Lawrence Pressman is back again! He's my second-favorite judge on the show, behind Judge Sanders ("No jibber-jabber!").
As everyone knows I love the show, but it has lost it's way. They fired all the side characters, we hardly see anyone but the big names, Shirley Schmidt has grandkids and the father and boyfriends stop by every week. The show needs to get rid of the two British woman they added this season, get rid of "Hands" (He has run his course), bring the cross dresser back full time, and bring back side characters they fired last season more and have story arcs like Paul went to help his grandchild and daughter out, Denis left to take care of the baby, things like that. And is the judge the gay, but not gay judge? I love him!
I LOOOVE Boston Legal, but I wish they would get back to the evil Alan that we saw in the first season. Weak and neurotic-Alan is not so interesting anymore.
Actually, I got it confused. Lawrence Pressman's judge is okay, but the one I was thinking of was Howard Hesseman (the one who wanders into the middle of the courtroom while hearing arguments). The one you're thinking of is Judge Clark "Shocking!" Brown, played by Laugh-In and The Blues Brothers veteran Henry Gibson.
Excellent. I really wasn't prepared for such a powerful episode tonight but I found it to be one of the best on tv this year. The two lesser plots I didn't care much for but the main story about Shirley's father really hit home and really hit me hard given I watched my father just five months ago go downhill with cancer and he had to go into hospice. I thought it was handled with intelligence with the arguments and I really was impressed by all the realistic touches and reactions. Maybe they were a bit too authentic considering it had me all torn up especially at the end as Shirley was at her father's side as he passed away. And the camera panning over to reveal Denny in the audience aware of what Alan said was touching. After this week, I'll be ready for a lighter episode next week.
Good Allen's closing especially the part when he is reminded of Denny was very poignant and very well done. I didn't really buy the Nantucket lawsuit but as far as farce lawsuits on BL goes this wasn't the most ridiculous. I thought the physicist who went "boom" for shits and giggles was the funniest part of the show. Overall the episode tonight was very serious. No sex jokes, no ludicrous or lewd acts by Denny, no lawyer with Texan accent or clown judges.
I voted excellent, but it was really more like "Really good." The storyline with Shirley's dad was really moving, and Alan's closing was spot on. Also, the final balcony scene was very moving. These two guys are definitely the best couple on television. I soooooo think it was a bad idea to pair it with the ridiculous "B" storylines of the Nantucket nuke and Hands' girlfriend. The first was just pointless and not that funny, and I think we've seen far too much of Hands now. I really wish they'd move on. Still, I got very teary-eyed at this episode. When they do it right, they REALLY do it right.
Bergen, Spader & the Shat were all amazing in this epi. And WHO was that hot, hot girl that ended up with Hands?!?
Rachelle Lefèvre. She's also one of the leads in David E. Kelley's remake of the 70s BBC series Life on Mars, along with Trek's Colm Meaney. Apparently the pilot has finished filming, but the writer's strike derailed ABC's plans to use the show as a midseason replacement.
I almost expected the final terrace scene to be completely silent, which to me, would have been much more powerful. Do it with looks, pauses, almost speaking, and a nod and fade to black. I still think that's how Kelley will do one someday. --Ted
I agree, sort of. I DO like the blond british woman, and I think she is a great actress. In fact, I think she is the best of the 'side' women, and that includes Denise and Tara. The plot with her and Hands defending that black guy at the begining of the season was well done and thought provoking... The other woman, the skinny one, can go. She can't act. And I agree with the other poster; they need to bring back BAD Alan shore
Anyone catch the strike reference? Brilliant. I do feel like they are trying to become more serious than during the beginning of the season, but somehow part of the conflicts that were organic to the characters (like Bad!Alan) are sort of gone, IMHO. Still, really good ep.
I love this show when they pull out a serious plot and James Spader is a truly gifted actor who can never get enough Emmy's though I hope he can let Hugh Laurie and MichaelC Hall have one . Excellent episodes and heres to many more
^Yeah, this was really a tour de force for both Spader and Bergen. I'm sure this episode will be part of their submission tape come Emmy nominations time.
As much as I love Spader in anything he's in, I felt Bergen's performance was the stand-out here. Understated, yet totally gripping and involving. Acting at its best.
This episode had everything, literally! All the characters were on the show for what I think is only the second episode that has happened on! I think Hugh Laurie did win one year, but James Spader won the rest. I also love how this show is acted well, wins countless awards, gets decent ratings with no ads and ABC still wants to cancel it. Can I get a big group "Fuck you!" to ABC? And the strike joke was funny as hell.
^ ABC have made no indication that they want to cancel the show, infact am starting to think ABC hates cancelling anything...they seem to renew everything these days . Also Hugh has never won the Emmy, he was nominated in season 1 & 2 but lost and was not even nominated for season 3.
Good news, I hadn't heard that. Another reason to check out this remake when it airs. Rachelle definitely is hot, and I really liked her in the 2nd season of What About Brian too. How Jerry ended up with her will be one of life's great mysteries, I guess.
ABC has canceled all the pointless shows like October Road and such. BL is the only show they really seem they want an excuse to push out the back window. I thought Hugh won, oh well...