Photo by: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

‘Harry’s Law,’ the new NBC law drama premiering tonight goes like this. It’s real simple. You put TV king David E. Kelley’s words into the talented mouth of acting Queen Kathy Bates and voila, TV magic is made. I spoke to the amazing Kathy Bates and David E. Kelley on the phone recently and Kelley, whose writing is as close to genius and hysterically funny as you can get told me that at home he is, “not interesting or funny at all.” Bates, who plays Harriet, an eccentric and tough ex-corporate lawyer, who after getting fired starts all over again and sets up her law shingle in a shoe store, told me that years ago she worked at NYC’s Museum of Modern Art and was a “payroll clerk who counted the money (coins back then) and wrapped them up before they were cashed at the bank.” If Kelley’s past success coupled with Bates’ is any indication of what’s to come with ‘Harry’s Law,” then they both will be making many runs to the bank. ‘Harry’s Law’ premieres tonight, Monday, January 17th at 10p ET.