Boston Legal: Season Three

Written by Fumo Verde

Once again the cast and crew of Boston Legal throws the book at our wonderful yet many times broken legal system as the law offices of Crane, Poole & Schmidt seize upon the issues of the day while giving their viewers laughs all night. Can Season Three match the zaniness of Season Two? That’s for you to decide; to me, it’s just one continuous side ache, at times I can hardly breathe I’m laughing so much.

Season Three came off just as politically charged as last season if not more, and the intensity of the drama countered by the pure sidesplitting comedy takes the viewer on a trek through the emotional gamut. With Denny Crane (William Shatner) at the helm, could you expect anything else? Following Denny, Alan Shore (James Spader), and Shirley Schmidt (Candice Bergen) won’t teach you about your legal rights like Law and Order used too, but for a good escape from your day’s worries a little Boston Legal is good for the soul.

As all shows do, Boston Legal added some new and some not-so-new characters. Jeffery Coho (Craig Bierko) is the sneaky almost seedy lawyer we all hate yet want defending us. Sadly, we barely scratch the surface of Coho’s character. I wondered if he knew his last name was type of salmon. Didn’t matter, I was just waiting for him get into a fight with Brad Chase. Jeffery and Brad come to blows over a few issues including Denise (Julie Bowen), who looked as if she was on her way out last season. What transpires through the actions of these three characters alone could be a comedy show itself.

Jerry Espenson (Christian Clemenson) is back with an even bigger part and so is Clarence Bell (Gary Anthony Williams). Both men bring to the table a charm and wit that touches the viewers. These two characters have “special issues,” yet both adapt and change to their environment in a believable way that makes you feel that you can do it too.

It’s not just the new people who are having all the fun though. Alan is still sleeping around the legal offices of Boston while Denny’s new love interest Bethany seems to be putting him in his place—until her mother shows up. Enter Delta Burke; she is Bethany’s mom and one of Denny’s former lovers. As if this isn’t enough for our mad-cow brained leader, he also gets sued for smuggling human fat into the county for the use of making it into fuel.

Still more insanity comes down the pike with Lincoln Meyer (David Dean Bottrell) who was a witness in Coho’s case, overhyped by the media, of sex, love, and murder. Meyer is a psycho who holds Shirley hostage just so he could get more TV coverage. Moments like the one described above are the ones that keep you on the edge of your seat. Such is the episode where a man who hates Denny, straps a bomb to his own body and takes the firm hostage. The writers are highly intelligent and know how to keep you on that edge, yet they don’t forget to lighten up the moment with some comedy. As the police are getting ready to save the hostages, Brad, our former Marine, tries to help as he gets himself stuck in one of the buildings vents. The dialog between Brad and the police captain is classic. It’s the mix of this adrenaline-driven drama with outrageous comedy added with some political wit that puts Boston Legal into a category all of its own.

I love it when Alan is in court. I was never a fan of James Spader until I saw Boston Legal. He plays the part of an accomplished litigator very well, and with his little smirks and courtroom bravado one could only wish for a lawyer with that much ability. How can he not with writers so in tune with the pulse of our nation today. The episode “Angel of Death” puts Alan in the courts of New Orleans, and though Denny is in the Big Easy for fun, Alan has to represent a doctor who had to euthanize five patients in the wake of hurricane Katrina.

Boston Legal: Season Three peels back the layers of the cast giving us new insight to characters. With twenty-four episodes on seven discs, it may take you some time to watch, but it’s worth every minute.