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Boston Legal

  • TV Series
  • 2004–2008
  • TV-14
  • 44m
IMDb RATING
8.5/10
48K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
495
139
Candice Bergen, William Shatner, and James Spader in Boston Legal (2004)
Home Video Trailer from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Play trailer0:17
14 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyCrimeDrama

Boston Legal is a spin-off of the long-running David E. Kelley series The Practice (1997), following the exploits of former Practice character Alan Shore (James Spader) at the legal firm of ... Read allBoston Legal is a spin-off of the long-running David E. Kelley series The Practice (1997), following the exploits of former Practice character Alan Shore (James Spader) at the legal firm of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt.Boston Legal is a spin-off of the long-running David E. Kelley series The Practice (1997), following the exploits of former Practice character Alan Shore (James Spader) at the legal firm of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt.

  • Creator
    • David E. Kelley
  • Stars
    • James Spader
    • William Shatner
    • Candice Bergen
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.5/10
    48K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    495
    139
    • Creator
      • David E. Kelley
    • Stars
      • James Spader
      • William Shatner
      • Candice Bergen
    • 207User reviews
    • 26Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 5 Primetime Emmys
      • 16 wins & 67 nominations total

    Episodes101

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated

    Videos14

    Clip: Denny and Alan bond by a fishing trip and learning to tango
    Clip 0:49
    Watch Clip: Denny and Alan bond by a fishing trip and learning to tango
    Clip: Introducing Denny and AlanÂ’s unlikely friendship
    Clip 0:50
    Watch Clip: Introducing Denny and AlanÂ’s unlikely friendship
    The Practice: The Final Season
    Clip 2:27
    Watch The Practice: The Final Season
    Boston Legal: Season 4
    Trailer 0:17
    Watch Boston Legal: Season 4
    Boston Legal: Season Three
    Trailer 0:15
    Watch Boston Legal: Season Three
    Boston Legal: Season 2
    Trailer 0:15
    Watch Boston Legal: Season 2
    Boston Legal: Season 1
    Trailer 0:17
    Watch Boston Legal: Season 1
    Boston Legal: Clip
    Trailer 0:57
    Watch Boston Legal: Clip
    Boston Legal: Words 2
    Trailer 1:31
    Watch Boston Legal: Words 2
    Boston Legal: Words
    Trailer 1:38
    Watch Boston Legal: Words
    Boston Legal: Season 4
    Trailer 1:29
    Watch Boston Legal: Season 4
    Boston Legal: Look
    Trailer 0:56
    Watch Boston Legal: Look

    Photos295

    James Spader and Lake Bell in Boston Legal (2004)
    James Spader and George Newbern in Boston Legal (2004)
    Marisa Coughlan in Boston Legal (2004)
    Boston Legal (2004)
    Candice Bergen in Boston Legal (2004)
    William Shatner in Boston Legal (2004)
    William Shatner in Boston Legal (2004)
    Candice Bergen and Christian Clemenson in Boston Legal (2004)
    Larry Miller in Boston Legal (2004)
    James Spader in Boston Legal (2004)
    Candice Bergen and Rene Auberjonois in Boston Legal (2004)
    James Spader in Boston Legal (2004)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James Spader
    James Spader
    • Alan Shore
    William Shatner
    William Shatner
    • Denny Crane
    Candice Bergen
    Candice Bergen
    • Shirley Schmidt
    Rene Auberjonois
    Rene Auberjonois
    • Paul Lewiston
    Mark Valley
    Mark Valley
    • Brad Chase
    Julie Bowen
    Julie Bowen
    • Denise Bauer
    Christian Clemenson
    Christian Clemenson
    • Jerry Espenson
    Gary Anthony Williams
    Gary Anthony Williams
    • Clarence Bell
    John Larroquette
    John Larroquette
    • Carl Sack
    Tara Summers
    Tara Summers
    • Katie Lloyd
    Henry Gibson
    Henry Gibson
    • Judge Clark Brown
    Constance Zimmer
    Constance Zimmer
    • Claire Simms
    Monica Potter
    Monica Potter
    • Lori Colson
    Rhona Mitra
    Rhona Mitra
    • Tara Wilson
    Saffron Burrows
    Saffron Burrows
    • Lorraine Weller
    Meredith Eaton
    Meredith Eaton
    • Bethany Horowitz
    Taraji P. Henson
    Taraji P. Henson
    • Whitney Rome
    Justin Mentell
    Justin Mentell
    • Garrett Wells
    • Creator
      • David E. Kelley
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During the series, whenever Denny Crane (William Shatner) opens his cell phone, it makes the same sound effect as the communicators from the original "Star Trek" series in which he played the role of Captain James T. Kirk.
    • Goofs
      Throughout the series, Alan Shore and Denny Crane sit on the balcony overlooking the city of Boston. However, during the cold winter months, you never see the breath of either character, thus demonstrating that the "balcony" is part of a set, and not an actual location.
    • Quotes

