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Hate to Extort and Run - TVgasm

by J-Unit

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David E. Kelley can sleep soundly at night as he can add yet another notch to his bedpost with Boston Legal. The executive producer of hits such as Chicago Hope, Picket Fences, Ally McBeal, Boston Public and The Practice, here older is most certainly wiser. For those of you less familiar with the premise of BL as the opening sequence is attempting to abbreviate, Legal is a spin-off of The Practice which ended it’s seven-season run last year. In fact, Legal (not really feeling the BL) actually began last year under the guise of “The Practice.” Last year’s law firm, clientele, cases (yes, they still have them) and inter-office drama resembled nothing of its previous years. In fact, let’s call it Boston Legal: Prologue since that’s what it was. With Bobby and Lindsay (Kelli Williams) gone, it was up to Camryn Manheim’s Ellenor and Steve Harris’ Eugene to carry the torch. However, with the introduction of James Spader as the its-good-to-be-bad-and-have-no-ethics attorney Alan Shore, Ellenor and Eugene didn’t hold a candle. Sure, there were others on the show – Jimmy, Rebecca, Lucy – boring, boring, boring. Alan Shore began to spike things up a bit with his less than traditional methods of practicing law. He had an affair with a client, used bribery to achieve victory in settlements and engaged in constant flirtation with new cast-member hottie’s such as Tara (Rhona Mitra) and Sally (Lake Bell). However, all is not lost. At the heart of this seemingly sleazy attorney, is, professionally, a man trying to achieve the best result for his clients and, personally, a man on the verge of a breakdown (most of his actions are personally self-destructive). A self-destructive lawyer who is morally ambiguous = good television. Taking the helm from Dylan McDermott, who was part of the mysterious mass wipeout of approximately half of the original cast, Spader’s Alan Shore is essentially the anti-Bobby. He’s vulnerable, eccentric, unethical, unstable and insecure. In short, he’s the best lawyer we’ve yet to see on the small screen.

Spader was also joined in cameo appearances by Captain James T. Kirk himself, Star Trek alum William Shatner as the ubiquitous, wealthy and seemingly feeble-minded Denny Crane. In fact, by the end of last season, we were entirely uncertain if Mr. Crane ever practiced law since the only activity we saw him practicing was himself, literally stating “I’m Denny Crane…Denny Crane here” in nearly every scene. Well, Mr. Crane is back – and, in full form. Last week’s premiere episode of Boston Legal opened with Denny Crane in the middle of a personal and professional scandal – he was having an affair with the wife of his highest-paying client. The client, of course, wanted to hire a private investigator to seek out the culprit, which Denny Crane naturally tried to avoid. Since newcomer Lori Colson (Monica Potter) was handling the case, he asked her to convince the client not to pursue a P.I. Lori’s approach, knowing her client to be a womanizer with a flare for young beautiful young women, was to ask Tara (Rhona Mitra) for assistance. Lori, in an effort to convince and avert Ernie’s attention from the P.I., tells Tara: “You’re hot, nasty hot – men leave their wives for you hot. You can file your sexual harassment suit tomorrow. Right now, go in there and flirt.” Though Lori seems to be one of the more morally abiding lawyers so far, it’s good to know she’s not above maximizing her resources.

When the client, Ernie, discovers that it is Crane himself who is sleeping with his wife, he shows up in his office with a gun. To which Crane slyly responds, “You know people come in here all the time who want to kill me. Know what I tell them? Go ahead – shoot.” A self-professed legacy with seemingly little substance, Shatner’s egotistical Crane is nothing if not likeable. And like Alan, Denny Crane is has already shown signs of vulnerability. In an intimate closing scene between Alan and Denny Crane, Alan asks if he is scared. Denny Crane is silent for a moment and then says that he does not believe in “tomorrow.” They are silent, toast to “no tomorrow’s” and the scene ends. I will not even begin to analyze that moment – especially not after the first episode. But, the more vulnerable, the more we can identify and sympathize. Their idiosyncrasies and under-the-table antics make them interesting to watch and their insecurities make them real. Well done, writers. Finally, a law show with actual characters.

Rhona Mitra reprises her role as the sharp, sexy and strong Tara who misses nothing and yet always seems to have the attention of everyone. Her confidence and quick-wit is enticing and respectable. Writers? Let’s see more. I’ll give it a few weeks but Tara has scandal or at least triangle written all over – or for now, around – her. Don’t let her get stuck in the reliable role. Frankly, and this is being written by a woman keep in mind, she’s too damn hot for that. Leave it to Lori – if you really need someone there. Though there’s a possible Mark-Lori and Alan interest brewing there already. We shall have to watch closely for the inter-office triangle development.


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Posted by J-Unit on October 12, 2004 6:00 PM