ABC
(Season 5, Episode 2)
As each week progresses, we come closer and closer to our final night on the balcony with Denny and Alan. I’m not sure how far they’re going to take the “mad cow” this season, but I trust in the acting prowess of this entire cast that they’re going to go out with a big, bold, beautiful bang. Hopefully not literally, though. As for tonight’s episode, after Denny almost dies from an accidental drug overdose, Alan takes on big pharmaceutical.
The only things that have stood out to me this season are the sudden advancement of Jerry’s social abilities, with no explanation, and the surprising lack of other people in the offices of Crane, Poole and Schmidt. If you watched the Babylon 5: The Lost Tales, you noticed the lack of background people due to the incredibly low budget. Is that what’s happening here? Legal has twenty bucks an episode to flesh out their world? Check back here later for a full review of tonight’s episode.
It was nice to see the return of background extras this week, as well as some of the extended Boston Legal family, including prosecutor Melvin Palmer, who manages to turn a rape case into a game of Deal or No Deal. This guy is every bad stereotype about lawyers, but Christopher Rich pours so much fun into the role that you can’t help but enjoy the hell out of every moment that you hate him.
They also addressed, in a short exchange, what’s up with Jerry. I guess it’s as simple as a new therapist for him to have made such strides. Or maybe it’s because they didn’t want his Asperger syndrome to overwhelm any of the plotlines they needed him for this season. Unlike prior seasons where we always had new cast-members come in as others were leaving, this year we lost a few and gained no one, leaving a show riding a cast of only six main characters. So they need everyone available as much as possible for the main plotlines.
While the lead-in to Alan taking on big pharm was a bit heavy-handed, I guess time is limited on this show with only a half-season order. It’s always been about tackling the controversial issues head on, so there’s no time to waste with elaborate set ups. And after taking on big tobacco last week, it makes sense that “who’s next” is big pharm. Loved the meeting with their team of lawyers and how Alan doesn’t even flinch at their intimidation.
I don’t know if there’s still time to chime in on the impending financial crisis, but I’m sure David E. Kelley is itching to dig his claws into it and all the fallout that we’re still seeing. And I would love the hell out of seeing Alan Shore rip his teeth into the proposed bailout plan and all its obvious shortcomings. Of course, this one fell short of passing the House, but there’ll be another one coming. And then he’d have to wait until something actually does pass before he could attack it and by then the show will probably be over. You lucked out this time, Bush administration!
Well, Carl Sack got to touch on some of the issues overwhelming this country in his underage voting case with Shirley Schmidt’s granddaughter. I guess I’m a lot like Kelley because I tend to agree with the closing arguments of his lawyers and I found myself again thinking a lot about Sack’s closing argument here. Why do we tax teenagers without representation? I know it’s more complicated than that, but you have to admit it’s a helluva soundbite. And it’s great to see Larrouquette getting some meaty work.
Is it too late to renew Boston Legal for another season? I’m certainly not ready to say goodbye to such a thoughtful show. Bonus points for the ending on the balcony, breaking the fourth wall to address the coming end of the series.
Clacked by Jason Hughes 
on Sep 29, 2008 @ 22:39 EST5EDT
Bonus points for the ending on the balcony, breaking the fourth wall to address the coming end of the series.
Boston Legal has always been the show that doesn’t so much break the fourth wall as shatter it and make it beg for its mother.
This one was brilliant, surely there are other timeslots!