Wednesday, December 14, 2005

I'm Denny Crane...

So, you're tired of Law & Order - Unique and Rare Coin Theft Unit?

I must admit, there was a time when I watched the show's re-runs daily. This was before there was more than one version of the show. And who doesn't love the late Jerry Orbach? I mean, he practically personnified the grizzled & glib New York cop, for pete's sake!

But I'm sad to admit that until very recently, my love affair with tv shows about the legal profession had languished. They just seemed to lack that panache I had come to demand from my evening entertainment. I guess I can blame Dick Wolfe for stepping away from direct involvement with Law and Order.

At any rate, I'm happy to report that my love for television court room drama has been re-kindled, and oddly enough, it's largely due to Murphy Brown & Captain Kirk.

Yes, that's right, I admit it - I LOVE BOSTON LEGAL.

The show is quite comedic, despite the fact it's ostensibly billed as a drama by ABC. And oddly enough, it's almost a polar opposite of Law & Order. I guess that's probably because L & O is actually a drama, whereas BL comes off as more of a comedy, with dramatic interludes.

And I would say that although L & O had some great characters in the series, it was primarily driven by its story lines. Boston Legal, at least to this fan, appears to be a character study that happens to occur at a Law Firm.

William Shatner's character, the self-obsessed Denny Crane, is delightfully crazy. Even to the point of claiming he's got "the mad cow disease."

I mean, come on! How do they write this stuff? It's hilarious to say the least.

Shatner plays the role so deftly against the backdrop of other characters in the firm, cheif among them Bergen's portrayal of Shirley Schmidt and James Spader's Alan Shore.

I have always been a fan of the legal drama / comedy. I suppose my step-father's interest in the law has influenced that to a degree.

If you're looking for a sharp, witty, and outrageous hour of entertainment, tune in. You won't be disappointed.

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