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Boston Legal

Schmidt Happens

Season 1, Episode 11, Aired Jan 09, 2005

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A Sudanese native wants to sue the U.S. government for the lack of action taken against the mayhem happening in his country and Paul looks to Lori to take the case. Founding partner Shirley Schmidt arrives with a mission to bring order to the firm. While making herself known, she has to deal with Denny who does not want her there, help with Lori's extremely high profile case, and learns that she has to keep her eye on Alan. Alan ends up defending a man who killed his mother in a fit of rage but by accident.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Fiona Hale

Della Ferrion
GUEST STAR
Gregory Alan Williams

John Zenawi
GUEST STAR
Thom Gossom Jr.

Judge Blake Winters

Rhona Mitra

Tara Wilson
William Shatner

Denny Crane
Lake Bell

Sally Heep
Mark Valley

Brad Chase
James Spader

Alan Shore
Candice Bergen

Shirley Schmidt

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Perfect apart from the nonsense from the judge...

8.5

"Great"

By DonStants2, Aug 13, 2010

Okay- positives first: the episode was brilliant on its face. Alan's case was amusing, and his one one liners cracked me up. I liked the little Bernie character, and I thought the storyline was well played out.

Schmit was also a good addition. I thought she bonded well with both Lori and Paul, whilst clashing with Denny worked well. Her and Alan also seems good- she doesn't seem to be rattled by him. The case involving the Sudanese man was also heart-rendering- very well acted indeed. This combinded with the balcony scene at the end of the episode made it fantastic. However, the judges verdict on America being "the only country who gives a damn" is shocking nonsense that I don't expect from this programme. If theres one thing I hate about that type of American attitude, its the arrogance. It may have escaped their notice, but Britian also is in Iraq, and Afganistan, and other countries, including us and Spain, have helped out in the war against terror. This was a shocking enditement of that.

Fortunately, this seems to be the only time that this type of arrogance has been permitted in the show. If it was constant, this episode would have got a much lower review, and I would have stopped watching the Series.moreless
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TRIVIA (3)
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- Goof: The judge in one of the trials is named "O'Keefe", however the nameplate on the judge's bench in court is spelled "O'Keffe" incorrectly. The cast listing spells the judge's name properly.
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- In the scene where the mother is shown apparently dead on the floor, Alan checks her pulse with his thumb. A pulse can never be checked in this way because a thumb itself contains a pulse.
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- Shore gets Bernard's arraignment thrown out because he says the mother's statement was hearsay, but hearsay only applies to a trial. The judge shouldn't have heard hearsay objections during arraignment.
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QUOTES (4)
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- Alan: (to Mr. Ferrion) You need not call the police, Mr. Ferrion. Call for an ambulance. Mother is still alive. Would you like to hit her again?
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- Denny: I don't want you here. Shirley: Is it because... you still desire me? Denny: Ha. I'm over my wrinkle fetish. You don't arouse me, Shirley. Shirley: Oh, please, all I have to do is say those two combustible little words. (whispers in his ear) Denny Crane.
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- Denny: Denny Crane. Cookoo for cocoa puffs.
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- Alan: I keep an extremely clean penis.
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NOTES (7)
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- Original International Air Dates: Slovakia: September 16, 2010 on JOJ
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- Re-aired on Tuesday, August 16th @ 10 PM, its 2005-2006 timeslot.
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- Rhona Mitra and Candice Bergen previously worked together in Sweet Home Alabama.
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- Even though they do not share any scenes together, Candice Bergen and Leslie Jordan previously worked on Murphy Brown.
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- Leslie Jordan starts a new character as Bernard Ferrion even though he had a recurring role as Benjamin Harris on Boston Public and had a guest spot on Ally McBeal, two Kelley shows that were set in Boston.
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- William Shatner and Candice Bergen previously worked together in the hit movie, Miss Congeniality.
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- Candice Bergen joins the cast as Shirley Schmidt beginning in this episode.
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ALLUSIONS (1)
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- When Sally has a run-in with Schmidt, Tara says 'Dibs on her office'. This is an in-joke, referencing another David E. Kelley series, L.A. Law, in which Arnie Becker (Corbin Bernsen) uses the same line in both the first and last episodes, first about Norman Cheney and then Leland McKenzie.
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