By Jennifer Larson

Well, it appears that Denny Crane (William Shatner) is at it again. After getting arrested, for what must be at least the 10th time, Denny enlists the help of his bff and staunchest supporter, Alan (James Spader). While a lawyer who is able to maintain his license after continuously getting into legal trouble may defy comprehension, it makes for hilarious and riveting TV. Come on, only Denny Crane can get away with those kinds of shenanigans, and only William Shatner can pull this kind of ridiculous, albeit entertaining, character off without a hitch. And my hat’s off to Alan who always seems to be able to pull Denny back from the brink of destruction; actually, my hat’s off to the writers who come up with this zany stuff. And while Denny and Alan are busy cleaning up yet another of Denny’s messes, Shirley (Candice Bergen) has a timely case of her own.

In what can be considered ripped from the headlines, ok that’s from another show, so sue me, Shirley takes part in a case involving a radio personality’s dismissal for using disrespectful language. You can call this storyline a major cue, considering Don Imus just went back on the radio yesterday. Thank goodness the writers knocked this one out before they high tailed it to the picket lines. In fact, we may be getting to the last of the shows that were in the can before the writers strike struck, so enjoy them while you can. That being said, there is another new episode of BOSTON LEGAL scheduled for next week, so I for one am going to relish them while they’re around. But really, on a show like this one, the writers must need time to rev up their creative juices. That’s the beauty of BOSTON LEGAL, it’s that rare combination of brilliant writing accompanied with some of the most talented actors around. And tonight’s offering lives up to the reputation this show has built up.


Here’s the kicker with regards to Denny’s arrest, he’s actually innocent this time. While in the midst of trying to relieve his constipation, he unwittingly gave all the signals for solicitation to the undercover cop occupying the bathroom stall next to him. Like I said, this show is so timely. Surprisingly, Denny is willing to admit guilt in order to get off with a small fine and leave the whole mess behind him; after all, this is not the kind of publicity a dignified man such as Denny wants following him around. I know, that seems a bit out of character for this crazy guy, but really this should come as no surprise, considering the fact that Denny is an extremely conservative, right wing republican who would rather plead guilty than have the world believing that he’s gay. Of course, his best friend, Alan, wants to fight the injustice of it all. He is, after all, the extremely liberal, left wing democrat that loves to rail against the government.

It doesn’t take much to talk Denny into fighting for his good name, so it’s off to court they go. Meanwhile, Shirley is in court herself fighting to keep her old friend’s job. And guess who is opposing council … little Bethany Horowitz (Meredith Eaton). You remember her; she dated Denny on and off last season, and was the only women to give him a run for his money. Unfortunately for Shirley, Bethany still harbors some hostility toward her for being the love of Denny’s life. I guess Bethany blames her for the ultimate demise of hers and Denny’s relationship. But that isn’t the real problem; the real problem is the fact that Bethany is a tiger in the court room, so Shirley has a tough fight on her hands, especially when you consider the fact that the client she’s defending got fired for declaring all old people should die. So I guess you could say the law offices of Crane, Poole and Schmidt defend some of the most difficult cases out there.


Oh, and if you’re wondering what Clarence (Gary Anthony Williams) and Katie (Tara Summers) are up to don’t worry, they’re quit busy trying to figure out who Lorraine (Saffron Burrows) really is. It seems Katie always had a nagging suspicion about Lorraine, and when she heard her tell Denny he should call 999 for emergency help, which just happens to be the number for emergency services in England, she knew something fishy was up. So now Clarence and Katie are on a mission to unravel the mystery of the sex-hungry associate; it must be a slow week at work. But not for Shirley and Denny, they both have big cases to win, and win they do. Honestly, did any of us have any doubt? That’s the thing with this show, I can’t remember the last time any of the lawyers lost a case. That’s what I love about TV lawyers, they always win!