You know, I never wanted to be a corporate guy. I wouldn’t have been able to, anyway. See, hard to go corporate when your degree reads night school. Harder still when your skin reads the projects, you know what I’m saying?

Laurie Solt, this is not my world, and I am not about to apologize for wearing my uniform.

Listen, you play your role, right? You’re a social worker who chooses to make no money. Instead, you cry poor to the world. You wear cheap clothes so people know where you’re coming from. My world is expensive. I’m not saying its any better. It just has different rules. So be it.

My problem is I didn’t say, hey, you look like crap, so I would appreciate it if you would refrain from beating me up for looking decent.

Money matters.

Now, that couldn’t have gone better.

So you can back up that crap you were spewing out in there.

Listen, this is how business is done. You receive an offer, you respond to that offer. You wait too long; it gets pulled off the table. Take it or leave it.

I don’t know, if I hadn’t run up such huge school loans, I’ll be working in public service.

I think you’re a shark. You just don’t know it yet.

My father always told me not to worry about making money, but to worry about making a difference.

Money makes a difference. All the man-hours scraping around for minimum wage, they can’t compete with the huge influx of money that you are capable of generating. Make the money first, then if you still feel like it, then go make a difference.

I think you’re putting on an act.

She lingers a little long when she looks at you, and sits with her body completely open to you, and smiles even when you say rude things to her.

The law’s a lot easier to understand than life. You just follow precedents, try to interpret things. If someone dies wrongfully, you can seek damages. The amount a person’s life is worth can be measured financially. It doesn’t leave a lot of room for the way people feel.

You have to stop this thing before it turns into a disaster.

Short-term gain, long-term disaster.

I’m not regular? I’m a criminal? But you’re the customer. So the difference is I did it to raise money to put food on the table, and you just did it for the sex.

I’m whatever I want to be.

I know what it’s like to be eager, to want to please those men so much that you forget who you really are.

I don’t think I want to do this.

You like to blame yourself, don’t you? Well, you tell yourself it’s your fault and you think that’ll make me feel better. But you know what? It doesn’t. It makes you feel better.

I don’t think this is going to work. I mean, the truth is, you’re self-absorbed. You know, you sit around wondering why you’re not closer to your son, but you actually like the distance that you’ve created. Because it lets you sit back, do nothing, and spend more time with yourself.

He can be rude, standoffish…when I first met him, I truly disliked him. But of all the imperfect people I’ve met in this world, and that would be everybody, Nick is one of the few who lives by a set of standards. I do think his mind is set on this. I do think he has the right things in his mind. And he’s the kind of person who will follow through. Might be just to prove other people wrong…but he follows through.

You know, I know I meant to say something extraordinary here, but all I can say is that I won’t let Lesley down. I know that I failed myself, that’s true. I admit that. But I will not fail that girl. I will not fail Lesley.

Not in my nature.

If you fell off the face of the earth, I’d then throw a party every year to mark the anniversary.

So what, Nick? Because you’re not the top expert in the western world, you’re just going to blow me off?

I like to know what I’m getting into.

You know, Bill, our firms have gotten along so well over the years. You know, referred clients, just kept out of each other’s business. I’d just like to cut the crap right here. You know, I never poached any of your lawyers. And I would just like your word as a gentleman that you won’t poach any more of mine.

I’ll be up-front with you, Burton. I am not going to give you any promises that I can’t keep.

I thought you would be angry. I know how you feel about me dating boys.

I came to America to live with dignity and respect. If someone decides to insult me, I’m not just going to smile and say thank you. I’m sorry, Salaam, but just because you hurt this boy’s feelings doesn’t give him the right to do what he did!

I’d be very careful before I believed a word that came out of his mouth.

That is so offensive.

What have I done to offend you? I try my best to be friendly, to do good work, and all you do is treating me like I’m some stupid school girl.

Because I don’t think you want to be a corporate lawyer, Amanda. I can see that you don’t like it now, and I don’t think you’re going to learn to like it later. You seem like a good person who wants to do good things with your life. And if that’s the case, I don’t think you’re going to find what you’re looking for here.

