Civil Wars (TV series)

{{Infobox television

| image =

| caption =

| genre = Legal drama

| creator = William M. Finkelstein

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| country = United States

| language = English

| num_seasons = 2

| num_episodes = 36

| executive_producer = {{Plainlist|

}}

| producer = {{Plainlist|

}}

| location =

| editor =

| camera =

| runtime =

| company = {{Plainlist|

Steven Bochco Productions
20th Century Fox Television

}}

| network = ABC

| first_aired = {{Start date|1991|11|20}}

| last_aired = {{End date|1993|3|2}}

| 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.

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).{{cite web

|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-11-20-ca-93-story.html

|title=TV REVIEW : 'Civil Wars' Loses Battle to Absurdities

|last1=Rosenberg|first1=Howard

|work=Los Angeles Times

|date=20 November 1991

|access-date=2018-04-02

}} 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

Mariel Hemingway as Sydney Guilford
Peter Onorati as Charlie Howell
Debi Mazar as Denise Iannello
Alan Rosenberg as Eli Levinson
David Marciano as Jeffrey Lassick

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)=

{{Episode table |background=#000050 |overall=4 |season=4 |title=18 |director=16 |writer=24 |airdate=14 |prodcode=6 | episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| EpisodeNumber2 = 1

| Title = Pilot

| DirectedBy = Gregory Hoblit & Michael M. Robin

| WrittenBy = William M. Finkelstein

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1991|11|20}}

| ProdCode = 4101

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| EpisodeNumber2 = 2

| Title = Daveja Vu All Over

| DirectedBy = David Rosenbloom

| WrittenBy = David Milch

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1991|11|27}}

| ProdCode = 4105

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| EpisodeNumber2 = 3

| Title = The Pound and the Fury

| DirectedBy = Gregory Hoblit

| WrittenBy = William Finkelstein

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1991|12|4}}

| ProdCode = OJ02

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| EpisodeNumber2 = 4

| Title = A Long, Fat Frontal Presentation

| DirectedBy = Michael M. Robin

| WrittenBy = Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1991|12|11}}

| ProdCode = 4108

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| EpisodeNumber2 = 5

| Title = Have Gun, Will Unravel

| DirectedBy = Mark Sobel

| WrittenBy = Dottie Dartland

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1991|12|18}}

| ProdCode = 4104

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| EpisodeNumber2 = 6

| Title = Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|1|8}}

| ProdCode = 4103

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 7

| EpisodeNumber2 = 7

| Title = Oceans White with Phone

| DirectedBy = Joan Darling

| WrittenBy = Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|1|15}}

| ProdCode = 4106

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 8

| EpisodeNumber2 = 8

| Title = For Better or Perverse

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = William M. Finkelstein

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|1|21}}

| ProdCode = 4109

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 9

| EpisodeNumber2 = 9

| Title = Pro Se Can You See

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = Linda Elstad

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|1|22}}

| ProdCode = 4111

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 10

| EpisodeNumber2 = 10

| Title = Shop 'til You Drop

| DirectedBy = Brad Silberling

| WrittenBy = Charles H. Eglee & Channing Gibson

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|1|29}}

| ProdCode = 4110

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 11

| EpisodeNumber2 = 11

| Title = His Honor's Offer

| DirectedBy = Bill D'Elia

| WrittenBy = Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|2|5}}

| ProdCode = 4112

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 12

| EpisodeNumber2 = 12

| Title = Whippet 'Til It Breaks

| DirectedBy = Win Phelps

| WrittenBy = Linda Elstad

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|2|12}}

| ProdCode = 4107

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 13

| EpisodeNumber2 = 13

| Title = Tape Fear

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = William Finkelstein, Channing Gibson & Charles Eglee

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|3|17}}

| ProdCode = 4113

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 14

| EpisodeNumber2 = 14

| Title = Chute First, Ask Questions Later

| DirectedBy = Dan Lerner

| WrittenBy = George Malko

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|3|24}}

| ProdCode = 4114

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 15

| EpisodeNumber2 = 15

| Title = Dirty Pool

| DirectedBy = Michael M. Robin

| WrittenBy = William Finkelstein, Charles Eglee, Channing Gibson & Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|3|31}}

| ProdCode = 4115

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 16

| EpisodeNumber2 = 16

| Title = Mob Psychology

| DirectedBy = Joe Ann Fogle

| WrittenBy = William Finkelstein, Charles Eglee, Channing Gibson & Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|4|14}}

| ProdCode = 4116

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 17

| EpisodeNumber2 = 17

| Title = Denise and De Nuptials

| DirectedBy = Michael Fresco

| WrittenBy = William Finkelstein, Charles Eglee, Channing Gibson & Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|4|21}}

| ProdCode = 4117

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 18

| EpisodeNumber2 = 18

| Title = Till Debt Do Us Part

| DirectedBy = Mervin B. Dayan

| WrittenBy = William Finkelstein, Charles Eglee, Channing Gibson & Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|4|28}}

| ProdCode = 4116

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 000050

}}

=Season 2 (1992–93)=

{{Episode table |background=#515151 |overall=4 |season=4 |title=18 |director=16 |writer=24 |airdate=14 |prodcode=6 | episodes=

