‘L.A. Law’ Sequel: Corbin Bernsen to Reprise His Role as Arnie Becker for Pilot

Corbin Bernsen in LA Law
Chris Haston / 20th Television. /Courtesy Everett Collection

Blair Underwood won’t be the only original series star seen in the sequel to L.A. Law if it’s ordered to series.

Corbin Bernsen is set to reprise his role as Arnold Becker in the revival, Deadline reports. The “former lothario … hasn’t changed since the 1980s but the world has,” according to the character’s description. “Now in his 60s, he struggles with a rapidly shifting sexual and political landscape.”

“I’ve often thought about revisiting LA Law and Arnie Becker over the years,” Bernsen said in a statement. “Now seems the perfect moment in time to explore our fast changing world through Becker’s eyes. Fasten your seatbelts.”

The original series aired eight seasons from 1986 to 1994 on NBC. The ABC pilot sees the venerable law firm of McKenzie Brackman having reinvented itself as a litigation firm specializing in only the most high profile, boundary pushing, and incendiary cases. Underwood’s Jonathan Rollins is no longer idealistic. Instead, the attorney is now more conservative as he clashes with millennial JJ Freeman when it comes to deciding the best path forward for the firm to effect political and legal change.

Marc Guggenheim and Ubah Mohamed will write the pilot. Anthony Hemingway will direct it. All three serve as executive producers alongside Dayna Bochco and Jesse Bochco (Steven Bochco Productions) and Underwood.

Bernsen’s TV credits include The ResidentPsych (and the movies), and Magnum P.I. For his work on the original L.A. Law, he was nominated for two Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1987 and 1988 and for two Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actor in a Drama Series in 1989 and 1990.