Causality, how one thing can lead to another? Yeah. It’s fate. No. I am not a religious man. All right, then, science. No. Logic. No. just chance, you know? You walk through one door instead of another. You meet one person instead of another. What’s that, free will? Ha. No. Self-determination? pbbbt! No. you life is chaotic when you’re walking into it, but its all order when you look back at it. No. you’re blathering. It’s not chaotic. It’s moment. You’re in a moment now and you were in a moment before. You were there in that moment, and now you’re here. It’s just a moment, that’s what it is.

It’s already happened. You can’t take that away. It’s already happened, and I’ve learned to deal with it. What more can I say? It’s just the way it is.

That will be that.

The sooner you stop thinking people should cut you slack because your parents got divorced and sent you away to prep school, or because your mom has cancer. Cause believe me, no one cares about your problems. Believe me.

But maybe because you don’t really want to do this, you’re able to remove yourself and have this kind of objectivity. I actually do wish that I could be like you sometimes. Just automatic. That’s how I know you are. I’ve been around you long enough. You’re Teflon man. See? This is exactly what I’m talking about. Now, I just insulted you, and you just shrug. You sort of move through space, and nothing touches you. I can’t do that. I’m just not that way. I get very attached to things, and everything breaks my heart.

What have I done to you? If you’re unhappy with your choices, then that is your responsibility.

You don’t know me. You don’t know who I am. I can’t see the people at the moment that…cause my life have changed. I have tendencies that I need to control.

I don’t like asking you to do thing for me.

I wanted to go in the arts, but my father told me to think about what I was about to do before I went and screwed up my life.

That’s just the greatest thing to be able to have, to be so successful.

I’m really kind of bad company tonight. Can we do this another time?

I don’t think I want this place. Just all seems like so much, you know? I don’t think I want to do what I’m about to do.

What happened yesterday that was a mistake. I take full responsibility for what I did, but I shouldn’t have done it. I was nervous about the house and about getting married, and I am curious about you. I’ve been curious.

But as rewarding and exciting as public service was, too often, it was about watching your back instead of doing your job.

Need to talk about it? It happens like this all the time. You do your job, you follow your gut, and it blows up in your face. I’ve been there. Want to get a cup of coffee?

This wasn’t supposed to happen. We need to get past this.
All because of what I’m doing you don’t understand.

Don’t let them push you around.

Nick just can’t seem to unwind.

2 cases per episode normally, one with regard to corporate law and the other usually involves a troubled teenager, the longer Nick represents those juveniles, the more aversive he grows towards the coprorate world, finally, at the end of season 2, he took charge of the legal center following Lulu's suit. Simon Baker was truly outstanding in the show and Wendy Moniz was gorgeous.

首先我得说，开始看后发现标记想看的时间正好是四年前的同一天。真的是非常诡异。

关于nick和burton矛盾。

对于工作来说，年龄上的差距和出事经验的差距让两个律师的思考方式完全不同。burton虽然老练稳重，但对于钱的问题从来不会刻意规避风险，反倒是将各种条件逼至至极，老客户们会半开他玩笑说“you cold son of a bitch”，利益拼盘容易不下一颗沙子。

nick看起来总是咄咄逼人，不近人情，却总是尽量达成所谓正常的决定。剧情里相关的体现不少，给收购其公司的年轻人的母亲讨下了一座布达佩斯的房子，为教会学校的孩子们保留那栋争议不断的兔子先生墙，都是一样的道理，纵使还是从大局出发，但Nick达成的bargain都尽可能的满足弱者一方的需求。甚至在童年伙伴抢夺父业董事权时，在选择对立面并迫使好友计划落空之后，Nick考虑的还是让朋友输在生意场，而不是连带抖落出戒毒史并葬送抚养权。

就像好友讲的那样，你总是为我打掩护，总是保护我，帮我保守一切秘密。Nick最擅长的保护方式就是tell no one。做尽力能做的好事，然后接受指责，再把一切都咽在肚子里。