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 19

| EpisodeNumber2 = 1

| Title = The Naked and the Wed

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = William M. Finkelstein

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|9|23}}

| ProdCode = 4205

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 20

| EpisodeNumber2 = 2

| Title = Grin and Bare It

| DirectedBy = Charles Haid

| WrittenBy = David Milch

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|9|30}}

| ProdCode = 4209

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 21

| EpisodeNumber2 = 3

| Title = Oboe Phobia

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|10|7}}

| ProdCode = 4201

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 22

| EpisodeNumber2 = 4

| Title = Drone of Arc

| DirectedBy = Michael M. Robin

| WrittenBy = Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|10|14}}

| ProdCode = 4202

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 23

| EpisodeNumber2 = 5

| Title = Below the Beltway

| DirectedBy = Elodie Keene

| WrittenBy = Charles Eglee & Channing Gibson

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|10|21}}

| ProdCode = 4203

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 24

| EpisodeNumber2 = 6

| Title = Devil's Advocate

| DirectedBy = Tom Moore

| WrittenBy = Patricia Nardo and Channing Gibson & Charles Eglee & Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|10|28}}

| ProdCode = 4204

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 25

| EpisodeNumber2 = 7

| Title = Das Boat House

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = Charles Eglee & Channing Gibson

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|11|11}}

| ProdCode = 4207

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 26

| EpisodeNumber2 = 8

| Title = A Bus Named Desire

| DirectedBy = Michael Fresco

| WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Carolyn Shelby & Christopher Ames|t= Carolyn Shelby & Christopher Ames and William M. Finkelstein & Charles H. Eglee & Channing Gibson & Ted Mann}}

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|12|2}}

| ProdCode = 4208

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 27

| EpisodeNumber2 = 9

| Title = The Old Man and the 'C'

| DirectedBy = Michael M. Robin

| WrittenBy = Lee May

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|12|9}}

| ProdCode = 4206

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 28

| EpisodeNumber2 = 10

| Title = The Triumph of DeVille

| DirectedBy = Dennis Dugan

| WrittenBy = William M. Finkelstein

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|12|16}}

| ProdCode = 4210

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 29

| EpisodeNumber2 = 11

| Title = A Partridge in a Pair's Tree

| DirectedBy = Dan Lerner

| WrittenBy = Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1992|12|23}}

| ProdCode = 4211

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 30

| EpisodeNumber2 = 12

| Title = Hit the Road, Jack

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = Channing Gibson & Charles Eglee

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1993|1|6}}

| ProdCode = 4212

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 31

| EpisodeNumber2 = 13

| Title = Dances with Sharks

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = Anne Kenney

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1993|1|19}}

| ProdCode = 4213

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 32

| EpisodeNumber2 = 14

| Title = Split Ends

| DirectedBy = Michael Fresco

| WrittenBy = {{StoryTeleplay|s= Steven Bochco|t= William M. Finkelstein & Jennifer Flackett}}

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1993|1|26}}

| ProdCode = 4214

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 33

| EpisodeNumber2 = 15

| Title = Watt, Me Worry?

| DirectedBy = Dennis Dugan

| WrittenBy = William M. Finkelstein & Charles Eglee & Channing Gibson

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1993|2|9}}

| ProdCode = 4215

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 34

| EpisodeNumber2 = 16

| Title = Alien Aided Affection

| DirectedBy = Win Phelps & Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1993|2|16}}

| ProdCode = 4216

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 35

| EpisodeNumber2 = 17

| Title = Captain Kangaroo Court

| DirectedBy = Joe Ann Fogle

| WrittenBy = Anne Kenney & Jennifer Flackett

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1993|2|23}}

| ProdCode = 4217

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 36

| EpisodeNumber2 = 18

| Title = A Liver Runs Through It

| DirectedBy = Mark Tinker

| WrittenBy = William M. Finkelstein & Charles Eglee & Channing Gibson & Ted Mann

| OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1993|3|2}}

| ProdCode = 4218

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 515151

}}

Awards and nominations

class="wikitable" ! Year ! Award ! Category ! Recipient ! Result
rowspan=4\|1992	style="white-space:nowrap;"\| American Society of Cinematographers Award	Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Movies of the Week/Pilots	Brian J. Reynolds	{{nom}}
Casting Society of America's Artios Award	Best Casting for TV, Pilot	Junie Lowry-Johnson	{{nom}}
Primetime Emmy Award	Outstanding Individual Achievement in Sound Editing for a Series	Dave 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")	{{nom}}
Television Critics Association Award	Outstanding Achievement in Drama		{{nom}}
rowspan=4\|1993	American Television Awards{{cite web\|url=https://variety.com/1993/tv/news/cbs-leads-noms-for-emmy-rival-105972/\|title=CBS leads noms for Emmy rival\|last=Lowry\|first=Brian\|date=1993-04-16\|publisher=variety.com\|access-date=October 27, 2013}}	Best Supporting Actress, Dramatic Series	Debi Mazar	{{nom}}
Golden Globe Award	Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Drama	Mariel Hemingway	{{nom}}
\|Viewers for Quality Television Award	style="white-space:nowrap;"\| Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series	Alan Rosenberg	{{nom}}
Young Artist Award	Best Young Actor Guest Starring in a Television Series	Gregor Hesse	{{nom}}

References

External links

{{IMDb title|id=0101064}}
{{Epguides|CivilWars|Civil Wars}}

Category:1991 American television series debuts

Category:1993 American television series endings

Category:1990s American legal drama television series

Category:American English-language television shows

Category:Television shows set in New York City

Category:Television series by 20th Century Fox Television

Category:American Broadcasting Company television dramas