User Reviews

Once a year, the frenetic law students take a break to do a revue, in which they spoof the law profession, their professors, and each other, in order to let off steam and have fun. This episode serves the same function in the course of this largely serious drama series. We get to see our familiar characters enjoying themselves and mocking their classmates.

As usual, there is conflict: mostly between Bell (the show's director) and the rest of the cast, who never seem to live up to his expectations. At times, it seems that the revue is going to fall apart, but once it gets going, there are legal laughs aplenty. There are two patter songs based on Gilbert and Sullivan, including Zeiss parodying Hart. Lanie Kazan fills in for an ailing Soloway, singing "You're Gonna Hear From Me" and bringing down the house. And finally, Bell reluctantly performs his Kingsfield impression (which we have seen him do in earlier episodes). James Keane does a marvelous job of capturing John Housman's eccentric delivery and mannerisms, as the faux-Kingsfield arrives at heaven's gate (with Ford as St. Peter) and discovers that he needs some "H. T." (humility training) before admittance. (Andra Millian also does a splendid impression of Mrs. Nottingham, Kingsfield's longsuffering secretary.)

A sub-plot has Kingsfield attending a conference in LA, where he stands aghast at current pop culture (breakdancing, "have a nice day," healthy food). In fact, he hates it so much that he returns to campus early, just in time to...well, you can guess.

The episode was written by Lee Kalcheim, who had written scripts for All in the Family, The Odd Couple, and many other shows. He wrote four episodes of Paper Chase, including the unforgettable "My Dinner With Kingsfield." This revue episode shows that he understood the characters well, and that he was quite good at writing parody lyrics. This was a welcome break, showing us another side of the students we have come to know well.

Several episodes of season two of "The Paper Chase" were let-downs but up until this one, the episodes of season three were consistently better. What's the problem here with "It's Only a Show"? Well, the plot seems to have 'jumped the shark' written all over it, as the episode doesn't fit the show's style at all...like they were out of ideas.

The plot is all about a review that Bell is putting on for the law students. However, he's a bit dictatorial and it's hard working for him...yet, oddly, all the busy law students suddenly have time to either attend or participate! However, it appears that Professor Kingsfield won't be there...as he's going to a convention in Los Angeles. So, Bell takes advantage of this to do a skit criticizing the guy....but he doesn't realize that Kingsfield IS in the audience!!

About the only positive thing I saw in this one was the Kingsfield skit...it was very clever and funny. But, as I mentioned above, this sort of thing really didn't fit in with the show's style. A weird misstep for the series.