Boston Legal

This was a much darker episode of Boston Legal.



Alan and Denny's case was very poignant, especially as it goes a little deeper into Denny's past, learning about his father and his own fears for the future. The balcony scene was very touching.



I couldn't care too much for Shirley's story with her ex, and her exs new fiance was just sooo anoying! I know she was meant to be, but god. I thought the chemisty between Shirley and Ivan was good, however.



Paul's scenes with his estranged daughter, however, stole the show for me this time. Its the first time they have given Paul a story of his own, and it was so dramatic and fantastically acted- I really hope they keep his daughter around.



Overall, a darker episode this time around, but none the worse for it.

Some episodes are over the top outrageous. This one was on the level amazing.



One of the shows strengths for me has always been it's ability to mix comedy and drama. Live Big found the right balance.



Alan and Denny defend a man who euthanized his wife. Good topical drama with the requisite Denny/Alan humor. Tinges of Denny's mad cow...and oh, yeah! Adam Arkin in a nice little guest spot with potential as rival of Alan's.



Shirley has a bit of a mess on her hands when her ex-husband shows up with his new bride. What is this mismatched pair all about? This is where the farcical comedy comes in. Candace Bergen can say so much with her eyes.



Then we get to the meat of the show...well, not really the meat, the other meat. Rene Auberjonios. (You'll have to forgive it's morning for me and I've had a complete brainfart and can't remember the character's name.) Rene's attempts to connect with his estranged daughter are priceless and well written scenes. Well acted on both parts, he and the actress playing his daughter. Nice little heartwrenching scenes.



So, that's it. Great ep with drama and comedy. Wonderful pacing. And good characters. I guess that can be said about the show in general.

I have just finished this episode 1/2 hour ago. It's again, different, but it's again, very Boston Legal. I have grown to love Shirley and even Denise more and more, especially Shirley.



For once, I get to see how this Paul (Rene Auberjonois) is, and surprisingly to me, he's quite human :-) He's emotion, he feels sad, he feels angry, and he's a daughter!! oh!! plus a grand-daughter. So, now, I know, he's not so inhuamane afterall... cos, normally, I thought he's just being a bad silly boss, who's so much concerned about the firm only.



I cried in 2 occasion in this episode.

First, when Paul's daughter (who, 'apparently' he's abandoned for 7 years, where he refused to pick up her call, ask the security guards not to let her in the firm and etc, ya, a father, actually did that to a daughter) showed up again in the firm, and then, they started quarreling loudly. (Paul asked her to close the door first) After sentence and sentence of own's statments about who's stowing away, or who's leaving who behind, the daughter finally said one thing, "I needed you!!"



3 simple words, but that's a tear jerker.

3 simple words, but it says all about how she felt over the past 7 years, being abandoned by your own beloved father, when you, deep down in your own heart knows that, your life is down the drain, but you thought you've a father to cling on. (her mother, Paul's wife was dying of cancer)

3 simple words, a drug addict plus alchoholic's cry of help!



The second time I cried, is when the man, who's accused of 'murdering' his wife who suffered from alzheimer, as he claimed he wanted to end her suffering, and her gradual lost of her own dignity. (She's a very fiercely proud woman)

Alan Shore told the jury, it's a self-less act, and what more to say, killing somebody you love so much. I cried.



However, in the end, oh!! my second cry is being 'cheated', not by the episode, but well.. ya, by the episode in a way :-)



Of course, with Alan Shore, you'll never loose a case. The man is found 'not guilty', then, with a blink in the eyes, Alan spotted this eye exchange between the man, and the nurse who took care of the wife.



That's HORROR! (ya, horror element in Boston Legal series) You'll feel a chill down you spine. The man, since he obviously 'won' my tears, then, of course, everybody, including me, including Alan, including Denny Crane, believed that, he's innocent, that he really helped end his wife life, in great pain and sorrow.



But, with that short glance, we all know, as well as Alan, that, it's all lie. Man and Nurse have an affair, Man is so relieved that, he's not guilty. Of course, as Alan (to his horror as well, poor Alan, again, he's mistakenly helped somebody who doesn't deserve it, poor Alan!!) asked him before the splitted in the courtroom, "So, you've anybody to keep you company tonight?"



Man(mankind) can really be the most scary and ugly animal on this planet!

