Sunday, December 7, 2008

DENNYCRANE: There are few shows that have changed as much over such a short run as Boston Legal, which ends its five season run tomorrow night with a two hour episode beginning at 9 EST. When James Spader's Alan Shore was introduced in the final season of The Practice, it was something of a jolt for the aging show. No longer did we have a crusading attorney convinced of the righteousness of his cause, but instead an almost completely amoral character, whose goals were simple--winning and money. And Shore was very good at both (as was Spader, who won an Emmy for the final season of The Practice). Add to it the opportunity to unironically appreciate the acting of William Shatner playing an unrepetant dolt, and you had something very interesting.

That general tone carried over into the start of Boston Legal, with Shore going to work at a Boston Biglaw firm, but by no later than Season 3 (with the introduction of Clarence/Clarice and Jerry Espenson), the show had changed into something completely different. Gleefully aware of its own absurdity, extremely metafictional (particularly in this final season), and allowing David E. Kelley to use Shore as a mouthpiece for his views (mostly political, but sometimes about the media), the show became a comedy (and a pretty good one). Sure, sometimes you still would have mystery and personal plotlines, but the show had turned into something different--witness Alan Shore before the Supreme Court (sadly, the only version I can find has a prologue with an even more expressly partisan political rant). The Kelleyverse has always been a strange place, and I'll miss this corner of it. Share favorite moments (pretty much anything with Alan and Denny on the balcony), favorite characters (Parker Posey's nervous attorney? Betty White's gleefully homicidal secretary?), or rant about how Spader has repeatedly prevented worthier folks from getting an Emmy below.

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