Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker of "L.A. Law" Reunite in Original Web Series "The Small Time"

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Sep 22, 2015, 06:02 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-one years after their iconic turn as married attorneys in "LA. Law," real-life husband and wife Michael Tucker and Jill Eikenberry are back in front of the cameras as spouses, making another indelible impression in "The Small Time," an original web series premiering on Vimeo.

Watch the entire pilot here: https://vimeo.com/138805557

Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker star in "The Small Time."

Eikenberry, a five-time Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner, joins Tucker, an Emmy and Golden Globe nominee, as Jill and Michael Bernstein, the meddlesome parents of struggling literary agent Ben Bernstein, played by Andrew Rein, who co-created and co-wrote the series with playwright Jack Canfora.

Rein had previously appeared with Eikenberry in Canfora's off-Broadway play "Jericho." Capitalizing on that connection, it didn't take much for Rein and Canfora to convince the couple to appear in "The Small Time."

"I really enjoyed working with Andrew on 'Jericho'," says Eikenberry. "And we love Jack's writing. The idea of a small-time literary agent is new and intriguing, and the possibility of working together is always a big draw."

"The Small Time" follows Ben Bernstein in his hopeful but hapless pursuit of the literary world's next big thing as he digs through the mountain of questionable manuscripts in his tiny office, navigates pitches from loopy, out-of-touch authors and dodges assaults from his surly assistant and nagging parents, who just happen to be the only successful authors he represents.

Although the Bernsteins could be played purely for laughs—""Your mother's very upset," Michael tells Ben on a call. "Emphasize the 'very'!" commands Jill in the background—Tucker and Eikenberry convey a certain gravitas only hinted at in the dialogue.

"The two characters I've played for Jack initially seemed to be written on a purely comedic level," says Eikenberry. "And then I discovered they went way deeper. That's the fun."

Also fun: discovering a new outlet after performing for TV, movies and stage for more than 45 years.

"The landscape is completely different from anything we're familiar with," says Tucker. "We had no idea that web series were so popular. It's all very exciting."

Popular, indeed. "The Small Time" pilot has already been showcased on Vimeo's curated comedy channel, on FilmShortage.com as a Daily Short Pick and on Digg.com as Short Film of the Day.

Creators
Andrew Rein has appeared in theaters in New York and around the country. His TV and film credits include "Law & Order: SVU," "Gossip Girl," "Law & Order," "All My Children," "Bobby G. Can't Swim," "Ménage à Trois" and "Steve Niles' Remains."

Jack Canfora is an established playwright, whose plays have been read and performed throughout the United States and England since 2001. His play "Place Setting" was named one of the best plays of 2007 by the New Jersey Star-Ledger. His plays "Poetic License" and "Jericho" were both seen off-Broadway at 59E59; "Jericho" was a winner of the 2010 National New Play Network and a New York Times Critics' Pick.

Producers
The "Small Time" pilot was produced by First Printing Productions in conjunction with N.O.P.E., the Nutmeg Open Production Environment, part of Nutmeg Creative. Nutmeg is a full-service production and post-production facility in New York City.

N.O.P.E. Credits
Director: Rich Jack
Director of Photography: Carl Vasile
Producers: Brian Donnelly, Shea Pepper, Michelle Scanlon, Laura Vick
Sound: Andrew Guastella, Paul Bennett
Sound Mixing: Andrew Guastella
Editor: Rich Jack
Color Grading: Gary Scarpulla