      Alan Shore: Let me tell me two things about myself. I too am a lawyer, I can be painfully vindictive, and I do not play fair.

      Lester Tremont: That's three things.

      Alan Shore: See? Not playing fair already. And I'm just getting started.

    • Connections
      Featured in The 62nd Annual Golden Globe Awards 2005 (2005)

    User reviews207

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    A hilarious and unlikely spin-off
    I admit I didn't watch "The Practice" as a regular show, but I saw enough to see that it was a dark, clever series examining the everyday work of a small Boston firm who primarily defended criminals. "Boston Legal" is a much different show. Centered around a civil and corporate firm that only occasionally deals in criminal cases. The place is a circus, it's David E. Kelley's hybrid of "The Practice" and "Ally McBeal," although the latter included hallucinations and bizarre love lifes.

    Emmy-winner James Spader, the ever shameless and subtly self-destructive Alan Shore is the slimy playboy who, like it or not, is a fantastic attorney. Denny Crane (fellow Emmy-winner William Shatner) seems like the perfect match for Shore's unpredictable fashion. Both men are unorthodox, and Denny is slipping. He's also a great attorney, but he doesn't know it half the time. The two are the perfect team, each willing to forgive the other for their shortcomings in the area of law, and cover each other as such. Paul Lewiston (Rene Aberjonois) is the figurehead of everything they are not. He is respectable, by-the-book, and without conscience. The embodiment of the sleazy corporate attorney, and more concerned with keeping a client than with admitting a falacy on their part. Brad Chase (Mark Valley) is in the same boat insofar as playing by the rules, but he's Denny's man, and it pisses him off that Alan gets all the attention for his crimes. Laurie Colson (Monica Potter) is the idealistic attorney who has dabbled in Alan Shore's method of practicing law with disastrous consequences. Tara Wilson (Rhona Mitra) is finally sleeping with Alan, and happily playing along in his little game. And Sally Heep (Lake Bell) has all but disappeared since she broke up with Alan, so that she is little more than an errand boy (girl).

    And most recently Candice Bergen has joined the cast at Crane, Poole, and Schmidt, as Shirley Schmidt (Edwin Poole has gone off the deep end after showing up at work, having only dressed the top half of his body.) and she appears to be Alan Shore in reverse. She's manipulative, wisecracking, and short with answers, but she seems to appeal to the ethical way of practicing law. Now back from New York and busting balls due to a law suit filed by one of their employees, she seems a welcome edition to the show.

    Perfect follow-up to "Desperate Housewives," and just as funny. It's proof that David E. Kelley still has a few tricks up his sleeve.
    helpful•108
    16
    • tghoneyc
    • Jan 10, 2005

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    FAQ5

    • To settle an argument in our house. We have recently bought the box set and my partner is convinced that the scene at the end with Allan and senny talking is filmed on different balconies? Can anyone help out with this
    • What happened to all of the women that used to costar on the show in the first season?
    • What brand of scotch do Denny and Alan drink?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 3, 2004 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Fleet Street
    • Filming locations
      • Raleigh Manhattan Beach Studios - 1600 Rosecrans Avenue, Manhattan Beach, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production companies
      • David E. Kelley Productions
      • 20th Century Fox Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

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