Boston Legal

I thought this episode was fantastic as a one off, and I think it probably got more negative reviews because of the ones that preceded it.



I just loved the "brotherly love" storyline. The actor also guest starred in House, another one of my favourite series, and did a brilliant job. He had plenty of charisma and was perfectly matched against Alan's cynicalism. It also provided some great laughs with barmy, senile old judge!



Denny was as entertaining as ever, though it was a little dissapointed that there was no mention of his trauma of the previous episode. But again, viewing it from a standalone point of view, it was very funny.



Brad was both funny and dramatic this time. It does seem the writers ran out of ideas for him, and its a little sad to see him sidelined, but his rant over the love contract was entertaining.



Clarence and Claire's relationship hit a bump, but it was nice to see them resolve things, and to see Clarence attempt to gain more confidence.



Overall, a viciously entertaining episode- there are no weak links in the cast, and I wish they kept them for Season 4.

This episode was mainly about Brad. He doesm not want to sign a 'love contract' because he believes it is stupid. So Paul fires him and tells him that he can have his job back if he signs so he does but this persuades Brad to ask Denise to marry him she says yes. Meanwhile Alan tries to get a man off the charge of helping to kill his brothers wife, and finally Claire catches Clarance with another women! But its only a call girl! He is trying to build up his confidence with Claire but she tells him that she can no longer be with him unless he stops. So overall this was a great episode and i can't wait for the next one.

I sat down to watch this episode thinking who on earth Frank Whaley was, then it hit me, Archie Graham from Field Of Dreams. Anyway, this episode certainly had potential as being one of the best episodes of the series so far but fell short on account of poor directorship. "Brotherly Love" could in fact have been applied not only between Frankie and Neil Cox, but also between Alan and Denny, as well as Brad and Clarence's relationship with their fellow co-workers. Instead, all four storylines did not quite interconnect as well as the title of the episode promised. Perhaps a better title would have been "Family Commitments", in reference to Clarence's relationship with Claire, Frankie's relationship with Neil and Brad's relationship with Denise.

I didn't like this episode from beginning to end. I didn't like that Denise popped out immediately, but what could they do? They couldn't keep it hidden in dark clothes and files forever. I did like the proposal story. Brad: "My offer's on the table" was hysterically true to the numbnuts character he plays. But the Brotherly love story line was just utter crap. I wait a whole week to watch Boston Legal and I think I could have written a better story this week. Man. That guy was as guilty of obstruction of justice as thousands who did jail time -- why did he get off? Cuz his brother needed him? paleeze. That was so lame. And I think James thought it was lame too.



I think future stories will unfold like this: Denise lied about the baby's father (they left that possibility in there because they might need an out at some point). The father will turn out to be Michael J. Fox's or Jeffrey's. Denise will stay, Brad will leave, and the show will unfortunately risk cancellation. William Shatner is 76 so David Kelly has to do some serious thinking and planning. Our evenings and his show are at stake. The show will NOT survive without Denny Crane. (Doing my Alan Shore channelling here.) The show will Not survive. It will not survive without William Shatner. If he wakes up, dead of old age, the show has died instantly.



So, here's what David should do: He kills of Denny Crane now. Denny has never lost a case so he dies a winner. Denny then becomes a ghost like the six feet under guys.



On the first episode after Denny dies, Alan goes out onto the deck and "talks" to the empty chair about life and death and emptiness. Denny answers. Alan doesn't look at the chair. Alan replies with a smirk and a tug on the cigar. He gets animated. Denny appears animated in his chair. They laugh, they cry. Denny fades out. Shirley Schmidt comes in from behind and hugs Alan from behind as the scene fades.



In subsequent episodes, Alan continues to have his moments with Denny - as real as ever - sleep overs included. Only the ghost fades and Alan is talking to space and he is desperately alone as he is underneath it all. Denny haunts Crane Poole and Schmidt and even goes to court with them. Helps them win, just as he has in the past.



David E. Kelly can put scenes in the can of Denny bedding a dozen after-life hookers, boozing it up as always, giving great soliloqueys and short one liners. Then if something should happen to William Shatner - early death or stroke or something horrid - we can at least have the show while it is regrouping.



How to regroup? Keep the ghost scenes in, bring Freddie Prinze back in to take over the "Crane" partnership part, and develop the characters better, taking into account that the audience remembers.

Last weeks episode would have been really hard to beat, and while they continue their amazing streak of episodes, it does take a little drop off. Frank Whaley guest starred on this episode and he was great, as the lawyer who tried to help his brother to cover up a murder. The Brad and Denise storyline is getting taken to the next level, as I guess they're going to get married, but I see complications getting in the way of that. And, what a way to kill the steam of Denny Crane after the last episode, they have him thinking about Raquel Welch, thinking that if he thinks about her long enough, she'll come...I wasn't too crazy about that...Although the payoff was very funny. Plus, stop making Clarence turn into Clarice, it was different the first couple times, now it's tiring though...Just let the two act, Constance Zimmer is to talented to let her be wasted like that.