Civil Wars (TV series)

Last updated
Civil Wars
Genre Legal drama
Created by William M. Finkelstein
Starring
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes36
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Production companies
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseNovember 20, 1991 (1991-11-20) –
March 2, 1993 (1993-03-02)
Related
L.A. Law

Civil Wars is an American legal drama that aired on ABC from November 20, 1991, to March 2, 1993. The series was created and executive produced by William M. Finkelstein and produced by Steven Bochco. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

The series focused on the lives and cases of New York City divorce attorneys. In the series, two of New York City's top divorce lawyers, Charlie Howell (Peter Onorati) and Sydney Guilford (Mariel Hemingway), form a partnership despite barely knowing each other, following the mental breakdown of Guilford's stressed-out partner, Eli Levinson (Alan Rosenberg). [1] The show had a famously misanthropic opening credits sequence; in it, romantic photo albums were shown as the voice track played couples ripping into each other in court, as each of the show's principal attorneys interrogated them, one by one, on the stand.

Cast

Alan Rosenberg and Debi Mazar continued in their roles as Eli Levinson and Denise Iannello after ABC cancelled Civil Wars in 1993. The two characters were moved over to Bochco’s L.A. Law on NBC for its eighth and final season, with Levinson becoming a member of the series’ major law firm and Denise serving as his secretary.

Episodes

Season 1 (1991–92)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
11"Pilot" Gregory Hoblit & Michael M. Robin William M. Finkelstein November 20, 1991 (1991-11-20)4101
22"Daveja Vu All Over" David Rosenbloom David Milch November 27, 1991 (1991-11-27)4105
33"The Pound and the Fury"Gregory Hoblit Steven Bochco & William Finkelstein December 4, 1991 (1991-12-04)OJ02
44"A Long, Fat Frontal Presentation"Michael M. Robin Ted Mann December 11, 1991 (1991-12-11)4108
55"Have Gun, Will Unravel"Mark Sobel Dottie Dartland December 18, 1991 (1991-12-18)4104
66"Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense" Mark Tinker Ted MannJanuary 8, 1992 (1992-01-08)4103
77"Oceans White with Phone" Joan Darling Ted MannJanuary 15, 1992 (1992-01-15)4106
88"For Better or Perverse"Mark TinkerSteven Bochco & William M. FinkelsteinJanuary 21, 1992 (1992-01-21)4109
99"Pro Se Can You See"Mark TinkerLinda ElstadJanuary 22, 1992 (1992-01-22)4111
1010"Shop 'til You Drop" Brad Silberling Charles H. Eglee & Channing Gibson January 29, 1992 (1992-01-29)4110
1111"His Honor's Offer" Bill D'Elia Ted MannFebruary 5, 1992 (1992-02-05)4112
1212"Whippet 'Til It Breaks"Win PhelpsLinda ElstadFebruary 12, 1992 (1992-02-12)4107
1313"Tape Fear"Mark TinkerWilliam Finkelstein, Channing Gibson & Charles EgleeMarch 17, 1992 (1992-03-17)4113
1414"Chute First, Ask Questions Later" Dan Lerner George MalkoMarch 24, 1992 (1992-03-24)4114
1515"Dirty Pool" Michael M. Robin William Finkelstein, Charles Eglee, Channing Gibson & Ted Mann March 31, 1992 (1992-03-31)4115
1616"Mob Psychology"Joe Ann Fogle William Finkelstein, Charles Eglee, Channing Gibson & Ted Mann April 14, 1992 (1992-04-14)4116
1717"Denise and De Nuptials" Michael Fresco William Finkelstein, Charles Eglee, Channing Gibson & Ted Mann April 21, 1992 (1992-04-21)4117
1818"Till Debt Do Us Part"Mervin B. Dayan William Finkelstein, Charles Eglee, Channing Gibson & Ted Mann April 28, 1992 (1992-04-28)4116

Season 2 (1992–93)

No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code
191"The Naked and the Wed"Mark Tinker William M. Finkelstein September 23, 1992 (1992-09-23)4205
202"Grin and Bare It" Charles Haid David Milch September 30, 1992 (1992-09-30)4209
213"Oboe Phobia"Mark Tinker Ted Mann October 7, 1992 (1992-10-07)4201
224"Drone of Arc"Michael M. RobinTed MannOctober 14, 1992 (1992-10-14)4202
235"Below the Beltway" Elodie Keene Charles Eglee & Channing Gibson October 21, 1992 (1992-10-21)4203
246"Devil's Advocate" Tom Moore Patricia Nardo and Channing Gibson & Charles Eglee & Ted MannOctober 28, 1992 (1992-10-28)4204
257"Das Boat House"Mark Tinker Charles Eglee & Channing Gibson November 11, 1992 (1992-11-11)4207
268"A Bus Named Desire"Michael FrescoStory by : Carolyn Shelby & Christopher Ames
Teleplay by : Carolyn Shelby & Christopher Ames and Steven Bochco & William M. Finkelstein & Charles H. Eglee & Channing Gibson & Ted Mann		December 2, 1992 (1992-12-02)4208
279"The Old Man and the 'C'"Michael M. RobinLee MayDecember 9, 1992 (1992-12-09)4206
2810"The Triumph of DeVille" Dennis Dugan William M. FinkelsteinDecember 16, 1992 (1992-12-16)4210
2911"A Partridge in a Pair's Tree" Dan Lerner Ted MannDecember 23, 1992 (1992-12-23)4211
3012"Hit the Road, Jack"Mark Tinker Channing Gibson & Charles Eglee January 6, 1993 (1993-01-06)4212
3113"Dances with Sharks"Mark Tinker Anne Kenney January 19, 1993 (1993-01-19)4213
3214"Split Ends"Michael FrescoStory by : Steven Bochco
Teleplay by : William M. Finkelstein & Jennifer Flackett		January 26, 1993 (1993-01-26)4214
3315"Watt, Me Worry?"Dennis DuganWilliam M. Finkelstein & Charles Eglee & Channing GibsonFebruary 9, 1993 (1993-02-09)4215
3416"Alien Aided Affection" Win Phelps & Mark Tinker Ted MannFebruary 16, 1993 (1993-02-16)4216
3517"Captain Kangaroo Court"Joe Ann Fogle Anne Kenney & Jennifer Flackett February 23, 1993 (1993-02-23)4217
3618"A Liver Runs Through It"Mark TinkerWilliam M. Finkelstein & Charles Eglee & Channing Gibson & Ted MannMarch 2, 1993 (1993-03-02)4218

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryRecipientResult
1992 American Society of Cinematographers Award Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movies of the Week/PilotsBrian J. ReynoldsNominated
Casting Society of America's Artios Award Best Casting for TV, PilotJunie Lowry-JohnsonNominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Editing for a SeriesDave Weathers, Richard Taylor, Barbara Issak, Frank A. Fuller Jr., Pat McCormick, Gary Lewis, Albert Edmund Lord III, James Hebenstreit (For episode "Oceans White With Phone")Nominated
Television Critics Association Award Outstanding Achievement in Drama Nominated
1993American Television Awards [2] Best Supporting Actress, Dramatic Series Debi Mazar Nominated
Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Drama Mariel Hemingway Nominated
Viewers for Quality Television Award Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series Alan Rosenberg Nominated
Young Artist Award Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Television Series Gregor HesseNominated

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References

  1. 1 2 Rosenberg, Howard (20 November 1991). "TV REVIEW : 'Civil Wars' Loses Battle to Absurdities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2018-04-02.
  2. ↑ Lowry, Brian (1993-04-16). "CBS leads noms for Emmy rival". variety.com. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
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