In one case, a man is charged with killing is wife who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease; Alan and Denny handled that. Shirley had to contend with her ex-husband turning up (Tom Selleck is still gorgeous), asking her to be his "best man." Finally, Paul went looking for his estranged daughter. Of the three stories, I found the mercy killing one the most riveting and chilling. Now that I'm over 50, I've seen a lot of TV, and I've been able to guess a lot of plots and plot devices, but I honestly didn't see this one coming. The guy offed his wife to be with that ex-nurse! Eeewww! Even the war veterans Crane and Shore were a bit shocked by that one. Shirley's being best man for the ex-husband was sort of an also-ran, though Tom Selleck and Candice Bergen had some nice give-and-take throughout. I'm afraid I could give a flying fig about Paul and his ex-junkie daughter. I had a difficult father myself, and these types of storylines never interest me. In some parts, I could recite her dialogue for her, since I'd been there, done that, AND got a T-shirt. Nonetheless, it was a very satisfying episode.

Rene's Paul steals the show!

Continuing a trend with high profile guest stars,

Tom Selleck guests and he is not the best thing about the episode. Recently Michael J. Fox and Tom Selleck have appeared and while they have stood out they have not outshined the regular cast members.

Rene Aubernjois (I'm guessing on the spelling) as Paul Lewiston gets an episode to shine. He general only gets a couple episodes a year and this was one of his. Rene's character Paul decides to go see his estranged daughter after a nightclub singer (a little forced and obvious on the writing team) brings up bittersweet memories for him. His daughter is played by Jayne Brook (a Kelley alum from Chicago Hope) and their interactions and chemistry are just mind blowing.

I was totally convinced and moved by their scenes. And actually moved close to tears. Great job.

The other stories with Alan and the assisted suicide and Shirley as Best Man are good. But pale next to Aubernjois.

Rene has been a strong character actor for decades including his loveable foil on Benson, and as Security Chief Odo on Deep Space Nine where he was still able to convey loneliness and heartbreak despite layers of makeup. Rene's finest performance of the one's I've seen came though on another Kelley show. He guest starred on an episode of Chicago Hope as a man suffering from Teret's (spelling) Syndrome. It was so powerful how he was a brilliant man trapped by this agonizing mental condition.

It was great to see him shine.

Nice twists and turns in all the threads, plus an appearance by the great Maury Chakin. Tom Selleck also appears in aguest shot as Shirley's charming rogue of an ex-husband.



This is also one of the first episodes to expand on Rene Auberjonois' character Paul Lewiston. This was long overdue

Wonderful episode, Shirley\'s ex coming back ... fantastic. Denny coming to terms with the assisted suicide, and obviously getting mixed up in the head about it himself. I am really excited that Paul got a much needed storyline himself.



I'm really impressed by the fact that this is such a large cast, yet they find a way to incorporate everyone into it. I still want to know where Alan's secretary went and when she'll be back though. :)



All in all excellent writing, excellent performances. Job well done!!!

Can anyone tell me the name of the first song sang in episode 16? I have tried to find out the name of this song with no success.



Having said that it was quite a turnabout at the end to find out that he killed his wife simply to be with the nurse. An unexpected twist right at the end. Well done.

Although Boston Legal is one of my favorite shows, this episode was not the best. The Shirley Schmidt plot was silly and not well done. The Alan Shore/Denny Crane plot was ok but the result was as predictable as a Perry Mason episode. To bad they couldn't have nailed that murderer that got off. The third plot, Paul Lewiston, was excellent. Rene Auberjonois showed us a side of his acting ability seldom seen. Many of us, including me, can relate to the family estrangement.

Just as I recommend this program to others to watch tonight, we get saddled with the worst show thus far.



I simply do not know what's going on with the writers. Boston Legal is good because of the humour, the barbed idealist points it makes, the humour, William Shatner, the humour, and the occasional dramatic one shot plot.



Unfortunately this episode had very little humour, not enough William Shatner, no real point to make, and lot's of overdone, slow, boring drama, that had nothing to do with anything. It was a wasted episode that you could easily miss and be better off for having your time back.



Don't get me wrong, this is my favorite series on TV today, but I'm worried that it's headed down the path of cancellation if they keep this crap up.



If you love Tom Selleck, be fascinated he made an appearance on the show, and don't watch it. His character was bland and needless. It seems they wanted him to make an appearance but couldn't come up with any good ideas.



The writer's need to be given a list of what makes the show great, and a list of what fans do NOT want to see.