

I do not think anyone interested in the Paper Chase cared much about THE FONZ on happy days cloudymoor

[anacristinaruin]

I'm so happy I've found this. It's been very hard for me, because in my country Costa Rica, this tv show was called Alma Mater and I've been searching for it using that name. I used to saw it when I was a child, I don't really remember my age, but I do remember I was in love with "Hart". Thanks so much for posting the video I really appreciate it, you've made me very happy.

[robertjsawyer]

Woohoo!  Authorized, legitimate DVDs of Season One of the Paper Chase are coming on April 7, 2009, from a company called Shout! Factory. The scavenger hunt ends ... ;)

[cloudymoor]

Sensational news! I had begun to give up hope. This show was my favorite, but had the misfortune of airing opposite Happy Days, when The Fonz was at the height of his popularity.

[fadzillah160]

Thank God...I finally found it. I saw it for 1st time when I was 12 years old. I love the series so much that it has been my dream to be a lawyer since then.....by the way I'm a lawyer.

[CrankyOldster]

I loved this program, and eagerly watched the Showtime finale where Hart graduates. What moved me most was his valedictory speech, where he described his study of law through the metaphor of a communal footpath in his Minnesota hometown. Many shows TELL you their characters are brilliant, but "Paper Chase" was one of the few that could let them prove it in their own eloquent words. I'd love to see that valedictory speech on YouTube!

[egglondon]

Lovely. Brought back very precious memories. Got to find the music.

[filatovafan]

Did anyone see the other 3 series - I saw series 1 in the UK in the late 1970s - but then found that they's made several more series in the 1980s - in the final series Hart graduates from Law School and almost takes over from Kingsfield who is due to retire - but Kingsfield blocks this move - saying he needs to experience more of the real world before teaching.... gripping stuff

[RickVWaolcom]

This in incredible - Thank you for posting this. Now if only someone would release the show on DVD...

[Palexa39757]

This was a late 70s sitcom which never really took off. Happened to see every episode. Houseman really does bring a stoicism to it. A country kid who goes to Harvard Law. Great premise back when the sitcoms were than just buff.

[kxx46]

I never considered it a sitcom. Was it considered a sitcom ?

It was excellent. I also liked the follow up series that "Showtime" did.

[pacovision]

It wasn't a sitcom. Sitcoms are usually half-hour shows and this one was hour long episodics. It is sad that this show lasted so little.

[cali4nian]

I watched this show when I was 11 years old in Korea. They called it "Harvard University Study Worms" Even thought I couldn't understand the lyric I used the cassette tape recorder sit front of TV and tape the song.. LOL That was about 30 years ago... wow

[dd1985]

Seals & Crofts are awesome!

[renxo05]

and the frase spoken by Kingsfield was correctly doubled in spanish language, and these words still sculpted in my mind, because my training as a lawyer was quite hard, but some of my very tenderly remembered professors were tauhg teachers as kingsfield was and nice people

[renxo05]

In Perú, that series was named ALMA MATER

[renxo05]

I tenderly remember this series very well, in my country was aired in early 80's, i was a 5 year old kid, coincidently my father was studing law by nite, i was sent to bead and because of that i barely saw some chapters, but most of them showed me how hard university is, now i am a lawyer in my country, and because of TPC series and my father's hard training on me in my practice, i couldn't be even more in love with my career, than's Mr. Kingsfield and thanks Dad 4 the vocation and the training.

[mikemacmoney]

im 34 but i dont remember this..must be before my time..no reruns either?

[izarraitz]

Serie hau zoragarria zen.Euskadin "Ikasle baten bizitza" deitu zuten, telebistaz jarri zutenean.

[rubbersoul1957]

One of the best shows on tv. Still waiting to buy the series if it ever comes on dvd. My older brother got me into this show years ago. The song by Seals and Croft I could never find until now. Thank you

[nickgyp]

This show was one of the best ever on televison. Each character had his/her nuances especially Janes Keanes' Bell. Four years after the series first aired, I attended law school myself (not Harvard). First year took its toll on a number of classmates due to a mandatory curve. But we had our own characters who resembled the ones in this show. The anxiety was certainly there although I look back on the friendships and experiences over the three years with great fondness.

[PSnedden]

When I was a kid this was my one of my favourite TV shows. I wouldn't watch it now, though, because the subject matter is elitist (very common in US TV dramas). How about something a little more down to Earth like a TV series devoted to 1st year agricultural students at Doncaster polytechnic - that I'd watch!

[RelekBrudder]

This brings back so much memories. TV back then was really about quality shows and not flash and dash. I wish this is available on dvd for keeps.