至于造成这种极其封闭式自我的原因大概还是家庭环境吧。欧美剧剧情（甚至现实世界）的人物性格经常源于boarding schools。我倒不觉得这种学校有那么糟糕，对于Nick这种处事能力很强的人来说，学校从来不应该是个问题。但是当你母亲在与父亲离婚的一两年内去世，然后被送到boarding schools听上去就像是你父亲根本不想摊上你这个麻烦而已，而感情能力绝对是Nick的问题。

和nick搞在一起的药厂女律师说，你可以选择任何人，却偏要选择我，是你根本就不想要感情的负担。专挑已婚女性，不是为了什么奇怪的癖好，而是因为对方无法告知实情，因而恋情无法发生实质性进展，说白了Nick要的是“你们永远无法在一起的承诺”, 怯于付出的性格伤害的是一个出轨者而不是一个无辜的单身女性。如此畸形的关系却是Nick心中的perfert。Nick自我封闭程度之深可见一斑，literally “buttoned-up”。

除了因母亲和童年导致的父子矛盾，还有一点就是Nick寻求burton的能力认可。后几集说过Nick之前在纽约的大律师事务所实习过，因父亲的工作offer才回到Pittsburg。看父亲如此不爽却偏偏要放弃远离父亲一切的机会回去证明自己的能力。大概在好胜心背后还有一丝报复的快感吧。

不过与母亲相比，能力认可对Nick似乎不是那么重要。Nick在决定是否要跳槽时质问父亲，你雇佣我是因为我有能力还是因为我是你儿子。这也是Nick和父亲说话时第一次失控，之前Nick和父亲说话总是习惯性的低头，绷着扑克脸，尽可能的服从命令。我原来预想的是Nick期待的回答是父亲认可自己的能力。不过在Burton回答因为你是asset后Nick辞职了。其实他要的还是要父亲体现一点点私心，一种“我给而我儿子一份工作，天经地义啊”的护犊子感情吧。我真的无法说burton不是一个loving father，但比起父亲他确实更像一个导师或长官般的父亲性质的形象，而不是父亲。

另外吐槽一句，把公司弓手让给议员这事儿，不管是为了带来更多的客源还是为Nick而达成协议，连partner都没给Nick，哪来的take over the firm啊，听上去就像是给儿子的一剂安慰剂...当然了，毕竟编剧需要戏剧冲突嘛，欺负儿子就欺负吧。。 再来说说金毛。 年轻时的Baker不太一样，因为短发的缘故看起来发色更深一些，褶子还不太多，笑起来一股浓浓的少年感，典型的海边旅游广告中的beach boy形象，却硬是套在了西装和商务人士标准大衣里，貌似只在一集里被警察没收了衣服当证物，穿过一次白T恤。话说我其实非常西装控，但对于这个年纪的Baker来说真是暴殄天物啊￣へ￣....就应该短袖牛仔裤板鞋，抱着滑板和冲浪板，在阳光和海水中放飞自我。另外，超感警探看了太多遍的我，有一种金毛不笑就是欺负他的老阿姨心理。他眼角那一股笑意变得很快，一点受伤就消失不见了，老阿姨就是不忍心啊不忍心...只想看他高兴甚至得意的样子 。玩笑的说一句“金毛的笑容我来守护！” 最后，这个剧的节奏真是太快了，，留给人物个人感情发展和背景故事的时间非常有限，看了一下第二三季的剧情简介貌似也没有涉及很多。再加上剧情整体压抑，拷问人性的走向，三季被合家欢大佬CBS砍掉也在情理之中。。可惜了一部好剧。 以后有时间搞到生肉大概会做个字幕吧。。。maybe

看这部剧完全是因为Simon Baker，没想到是一大惊喜，非常赞的剧。Baker年轻时真帅，看来澳洲出帅哥啊，Hugh Jackman，Chris Hemsworth, etc LOL。Nick和Patrick是完全不同的性格，Nick较为keep to himself，因为经历的缘故有其内向和阴郁的一面，与人交谈时目光时有躲闪，话语简洁有时都是激烈短促了，拿手放在嘴边的姿势，西装加大衣的造型非常的适合他，很吸引。第一次看到Baker其实是The devil wears Prada里的一个配角，那时的感觉只是一个vain而没有力度的角色，后来看Mentalist 才被彻底吸引。看来演员固然重要，编剧对一部戏来说才是更加有决定意义的。

