The TV show The Paper Chase was a one-hour drama series directed by James Bridges. It aired in the 1978–1979 season on the CBS television network. The TV show was based on the 1973 movie which, in turn, had been based on the 1970 novel written by John Jay Osborn, a 1970 graduate of Harvard Law School. The book tells the story of James T. Hart, an idealistic first-year law student from rural Minnesota attending an unnamed New England law school, clearly reminiscent of Harvard, and his experiences with Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr., the brilliant, demanding professor of contract law whom he both idolizes and finds intimidating.

Also prominently featured were the members of Hart's study group, consisting in the first season of Franklin Ford III, Thomas Craig Anderson, Willis Bell, and Elizabeth Logan (the characters of Ford, Anderson, and Bell had all also appeared in Osborn's novel and the theatrical motion picture; Logan was added to the TV series and became the de facto female lead, since the main female character of the novel and movie was Kingsfield's daughter, Susan Field, who appeared in only one episode of the series). Hart was also seen frequently at his part-time job at Ernie's, a tavern near the campus.