L.A. Law Revival: Corbin Bernsen Returning as Arnie Becker in ABC Pilot
Corbin Bernsen will see you in court. Again. The actor is reprising the role of Arnie Becker in ABC‘s L.A. Law revival pilot, our sister site Deadline reports.
Bernsen portrayed the attorney for all eight seasons of the original series, which aired from 1986 to 1994 on NBC, and even returned for the 2002 TV movie.
Bernsen joins Blair Underwood, previously reported to be returning for the revival as Jonathan Rollins. According to Deadline, Underwood and Bernsen are the only original cast members returning to the pilot as series regulars, but more are expected to guest-star should the pilot be ordered to series.
The updated take is once again set at the venerable law firm of McKenzie Brackman, which has reinvented itself as “a litigation firm specializing in only the most high profile, boundary pushing and incendiary cases,” per the official synopsis.
Underwood’s character “has gone from idealistic to more conservative as he clashes with millennial JJ Freeman to decide the best path forward for the firm to effect political and legal change.” As for Arnie, the “former lothario hasn’t changed since the 1980s but the world has. Now in his 60s, he struggles with a rapidly shifting sexual and political landscape.”
The project will be written by Marc Guggenheim (Arrow, Eli Stone) and Ubah Mohamed (Legends of Tomorrow), who also serve as executive producers alongside the late Steven Bochco’s wife Dayna and son Jesse (via Steven Bochco Productions), director Anthony Hemingway and Underwood.
Bernsen went on to play a number of memorable TV roles, including Shawn’s father Henry Spencer for all 120 episodes of Psych. He’ll next appear in Psych 3: This Is Gus, streaming Nov. 18 on Peacock.
Are you hoping the L.A. Law revival makes it to series? Drop a comment with your thoughts on Bernsen’s return below.
Not that anyone cares, but I wrote a spec script years ago titled “LAW” that had these young lawyers find out their law firm got bought out by some legend in the industry. The episode ends with Arnie Becker walking through the door as the new owner. Then the title is revealed at the end and the LA gets an underline under it.
I do I would love to see it on TV.
I hope they bring back Amanda Donahoes character.she was one of the bright spots of the last few seasons
Happy about the returns of Blair Underwood and Corbin Bernsen… but I’m just impatiently waiting for an announcement that Harry Hamlin will also be back. Hamlin has really gotten better with age in all regards!
Totally agree!
I wonder how many of the original cast will make an appearance
Too bad they’re on separate coasts (and networks). Arnie Becker and Dan Fielding could form a support group for horny lawyers. THAT’S a crossover I’d love to see!
Jimmy Smits needs to come back.
Sifuentes!
I want him back, too! Along with Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry.
“I’m out of order? YOU’RE out of order, judge! You’re all out of order!!!!”
Most definitely!
How about getting the original show streaming somewhere or out on DVD! It’s one of the top unavailables! I would love to re-watch it. One of my all-time favorites.
It’s streaming on IMDB on Amazon Prime.
I just looked–I was told that it is unavailable.
Not anymore
You can get every episode and all full 8 seasons for free on YouTube. I’ve been watching them all from the very beginning and just starting Season 8. It’s been fab to watch it all over again so the news of the revival is great!
They decided not to buy the LA Law reboot so we won’t be getting one after all.
Yes!!!!!!! LOVE Corbin as Arnie Becker. Can’t wait!!
Yep, Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker next pleeeease
Susan Dey / Grace Van Owen needs to come back.
And….Rosalind Shays! I know she died in the elevator shaft, but there’s gotta be a way.
I am all in for the revival of LA Law.
WooHoo! Love Corbin Bernsen. It will be interesting to see how Arnie fares now that MeToo has finally come about. I have generally been so disappointed in re-boots and re-makes that I don’t even bother anymore, but with Blair Underwood and Corbin Bernsen both on board this one, I will definitely give it a chance.
Corbin for the win
I would like LA Law to become a series once again. Watched original will watch again.
Corbin Berson’s stand out role will always be as Shawn’s father. I don’t know if I can go back to watching him as Arnie Becker.
Yes!
That is a step in the right direction!
This is another Disney disaster in the making, since their unworthy acquisition of 20th Century Fox, made possible by Rupert Murdoch’s insane greed and stupidity! “LA LAW” was an NBC jewel, that already did its time on The Peacock’s better years, and why ABC thinks that it can suddenly steal this 80s legal drama, just boggles the mind! the passing of Richard Dysart and series’ executive producer Steven Bochco doesn’t gain any leverage, and, since ABC and 20th are now sister divisions of The House of Rat, this is more Disney garbage, and really, they don’t stand a chance of ever rebooting a series like “LA LAW”, especially with that show’s ensemble cast of players, even despite of Bernsen and Underwood, the rest of the other people of “Mackenzie, Brackman, and Chaney” are not people you can easily replace! ABC has become a third-rate TV network, and Disney has become a rodent-stench disaster and an insult to its deceased founder!
Disney owns both 20th Century Fox and ABC. yes I know that Bochco’s wife and son are involved but it is not tbe same. you are right.
JOE S HILL says:
October 20, 2021 at 4:39 PM
This is another Disney disaster in the making, since their unworthy acquisition of 20th Century Fox, made possible by Rupert Murdoch’s insane greed and stupidity!
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If you feel that strongly, don’t watch the pilot or the series.
I loved LA Law.
Becker was just one of my favorite characters, but I really got a kick out of his secretary, Roxanne (played by Susan Ruttan).
Am I crazy (or forgetting wrong), but didn’t Dan Florek play a kind of sleazy salesman who dated Roxanne (& maybe married her) on the show? It’s been a long time since I watched it, lol.
Looking forward to this revival, though!
Yup he did