The Paper Chase
Season 3
12 listed hours · 1978–1979 · CBS
From the desk
How this season is filed
John Houseman's Professor Kingsfield turns Harvard Law into blood sport, and a generation of pre-law kids took notes. Short CBS life, long PBS and cable afterlife, unforgettable theme. Campus prestige drama that treats a seminar like a duel: would you survive the Socratic firing squad?
TV Flash files Season 3 of The Paper Chase (1978–1979) on CBS as a mid listed season (3; 3 of 4) — 12 listed hours, 1985-04-19–1985-05-14 from “The Choice” (S03E01) to “Security” (S03E12). Titles, dates, and synopses on file — no invented recaps.
Desk essentials in this season
- S03E01 The Choice
The Choice is a later-season door named as a fork. Cable-and-PBS continuation: the CBS cancellation already history, the Socratic duel still the only sport that mattered.
- S03E01
The Choice
The Choice — Season 3, Episode 1 of The Paper Chase. Aired 1985-04-19. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.
- S03E02
The Source
The Source — Season 3, Episode 2 of The Paper Chase. Aired 1985-04-19. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.
- S03E03
Pressure
Pressure — Season 3, Episode 3 of The Paper Chase. Aired 1985-04-19. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.
- S03E04
Laura's Struggle
To cope with the increasing pressure of Law School, Laura develops a growing dependency on drugs. Bell notices that Laura s dependency is being bolstered by an additional workload, but his attempts to intervene are pushed aside by Laura.
- S03E05
Free Advice
Free Advice — Season 3, Episode 5 of The Paper Chase. Aired 1985-06-04. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.
- S03E06
Decisions (2)
Decisions (2) — Season 3, Episode 6 of The Paper Chase. Aired 1985-04-19. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.
- S03E07
Decisions (1)
Decisions (1) — Season 3, Episode 7 of The Paper Chase. Aired 1985-04-19. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.
- S03E08
The Day Kingsfield Missed Class
When Professor Kingsfield uncharacteristically fails to appear to teach his contracts class, he leaves his students to prepare for the upcoming examination without the benefit of a review. Meanwhile, Mrs. Whitney, a potential benefactress to the Law School, pays an unexpected visit to the campus, and is surprised to learn of Kingsfield's absence. She finds two students in a heated argument and voices her complaints to the Dean. Meanwhile, Kingsfield is relaxing in a park.
- S03E09
Lasting Impressions
Lasting Impressions — Season 3, Episode 9 of The Paper Chase. Aired 1985-05-28. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.
- S03E10
It's Only a Show
Bell is appointed director of the Law School "follies," the annual variety show. Even though he is highly talented as a showman, his harsh criticisms, brought on by his own insecurity, causes tension on the set. Meanwhile, Professor Kings field travels to Los Angeles for a Bar Association meeting and during a break, he mistakenly walks onto a television set filming a legal drama.
- S03E11
The Big D
Rose Samuels is devastated when her estranged husband seeks a divorce so he can remarry, especially when she still has hopes for a reconciliation. When she cannot find adequate legal representation, Laura and Tom offer their help and suggest that she be her own lawyer. Before long, everybody becomes involved.
- S03E12
Security
Security — Season 3, Episode 12 of The Paper Chase. Aired 1985-05-14. Full plot synopsis not yet on file; see the show package for context.
More from the 1970s.