Presumed Innocent’s David E. Kelley on How Different the Show Is From the Movie

Almost every subgenre in television has its master. Political dramas? No one is going to argue it’s Aaron Sorkin. Never-ending medical dramas? Oh, that’s queen Shonda Rhimes. Agatha Christie murder mystery adaptations? The BBC’s Sarah Phelps remains undefeated. For nearly four decades, David E. Kelley has stood tall as the reigning King of legal dramas and thrillers. He’s the mind behind seminal legal series such as Ally McBeal, The Practice, and its spin-off Boston Legal. In recent years, he’s turned his talents towards miniseries. He’s the showrunner behind the colossally successful Big Little Lies, which brought together some of the most powerful actresses in Hollywood in an adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s book about trauma, abuse, and murder. He’s also adapted Anatomy of a Scandal and The Undoing as miniseries for Netflix and HBO, respectively. In a sense, Apple TV ’s Presumed Innocent combines Kelley’s two great interests — book adaptations and legal thriller