STREET DATE: MAY 23
Official Synopsis:
Led by an Emmy Award-winning cast (James Spader, Denny Crane and Candice Bergen), "Boston Legal" tells the professional and personal stories of a group of brilliant but often emotionally challenged attorneys. Fast-paced and darkly comedic, the series confronts social and moral issues, while its characters continually stretch the boundaries of the law.
Our Take:
Is Boston Legal a comedy disguised as a drama, or is it a drama disguised as a comedy? The humor is subtle yet refined, but the drama is brazen and authentic. For fans of David E. Kelley, Boston Legal isn’t quite The Practice, but it’s not quite Ally McBeal either. It exists in a world of its own, a world that David E. Kelly masterfully brings to life.
Boston Legal is technically a spin-off of The Practice; Spader’s character was brought in during the last season. However, as much as I am a fan of Kelley’s other series’ like Boston Public and Picket Fences, I could just never get into The Practice, even though I hear it was a good series.
Boston Legal hits the ground running and dives right into the story. While it does take a few episodes for everyone to warm up to their characters, by halfway through the season, things are in full swing. While I am a firm believer that big names do not always coincide with good actors, everyone contributing to Boston Legal makes this show everything it is, and that is one hell of a show. Along with William Shatner, James Spader and Candice Bergen, you’ve got a great ensemble cast who compliment each other perfectly. There are also some terrific guest stars, including Freddie Prinze Jr., Michael J. Fox, and Tom Selleck to give the show some added oomph.
You won’t be able to just sit down, watch this show, and laugh mindlessly; Boston Legal is to a point intellectual, and you could even say snobby. You either get it or you don’t. It’s not like a sitcom where you can rely on a laugh track to tell you when you should be laughing. With that said, though, you don’t have to pass the Bar Exam to get the show, you just have to be a little open-minded and get to know the characters and the context in which they exist.
Now, this next bit really has nothing to do with the series as much as it does with me being a sci-fi geek. One of the coolest things about this show is that not only do you have William Shatner, Star Trek’s James T. Kirk himself, but you also have James Spader, who originally played Dr. Daniel Jackson in the 1994 motion picture, Stargate. On top of that, you also have Rene Auberjonois, who played Odo the changeling on the black sheep of the Trek shows, Deep Space Nine. As a huge fan of Star Trek and Stargate (the series and the film), I think these guys are just really cool.
Boston Legal includes deleted scenes from the series pilot, “Head Cases,” as well as some exclusive featurettes:
* Court Is Now in Session: How Boston Legal Came to Be: (8 minutes) – A short but sweet look at the genesis of this fantastic show. Featuring brand new interviews from David E. Kelley, as well as Shatner, Spader, Bergen and others, this featurette leaves you satisfied, yet wanting more!
* An Unlikely Pair: Alan Shore and Denny Crane (5 minutes) - Features interviews from James Spader and William Shatner, as the two actors discuss the characters as well as their on and off screen chemistry. Another great watch.
Boston Legal is one of the finest programs on television today. It’s smart, it’s edgy, and you never know what they’re going to do next. The show deals with heated issues that the nation is facing today, and it tackles them head-on with great fervor. If you’ve never seen the show, bring yourself up to speed with this great set. If you’re already a fan, go back and relive Denny Crane’s best moments! Denny Crane says it all. Denny Crane.
RECOMMENDED!
Overall Picture:
Show: A
DVD: B+
- Chris Lawrence
Staff Writer
|
|