这部剧在Pittsburg，虽然也是大城市，但远不及纽约或洛杉矶曝光率那么高了，主要是室内剧，但还是有一些跟城市相关的内容。视角很独特，两条线，主线是关于孩子监护权的官司，另一条是corporate law，一集里都有两个以上的case在进行，节奏非常紧凑。 说起来这部剧没有太多吸引眼球的因素，完全是靠剧情取胜，故事里涉及的小孩子多数都是来自破裂的家庭，好多事黑人，父母不能承担抚养他们的责任，所以要靠法庭上的hearing决定他们监护权的归属，说起来是相当压抑的。Nick虽然是个非常有前途的年轻律师父亲是个有影响的大律师，但因为父母离异生母早逝一直都跟父亲有隔阂，自己又因为吸毒被抓，后来还倒霉搅进命案里。可能也是因为题材的缘故，这部剧只拍了3季，其实编剧已经相当好的用温情调节了这部剧的压抑成分。Mentalist固然好看，但侦探剧不太会让人有想重温的欲望，这部剧更为耐看一些。

看到season2 e11,太难受了，圣诞节惨案，nick简直是下凡来受难的。 这戏居然是cbs的，hbo还差不多。 nick fallin的角色设定几乎完全和神棍jane反着来，短发，寡言，不笑，讨厌身体接触，处理不好人际关系，但是但是，他疲惫落寞的样子依然如此的迷人，看得我揪心。 馒头大叔那被埋没的青春啊！

完全不知道为什么，会翻到这部将近20年前的老剧。

确实是因为西蒙贝克，但说实话看《超感神探》那会儿也没有多喜欢他，但是就是顺手，在翻《灵书妙探》男主其他作品的时候顺手也翻了他的，，于是……

不同于现在的律政剧，这部戏节奏不快，一集又至少要分两条线进行，一条法援线，一条企业法线，所以故事的讲述也不会很具体或者很复杂，有时候会发现法援线的结尾那家人最后如何了，也不甚了了，只是大致的方向是那样了，故事交代到尽人事，最后不交代的就是天命，所以很少有爽到或者大快人心的时刻。

这样平缓的讲述，没有高潮，看第一集的时候有点不适应，看下去却觉得意外的舒服。

西蒙贝克塑造了一个无安全不同于超感神探中的形象，证明了自己演什么是什么，而不是演什么什么像他。

寡言、有点冲动，被认为有优越感和无理，出场吸毒被控却因为家世和学历背景仅仅背叛了缓刑和社会服务。真是那种讨厌的人吧。但是越看下去越发现他的善良、柔软、单纯、甚至无助。

父母离婚，母亲在对父亲的憎恨中死去，父亲本就不善表达感情，又被商业社会洗脑成为一个社会人，他孤身一人，按照父亲的希望成长，在商业上会 游刃有余，但是当意外进入法援，那些人情，特别是那些孩子却让他一下子动摇，或者说回归了那个孩子。

是的，他就是那个没有机会长大的孩子。

孩子的直觉异常敏感，所以在和他的接触中他们也感到了，视他为同类。

直到那个心脏病的女孩子出现，虽然，我想他会收养那个女孩子，但是我又想不可以啊，这样公私不分做事，能帮几个？冲动的，不专业的，法援要有热情有心有爱，可更要有距离，法援那个主任就是这样的，那位黑人同事也是这样的，那个福利署老太太也是这样的。但是男主不是，他看到那些孩子吗？不，他看到的是自己。

他局促的，努力的扮演一个帮助他们的大人，但是其实那是在救赎自己。

最后想到那首歌：

小小的小孩 今天有没有哭 是否朋友都已经离去 留下了带不走的孤独 漂亮的小孩 今天有没有哭 是否弄脏了美丽的衣服 却找不到别人倾诉 聪明的小孩 今天有没有哭 是否遗失了心爱的礼物 在风中寻找 从清晨到日暮