The legal eagles of Boston Legal return for a second season. This show is like crack (27 doses this season) – extremely addicting. Denny Crane!
As those already addicted know (hence known as fans), Boston Legal follows the exploits of a group of lawyers at the fictional firm of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt in Boston, Massachusetts. The first season saw Poole (Larry Miller) go nuts in the first episode and end up under care and the return of Shirley Schmidt (Candice Bergen – “I’m Schmidt”). The firm is lorded over by the fellow whose name comes first on the door – Denny Crane (!)(William Shatner).
Crane is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease (Mad Cow Disease according to Crane) and that might account for his forgetfulness, but his larger than life characterization is all Shatner. The heart of the show is the relationship between Crane and smarmy lawyer Alan Shore (James Spader). They usually end each episode on Crane’s balcony sharing scotch and cigars. The cast is the thing and Boston Legal has a helluva one. Not only is there Shatner and Spader, but Renee Auberjonois, Mark Valley, and Julie Bowen all turn in fine performances.
Disc 1: “The Black Widow” - Alan and Brad (Mark Valley) represent a woman (Heather Locklear) accused of poisoning her wealthy husband, and Denise (Julie Bowen), in the midst of a divorce, takes the case of a Jewish man who feels that his Christian co-workers are violating his civil rights. “Schadenfreude” - The Black Widow trial gets underway amid a media circus, while Denise is determined to avoid paying alimony to her soon-to-be ex-husband. Elsewhere, an entertainer sues for the right to sing a song deemed to be un-American. “Finding Nimmo” - Denny and Alan head to British Columbia to help Alan forget about his breakup with Tara (Rhona Mitra), and Shirley is taken aback when Catherine (Betty White) confesses to Bernard’s (Leslie Jordan) murder. “A Whiff and a Prayer” - Shirley doubts the wisdom of allowing the conservative Denny to help defend a Democratic congressman, while Alan tries to put Tara out of his mind by focusing on Catherine’s defense.
Disc 2: “Men to Boys” - Denise is caught unprepared when an old case comes up for trial, and Garrett’s (Justin Mentell) research excursion heats up when he meets Cassie (Tamara Feldman), an intriguing young paralegal. “Witches of Mass Destruction” - Shirley and Denise represent two groups of parents, one Christian and one Wiccan, who are offended by a school’s Halloween celebration (but for differing reasons), and Alan and Denny’s friendship is strained when Alan agrees to represent Cassie suing the U.S. government. “Truly, Madly, Deeply” - Denny would rather go to jail than defend the man who killed and raped a 13-year-old girl, and it’s no laughing matter when Alan’s fear of clowns hinders him from defending his latest client. Denny has his own special way of dealing with the rapist that is a season two highlight (and should befall all rapist/murderers but with a higher aim). “The Ass Fat Jungle” - Denise is asked to represent two women who are suing a plastic surgeon for the alleged misuse of butt fat (but the surgeon turns out to be a client of the firms), while Alan is typically unorthodox in asking his new secretary Melissa (Marisa Coughlan) to help him with a sleep disorder. Meanwhile, Shirley takes a poignant case involving an Alzheimer’s patient.
Disc 3: “Gone” - Denise and Brad search desperately for a young boy who has been kidnapped, and when Denny shoots a homeless man with a paintball gun, Alan takes the man’s case, pitting the two friends against each other. “Legal Deficits” - Brads turns to Denny and Shirley for help after being arrested for impersonating an FBI officer and assaulting a priest, and Alan tries to bail his secretary Melissa out of a staggering credit card debt. “The Cancer Man Can” - Denise is intrigued by the firm’s latest client, Daniel Post (Michael J. Fox), a wealthy cancer patient being sued for rigging a drug study. Denny meets and falls for Beverly (Joanna Cassidy), an attractive socialite, and Alan advocates for partnership on behalf of Jerry “Hands” Espenson (Christian Clemenson). “Helping Hands” - Denise’s relationship with Daniel grows as he second-chairs in a case of hers, and Shirley clashes with Alan as he prepares to defends Hands, whose bid for partnership had gone terribly awry. The firm’s partners are concerned about the possible repercussions of Denny’s pending nuptials.
Disc 4: “Too Much Information” - Denise goes after an HMO whose inadequate internet security led to a brutal murder, while Beverly’s influence on Denny (and the firm) makes everyone uneasy. Catherine Piper’s back – she’s been robbing convenience stores! “Breast in Show” - Alan takes an interest in a woman who causes and uproar by leading a bare-breasted protest, while Denise balks at the idea of attending Daniel’s funeral, which he’s hosting himself. “Smile” - Alan takes the case of a gifted girl denied admission to a private school because of her physical inability to smile, and Shirley and Julie represent a rape victim who was denied emergency contraception at a Catholic hospital. Brad is coerced into helping with a scheme to keep Beverly’s cat alive. “Live Big” Shirley’s ex-husband, Ivan (Tom Selleck), wants her to be his “best man” at his wedding, and Paul’s estranged daughter reenters his life after seven years. Alan defends a man (Maury Chaykin) charged with murder after helping his sickly wife end her life.
