Watch Boston Legal, You won’t Regret It
Like so many things in life I missed Boston Legal when it was on TV the first time. Thanks to Netflix and my own obsessive compulsive tendencies, I started watching this series from the beginning and I have to say that it has become an unexpected treat. The show evolves characters faster than you can say Denny Crane, but the staples of the show have remained the same. William Shatner as the clueless, Denny Crane, who is experiencing the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s but doesn’t want to admit it so he thinks he has “Mad Cow” disease. James Spader as the individual thinking, sometimes despicable always likable Allen Shore . He handled more issues than Oprah and did it in a much more interesting way. Candice Bergen as the powerful, Shirley Schmidt, and Rene Auberjonois as the “bad guy” in the office, were all pretty much staples that allowed the show to get off on the right foot. The rest of the characters changed from time to time, as the creators searched for the collection that made the most sense.
However, it is the continual insertion of new blood and characters that allowed Boston Legal to continually evolve and stay interesting to me. Along with the ability to face down every conceivable social issue to face our society in the first decade of the 21st Century. I will list some of my favorites later. At the time of this writing I have finished three seasons of Boston Legal so please don’t spoil it for my by telling me what happens, but so far I have loved them all, they are funny, deal with issues, and provide great entertainment.
My favorite character on Boston Legal is Allen Shore, played by James Spader. Spader has brought a character to life that is thoughtful, callous, caring, cold, and one great lawyer. For three seasons he has only lost one court case and that was against his protege’ Jerry Espenson. They will break character and show their humor as well. They let you peek behind the curtain just enough to make it funny, and still keep you entertained. My favorite example of this was in season three when Jerry was trying to convince Shirley to let him come back to Crane, Poole and Schmidt. “It makes me so happy that I hear a song in my head.” Shirley convinces him that she wants to hear what that sounds like, and he blurts out the theme song along with the beginning of the show. Maybe I was not really paying attention but I was surprised and it made me laugh out loud when I watched it! There are not many things that make me do that so I know that this was exceedingly well done. (watch below)
We’re Flamingos!
The Friendship between Denny Crane and Allen Shore is the glue that holds the show together. They are two polar opposites politically, and at different points of their life, but the writers of BL do a great job of making this friendship believable and human. One of the most enjoyable parts of the show. They have deep talks, share their feelings, have sleep overs, where they make smores. It is all pretty funny, and if you are older then you understand that friendship doesn’t come around all of the time. I think everyone in their 40’s or older could use a confidant to share their “stuff” with. It’s enjoyable to watch. If you doubt their dedication to each other, they would tell you that they are flamingos, from the first season when they dressed up as two flamingos for Halloween. Priceless.
We Got Issues
The creators and writers of Boston Legal have rarely wasted time letting their feelings be known about a whole host of social issues that face our country I have put together a short list of the ones that I remember from the first three seasons. Again I just finished season three last night so season four and five are coming up. The list of issues:
Racism in a production of Annie, sexual harassment, rich stealing for no reason, slumlords, transvestite Santa Clause, drug companies, matricide, creationism, FDA Drug approval, same sex relationships, anti red meat, of course Mad Cow disease, police brutality, censorship, the death penalty, murder, antisemitism, anti-war in Iraq, anti-war in Afghanistan, anti-war in Vietnam, basically anti-war, anti-gun, pro- gun, conservatism, liberalism, Halloween, night terrors, plastic surgery, word salad, vigilantism, credit card debt, taxation, cancer treatments, Asperger’s, privacy rights, topless protests, smiling, emergency birth control, euthanasia, smoking, erotica, elder abuse, video game addiction, candy companies, racism, guns, Global Gag Rule, the paparazzi, prescription drug parties, buying body parts, intimacy problems, online dating, cross dressing, dwarfism, cannibalism, Scientology, freedom of religion, white supremacists, Hurricane Katrina, no fly lists, animal testing, homosexuality, memory drugs, smuggling fat, U.F.O’s, Israeli Politics, The Secret, pornographic dolls sold to children, HIV, Guantanamo Bay, illegal immigration and patricide. Whew that is the short list, and I am sure you could come up with a few more.
