Goliath

Billy McBride used to be a courtroom star, but now he mostly drinks away his reputation and avoids the legal work that once defined him. When a family hires him to file a wrongful death suit against the biggest client of Cooperman & McBride, the giant firm he once helped build, he reluctantly takes the case. Pulling together an odd collection of allies, Billy reenters litigation and uncovers evidence that suggests the death may be tied to broader, dangerous wrongs. The suit escalates from a routine civil claim into a protracted, personal struggle, testing loyalties and forcing Billy to rely on old instincts and new alliances as the stakes steadily rise.

Created by Jonathan Shapiro and David E. Kelley, Goliath premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2016. The series was produced for streaming with Billy Bob Thornton headlining, and several episodes were directed by established TV directors while maintaining a tight, serialized legal drama format.

Billy Bob Thornton's performance earned high-profile recognition, including a Golden Globe win for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama for his work on the show. That award underscored the series' role in bringing mainstream attention back to Thornton's career and highlighted the centrality of performance in the show's appeal.

Goliath helped reshape modern legal drama by centering an imperfect, aging protagonist who takes on institutional power. Its image of a scrappy team battling a corporate behemoth resonated with viewers, and Billy's antihero persona entered conversations about flawed leads on prestige television, influencing how later shows portrayed morally ambiguous lawyers.

Audience and critical response leaned positive, reflected in a 7.6/10 user vote average from 450 votes, with many reviewers applauding Thornton and the cast while pointing out occasional plotting unevenness. The series repeatedly returns to themes of corruption, accountability, and the cost of pursuing justice, balancing courtroom mechanics with character-driven morality and the personal consequences of long-buried decisions.