Disc 5: “…There’s a Fire!” - The firm’s attorneys must scramble when, just hours after Bev and Denny’s wedding, she demands an annulment…and half of his assets! Alan defends a woman fired for smoking on her own time. “Shock and Owww!” - Denny finds that a shocking new case helps to take his mind off the wedding debacle, and Shirley enlists Alan’s aid when nude photos taken when she was a teenager are put up for auction. Paul turns to Brad for help when he suspects that his daughter is using drugs. “Stick It” - Melissa is arrested for income tax evasion, and Alan agrees to take her case. And, with Brad’s help, Paul decides to stage an intervention for his daughter, while Denise’s love life leaves lots to be desired. “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” - Sparks fly when Shirley and Ivan work on a case involving a dispute over a Professor Cabot’s (Ed Begley, Jr.) collection of Victorian erotica, while Alan takes on a nursing home to help one of Catherine’s friends. As the care of his granddaughter becomes his first priority, Paul’s presence around the office is sorely missed.
Disc 6: “Word Salad Days” - Alan suffers from a bizarre condition causing him to speak gibberish in court, while Denise defends a polygamist and Brad defends a video game company. “Ivan, The Incorrigible” - Ivan’s wife, Missy (Meredith Patterson), suspects he’s cheating and asks for Shirley’s assistance – not knowing that it’s Shirley with whom he’s been cheating. Alan agrees to co-counsel a case with Hands, who has been in therapy ever since the “incident” at Crane, Poole, and Schmidt. “Race Ipsa” - After Denny shoots his therapist (Peter MacNicol), the other partners decide that it may be time to oust him from the firm, and when Alan enlists Chelina’s (Kerry Washington) help in a racially charged murder case, their old chemistry is rediscovered. Brad, on the other hand, desperately needs kissing lessons. “Deep End of the Poole” - Edwin Poole (Larry Miller) returns to the firm after a stint in a mental institution, but Shirley questions the wisdom of his release. And Denny must defend Alan, who has been arrested for suggesting a client to flee the country after being found guilty and is being prosecuted by D.A. Kupfer (Adam Arkin), an old enemy.
Disc 7: “Squid Pro Quo” - Denny faces his own son, Donny (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), in court yet again, and Denise, in particular, takes umbrage when Marlene “The Squid” Stanger (Parker Posey) joins the firm. “Spring Fever” - While Danny and Alan travel to Los Angeles, Shirley must once again defend Professor Cabot, this time on charges of soliciting a prostitute, and Denise and Marlene, both vying for partnership, compete to assist her. Meanwhile, Brad’s teenage niece is charged with murder. Director Wes Craven makes an appearance. “BL: Los Angeles” - Alan takes the case of a sexy Hollywood celebrity (Jeri Ryan) charged with attempted murder, and both Denny and Barry Goal (Robert Wagner) (Crane, Poole, and Schmidt’s Los Angeles senior partner) are smitten by her. Denise shows Marlene a thing or two about backstabbing, while Brad’s sister doesn’t want him to represent her daughter.
The uninitiated should begin with Season One, but be prepared to be an addict. The show is probably what is referred to as a drama-dy (or dramatic comedy). There are bits of real life trials and drama, but there’s usually a large dose of unreal and comedic situations.
Denny Crane is a lawyer that loves to say his own name and does so on a regular basis. It’s also fun to watch for the various Star Trek references that they work in for Shatner. Both Shatner and Spader won Emmys for their work in 2005 and rightly deserved. What’s also fun is that the characters know they’re on a television show and the dialogue reflects it.
For instance, in a later episode Denny asks Shirley to kiss him since they’re in sweeps week and Shore and Crane wonder if the show will be back next season (“Same time slot and day?” “God I hope so.”). The show is just fun, dammit. Disagree and I’ll shoot out your kneecaps.
Boston Legal is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1) and enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include two featurettes. The first is the 5 minute “Legal Pad: The Words of Boston Legal.”
It interviews executive producers Janet Leahy, Bill D’elia, and David E. Kelley and covers the writing on the show. The second one is the 9 minute “Exhibit A: The Look of Boston Legal” and covers the look of the show. It interviews production designer Peter Politanoff, director of photography James Bagdonas, women’s costume designer Loree Parral, and men’s costume designer Shelly Levine.
Hello, my name is Jeff and I’m addicted to Boston Legal. The thing is that I’m very happy with my addiction and don’t want to continue on steps to rid me of it. Fox gets kudos for putting this excellent show out on DVD, but one still hopes for commentaries from Shatner and Spader (maybe next time?). Pick it up and prepared to be repeating the mantra “Denny Crane!” about the water cooler.
Boston Legal – Season 2 is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
Mike RophoneNov 30th, 2006 - 05:52:46
There appears to be some BL Series Two customers who have found Disc 7 to be defective. Episode 27 and one of the Special Features do not play because of severe pixel/noise. This DVD release may need a recall from Fox.
I personally screened three sets from two different retailers...and all have defective Disc 7's. Exchanges from Amazon exhibit the same troubles each time.
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