Kelley's current show will return in the fall for its fifth season, and Christian Clemenson will return as Jerry “Hands” Espenson, a lawyer with Asperger’s syndrome, a milder form of autism.

“Television’s primary obligation is to entertain,” said Clemenson, who won a Guest Actor Emmy in 2006 and was nominated again in 2007 for what was originally supposed to be a three-episode arc, but is now a regular character. “But David Kelley in particular has this amazing ability to entertain while at the same time he’s slipping some powerful medicine down your throat, and you don’t even realize it. That’s wonderful television.”

“I think there is the joy of seeing somebody you don’t normally see,” he explained, adding that the inspiration for the character came from Boston Legal writer Janet Leahy's own experiences with her son, who had been diagnosed with the disorder. “When you’re thinking of a high-powered law firm and super-competent lawyers, you don’t think of someone with Asperger’s. They’re showing how someone with Asperger’s could succeed. Audiences love something unusual as long as it’s truthful.”

Clemenson, who has done his own extensive research for the role, particularly appreciates the EIC's intimate knowledge of the time pressures of television. "They’re amazing at getting information to people who need it quickly, and they are really effective at connecting health care professionals with entertainment professionals."

But he understands that sometimes, entertainment overshadows accuracy. "There are times I realize when sometimes you just need a joke. Character considerations or the truth sometimes fly out the window. Ideally, we do have that obligation to be truthful at all times. The only thing that really bothers is me is when Jerry is reduced to a joke. And that happens sometimes, rarely, but there are times when it’s just a punchline.”

While the audience as a whole has embraced the character, Clemenson is most gratified by the reactions of those who are most affected by the portrayal. “What’s been amazing for me about this experience is the response I get from people with Asperger’s and their parents, especially mothers. Mothers react very strongly to seeing hope for their child. They can see an adult with Asperger’s functioning. Even if they fail, they’re still functioning in society in a way that’s rewarding. That’s what’s most moving for me doing this role.”