From the previews, this looks like a great episode tonight, though I'm still puzzled as to how Melvin Palmer ended up at Shirley's for Thanksgiving.
Always been played by this guy. From the first episode when we saw his hairy ass-cheeks peeking out from under his suit coat.
^ Hmm... I wonder why I thought it was Dennis Miller. Too many things going on in my brain sometimes.
I actually really liked Melvin tongiht. Great episode, loved it and it did it all without any courtroom scenes and we still, somehow, got a balcony scene! I hope Jerry gets a chance at Katie Lloyd.
Wow, wonderful episode. The first half I thought was a little slow, but them bang! They went really into it and advanced the story lines nicely. The last few episodes felt slow with the show concluding, but this one really got going to the end. The little things dealign with past episodes was nice, and the Priceline joke was priceless. It was the first episode in a long time that really makes me sad the show is ending, but at least it will end nicely. And Betty White! I love you Betty White!!!
I'm a big fan of movies like Home for the Holidays and The Family Stone where you have big rowdy dysfunctional holiday get-togethers, and tonight's episode was firmly in that camp. Really outstanding. I even liked Melvin tonight. And poor Jerry... not only is partnership at CP&S not the cure-all he hoped it would be, now he's going to end up on the hook for part of it if they don't find a buyer.
Simply the greatest episode of BOSTON LEGAL to date and the best ever produced from David E Kelly in any show. This episode was just superb for all the characters who grew more in a single episode than the entire season put together (a dam fine season BTW). ABC thank you for 5 years but shame on you for not more because BL is and will always be one of the finest drama's and comedies ever. I am so sad to see Denny really slipping and I feel so bad for him about Shirley/Carl but my biggest annoyance is the firm going broke, BL has too much dignity to end like The Practice did and it would be a huge blow to see the finale entitled "Last Call" go out like that, David please follow the rest of the season and carry on letting Boston Legal go out in true dignity to the millions of fans who have enjoyed, laughed and cried to 5 wonderful years. PS - Come on everyone gotta love Jerry
I love tonight's episode. It was sweet, sad, funny and irreverent. I loved how Denny said "Cancelled" instead of "bankrupt." And, of course, no one does snarky like Larry Miller. I've loved his stand-up for YEARS (the 5 levels of Drinking and the Dangers of Skiing, etc). And of course, there was Alan going off on one of his rants and ruining the entire mood of the dinner. I loved how Denny muttered, "This is going to be like one of your closings, isn't it?" And, of course, on the balcony, Alan's great line:"You'll outlive us and will probably be doing Priceline commercials for YEARS." All the conflicts of that very bizarre family at Crane, Poole and Schmidt came out over the table. And, was it just me, or does Shirley's house look suspiciously like the one used in "Eight is Enough?"
Okay, I think I need to loan you guys BL seasons 1 & 2 on DVD ~ cause folks, tonight's episode was not good television. It wasn't awful, but it wasn't good. I miss the real BL. You know, the BL that was sexy and witty and smart. The BL that won Emmy awards. I'm sorry. I still love the show. It's just kinda painful watching once intelligent vibrant characters morph into parodies of themselves. Seriously, the Alan Shore from The Practice would not recognize the Alan Shore from this season of BL. Lets hope they end with something better than this.
Hold the phone. THAT's the title of the final episode? You don't suppose that ... Spoiler: Guess about finale ... after whatever happens happens that they all end up at a place "where everybody knows your name"? I would LOVE for that to happen. As for Jerry, I think they'll let him off the hook and "fire him" before going under so he won't be financially responsible. Or else, knowing they were going broke, they gave him fake partnership papers to sign so he's really not a partner. Or Poole will win the lottery. Or Melvin will bail them out and become a partner. THAT would be a hoot! --Ted
I was a bit bored by it, actually. It started out promising, but then everyone was grumpy and surly at dinner, and none of the characters felt "right" to me. Except for Melvin Palmer. Who, strangely enough, has grown on me. I decided a long time ago that Boston Legal doesn't follow in any way from The Practice. I think Kelley took a bunch of elements of that final season, and built a new show using them, but that also meant changing those elements to some degree. So, Alan Shore as a widower who lived in a mansion with a pool was replaced with Alan Shore as a single man who can't have any sort of lasting relationship who feels so unsettled in his life that he lives in a suitcase, as one example. I don't mind the differences, but Boston Legal is merely related to The Practice, not a continuation of it. And yes, the Alan Shore of The Practice was a darker character. Not necessarily a more complex one. But certainly more of a bastard. Melvin has really grown on me. He's still annoying and abrasive, but I feel like the constant use of Melvin is going somewhere. I dunno, maybe he's Alan's long-lost twin brother, given up for adoption.
I've watched the entire series over the course of the last 3 weeks on DVD. I agree this wasn't the greatest episode and they've done better. But I still think this one was quite good.
One thing that struck me watching that episode - they've raised the issue of racism repeatedly now, including the argument, that Crane, Poole & Schmidt is racist for not hiring black lawyers and having no black partners: but then: why the hell didn't they hire more black actors to play in their damn show? How is that not racist too?
Excellent. I was in hysterics for most of this episode. Alan and Denny arguing like an old married couple over Denny having Thanksgiving dinner with Melvin Palmer was over-the-top To seal the deal, Alan tells Denny, "You'll live on doing Priceline commercials". Comedy gold right there.