Everyone’s talking about All’s Fair…because it might just be the worst thing they’ve seen in ages. And they’re right. We had high expectations for the show. It features some heavyweights in the industry. That much talent together could only result in something amazing. But what we actually got? A show that looked the part and said very little.
The tone was off, the jokes didn’t land, and we couldn’t even finish the first episode. Still, the legal drama isn’t dead — not even close. There are plenty of shows that actually get it. Here are 5 legal dramas to watch if All’s Fair left you horrified.
1. The Good Wife
If you somehow missed The Good Wife, fix it. Now. It’s everything All’s Fair wanted to be: smart and sassy. Julianna Margulies’ Alicia is a woman doing her best in a world that keeps testing her. Every case has weight and every decision has a price. The synopsis is:
“Alicia Florrick, a wife and mother who returns to her legal career as a litigator after her husband, a former state’s attorney, is jailed for a public sex and political corruption scandal. The show follows her as she re-enters the workforce to provide for her two children while navigating her husband’s public downfall and the complexities of her new professional life.”
You can watch it on Paramount+.
2. The Good Fight
The Good Fight—spin off of The Good Wife—is wild, funny, and absurd. Sometimes all at once. And the message hits hard. It’s the kind of boldness All’s Fair tried for but never earned. The synopsis is:
“The show follows Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart, as she loses her employment after an enormous financial scam destroys the reputation of her goddaughter Maia (Rose Leslie) and Diane’s savings, leading them to join Lucca Quinn (Cush Jumbo) at one of Chicago’s preeminent law firms.”
You can watch it on Paramount+.
3. Suits
Harvey Specter and Mike Ross will be your new protégés. Forever. And when you meet Donna, you’ll want to be her. You’ll ship Darvey with passion, we promise. Because Suits it’s a bit over the top, but that’s part of the charm. Oh! You’ll see Meghan Markle in a different light. Unlike All’s Fair, this one knows what kind of show it wants to be. The synopsis is:
“On the run from a drug deal gone bad, brilliant college dropout Mike Ross finds himself working with Harvey Specter, one of New York City’s best lawyers.”
You can watch it on Netflix.
4. Reasonable Doubt
Reasonable Doubt feels real. Jax Stewart is brilliant, messy, and sometimes her own worst enemy. The show it’s modern, it’s sexy, and it’s got perspective—what All’s Fair wanted to be. You can feel Kerry Washington’s hand in the story. And it’s just been renewed for Season 4! The synopsis is:
“Jax Stewart is a successful criminal defense lawyer at an upscale Los Angeles law firm. She navigates difficult cases amid a separation from her husband and the reappearance of a former client she worked with in her previous job as a public defender.”
You can watch it on Hulu.
5. For the People
Before Bridgerton and Scandal, Shondaland gave us For the People. And this one slipped under most people’s radar, which is a shame. The characters stumble, fight, and care — maybe too much. It’s idealistic and we love that! Think of it as the show All’s Fair wishes it could have been in its best daydreams. The synopsis is:
“Located in the Southern District of the Federal Court of New York, the new lawyers work for both the defense and the prosecution, as they handle the highest-profile and highest-risk cases in the country, all while their personal lives intersect.”
You can watch it on Hulu.
