Expectations for David E. Kelley's new series were extraordinarily high coming into the premiere of "Boston Legal" this week. After all, this is the man who gave us two of the most popular legal dramas ever ("The Practice" and "Ally McBeal") shepherding a killer team of actors into his first new show after two cancellations. Emmy wins for series stars James Spader and William Shatner only served to raise the bar just a little higher.
Suffice to say, both creator and actors delivered with the debut episode. The writing and acting was so solid its hard to believe this is just the first outing for these folks. Indeed, it really isn't exactly the beginning for the show, as four of main cast (Spader, Shatner, Rhona Mitra, and Lake Bell) actually closed out the final episodes of "The Practice" last season. But gone now is the weighty drama of criminal defense, and the weighty ethics of Bobby Donnell and Eugene Young are nowhere to be seen. The law firm of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt takes us into the world of civil litigation, which Kelley clearly views as fertile ground for the sort of hot-button topics his prior shows became famous for.
There are many good things to say about "Boston Legal," but what it comes down to is this: it is a show worth watching.
The bad news is that both Alan Shore (Spader) and Denny Crane (Shatner) have been toned down significantly from their earlier, more manic incarnations.
In "The Practice," Shore was a malicious, amoral bastard who seemed to be nothing more than solid id, saying and doing whatever happened to come to mind without regard for decorum or consequences. He didn't do bad things to win cases, he did bad things because that was who he was. No more. The worst thing Shore does in the first episode of "Legal" is to take incriminating photos to use as blackmail, hardly the stuff of pure evil. Shore is mostly passive here, which hampers his proclivity for mischief for mischief's sake. Not to mention the fact that he has scenes stolen from him twice within the course of an hour, once from an African-American Little Orphan Annie and once from a showy surprise guest star. On "The Practice," it was Spader who did the scene stealing.
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Article comments
1 - Jim Carruthers
As with every other DEK project, it started off solid, but how soon till all the wheels fall off the bus. Since almost all of the characters, while entertaining, are amoral weasels with no redeeming qualities, I'll be surprised if "Boston Legal" makes a full season.
I was comparing it with Canadian programmes "The Associates" and "This Is Wonderland" (which did the pantsless lawyer gag, but this was a public defender who cracked) and "Boston Legal" doesn't have a lot of depth to carry it very far.
I think Shatner and Spader are excellent, but I don't think the show can go far. I'm thinking this will be as successful as "Matchmaker" (which shares some of the same cast, and the characters were much more sympathetic).
2 - Jim Carruthers
Oh, crap, I meant "Miss Match" which featured the charming Alicia Silverstone and Ryan O'Neal as civil lawyers and Lake what'sher name as a bartender, so she's got a promotion!
I think "Boston Legal" is the result of some game between Darren Star and David E. Kelly. As long as the outcome involves something with Michelle Pfeiffer, hey, we're all winners.
3 - Justene
This review was chosen for Advance.net. You will be able to find it on newspaper sites including Cleveland.com.
4 - WCG
Boston Legal is by far the worst drama series ever. The producer tries to make is dramatic but fails in the process. I remember one scene from the last show the a female lawyer was cross examining this guy who stole a wallet while the guy still had the wallet. Wow, so dramatic,...please note my sarcasm. I finally flipped the channel after hearing the mentally incapable female lawyer scream objection 3 times. Please take this show and shove it.
5 - HHH
If you like smug humor and scenery-eating acting this is your series. Oh look, Shatner plays a scene with a Botox needle in his head---HOW FUNNY! Can't you see how cute we're being?
Switch to a scene of Candice Bergen playing Murphy Brown once again. Like left-wing self-rightousness? This is your series.
They couldn't cancel this garbage fast enough.
6 - Temple Stark
I'm sorry HHH but you are off-base. This series is designed to be politically INcorrect. It has nothng to do with right or left.
It's just a lame spin-off. Spader and Shatner do their jobs - they make you hate them as characters.
Perhaps too well.
7 - charles perry
Last season was a gem.. The opener was not so good. Ill timed, unnecessary inserts of Denny where last year they were perfect. Scene cutting too swift. Too many commercials. In Mexico it can be seen free of ads and greatly improves.
8 - Dan
One of the few venues left where you can stick
your finger in the eye of the "nations biggest clowns", without being arrested for terrorism.
Dan
9 - MJF
Last year the show was pretty good this year it has turned into unbearable crap
10 - J. DeSantis
We watch entertainment to be entertained not to be spoon-fed DEK's version of the truth. Tonight's episode (the IRS trial) was inaccurate in many ways - the politics being the most glaring. The wiretapping has NOT been ruled illegal by any court as stated as fact by the Shore character. Further, ever not pay your taxes and get away with a $1000.00 fine and suspended sentence? The IRS has it's own set of fines and tries cases in Federal Court. Go on the IRS web site and check it out. They are brutal with people like the dippy assistant. "Ignorance of the law is no excuse."
Boston Legal had been a fun-filled outrageously humorous show for the most part and that's all. Nothing heavy there and nothing heavy expected. Now DEK is peddling Hollywood's liberalism once again. He will never learn it takes viewers to make money.
I know - you're right - don't watch. Good idea! We will no longer watch.
11 - L. B. Terrell
I have enjoyed B.L. as a very humorous, not overly serious but a fun way to kill an hour. However, it would appear to the casual observer, that B.L. is being supported by large donations from the D.N.C. and as a pay back, the show is carrying their political water.
For the inserted left-liberal-leaning comments not to be missed by the viewers, the writers could insert the word "Comrade" in front of the names of some of character who recite the propaganda unchallenged.