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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, January 27, 2003

'The Practice' moves to Mondays reluctantly

Associated Press

When ABC announced last month it planned to bump the legal drama "The Practice" from Sunday to Monday, the verdict came swiftly.

Dylan McDermott, who stars as Bobby Donnell in "The Practice," says the cast and crew will concentrate on continuing a "quality show."

Associated Press library photo

"We are very concerned about this move," David E. Kelley Productions said of its 6-year-old series that has been performing successfully at 9 p.m. Sundays since 1998.

On the eve of the shift, Kelley sounds resigned. "The Practice" airs at 8 p.m. starting tonight, with newcomer "Dragnet" claiming the Sunday slot on Sunday.

"It's a change we will deal with. We weren't happy at first, naturally," Kelley said. "Sunday has worked well for us and I guess we were figuring that would be home, at least for another year or two.

"After the shock wore off, we just got together and said, 'OK, how do we make this work?' "

Stay the course is the answer, say Kelley and series star Dylan McDermott.

The inaugural Monday night episode has trademark elements, including a big-name guest star and provocative cases.

Alfre Woodard plays a mentally ill woman who's facing execution and defended by Ellenor Frutt (Camryn Manheim). Bobby Donnell (McDermott) and Eugene Young (Steve Harris) are suing a liquor manufacturer over an alcoholic's death.

"We've always lived by the rule of thumb that we make quality television," McDermott said. "We don't make a Saturday or Sunday or Monday show, we just make a quality show."

The series, about a small but scrappy Boston law firm, won back-to-back Emmy Awards as best drama in 1998 and 1999.

Kelley is used to success: He created Emmy winners "Picket Fences" and "Ally McBeal" as well as Fox's "Boston Public" (his recently canceled "girls club" on Fox was a rare flop). He also knows about the vagaries of TV networks and scheduling decisions.

ABC executives say they're aware ratings for "The Practice" likely will take a hit, especially against the concluding episodes of Fox's hit reality show "Joe Millionaire."

"The Practice" hopscotched across ABC's schedule from the start, Kelley noted, debuting in 1997 on Tuesday and then going to Saturday, to Monday and then to Sunday in less than two years.

That's serving as preparation for the latest move, Kelley said. "Early on, we had grouped together and said, 'We'll make the best show we can and hope we survive.' "

ABC has promised to support "The Practice" with advertising and promotion, Kelley said, adding, "We're optimistic that they'll fulfill that commitment."

That is crucial, according to McDermott. "We don't want to lose viewers and then lose momentum. That's how TV shows get canceled."

At least one of his co-stars, however, professes to be unconcerned about the future.

"David's great magic happens when somebody puts him under the gun," said Lara Flynn Boyle, who plays prosecutor Helen Gamble. Even if the ratings slip, she said, "That's not our problem. Our problem is episode to episode to put on a good show."