The quirky characters at Crane, Poole and Schmidt are at it again, bringing the most outrageous and often times improbable cases to court.As in Munchkinland, people seem to come and go so quickly at the law firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt. Out the door as Season Four begins are cast members Mark Valley, Julie Bowen, Rene Auberjonois, and Constance Zimmer (a tough loss). But the more things change the more they stay the same. Introduced to sweet, pretty and capable new lawyer Katie Lloyd (Tara Summers), it takes Alan Shore (James Spader) all of one second to come on to her. It takes Denny Crane (William Shatner) five. The most stellar addition to the firm is Night Court Emmy-winner John Larroquette as Carl Sack from the New York office. He has come not to shake things up so much as to tone them down, and “wring out some of the madness.” “We are in the business of law,” he pronounces. “A law firm has to be discreet, conservative.” Good luck with that, Carl, especially when one of the lawyers keeps popping up on YouTube dressed as his female alter-ego, and the senior partner is one minute arrested for soliciting a prostitute, and the next caught in his own Larry Craig bathroom incident, and the next courting a discrimination suit after firing a female associate for being overweight. That, of course, would be addled loose cannon Denny Crane, who seems to be more of a distraction this season, but who rises to the occasion in an excellent episode in which he and Alan find themselves on opposite sides in the case of a Massachusetts town that wants to secede from the United States. “Every time someone counts me out of the game, I surprise them,” he tells Carl. Boston Legal is nothing if not surprising, as witness the story arc involving a woman (former Saturday Night Live ensemble member Mary Gross) with Aspergers whose budding romance with Jerry Espenson (Christian Clemenson) is threatened by her romantic love for inanimate objects (the condition exists; look it up). Another new addition to the firm, Lorraine (Saffron Burrows), herself an object of Alan’s obsession, reveals explosive secrets from her past. But more compelling is the dramatic case of a woman (guest star Mare Winningham) who efficiently plots the murder of her daughter’s killer, but wants Alan to plead temporary insanity. Spader, a three-time Emmy-winner as Alan, is at his best when he is on his (and series creator David Kelley’s) “soapbox” (“Don’t you get tired going on and on like that?” Denny affectionately chides him). His verbal smackdown of the United States Supreme Court justices in the episode, “The Court Supreme,” is one of the season’s most memorable moments. Carl Sack may not succeed in making Crane, Pool & Schmidt “a normal law firm,” but as one is heard to remark, “It’s not everyday you encounter compelling characters, is it?” –Donald Liebenson
Beyond Boston Legal – Season 4 on DVD
 Boston Legal – Season One on DVD |
 Boston Legal – Season Two on DVD |
 Boston Legal – Season Three on DVD |
Stills from Boston Legal – Season Four (Click for larger image)
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Buy “Boston Legal: Season Four” For Only $16.98
March 14, 2008
#1
I really enjoyed the first three seasons of Boston Legal. But season four is a great disappointment. Instead of humor we are subjected to constant left-wing preaching in a heavy-handed almost Stalinist format. The humor is almost non-existent as the story line has Alan Shore doing nothing attacking anything having to do with traditional values…and it is always the fault of the evil republicans. The only funny show was the one dealing with Denny’s arrest for soliciting for male sex… There might be more funny shows but I stopped watching it after the tenth show in which they bash the National Guard. Members of the National Guard not only risk their lives for us, but have also made enormous personal and financial sacrifices.
March 14, 2008
#2
This season was a marked departure from the first two seasons and even last season. The first two seasons were hilariously funny at times. Alan Shore’s eloguent humor in his lecherous pursuits was reason enough to enjoy the series. The extremely clever dry wit of Shirley Schmidt added further to the show. Denny Crane’s comic relief and yet being crazy like a fox rounded out a superb cast. Season four had none of these fine characterisations. Instead this show was little more than a showpiece for David Kelley’s liberal left wing views. Almost every episode had some virtually over the top, preachy message to deliver. Alan Shore was a shill for every liberal issue that is before us today. Shirley had none of the warm and fuzzy gentle humor that was her forte in earlier seasons. There was not so much as a shred of balance to the show. Season four was an incorrigably flagrant message bearer of the Hollywood liberal elite. At times, some of the episodes were down right annoying in its espousing of frivolous litigation to showcase fashionable views of the democratic party.
March 14, 2008
#3
I have bought the first 3 seasons and I have really enjoyed them although I have tended to ignore the silly liberal rants because they didn’t seem so bad, plus the acting, stories trumped over the rants. But holy cow this season, maybe because of the same old tired liberal dribble by our low life politicians, I just can’t seem to get into the episodes. I even have to mute the long-winded speeches by Alan now, I use to love the guy. This time though, there are blatant lies by the characters which reflect the lies we are being told by our liberal friends. I highly recommend this product to those liberals who don’t like America, you will love this, it will satisfy your inner hate.
March 14, 2008
#4
We love the series but the “new” dvd set I purchased is missing disc #1. Not sure what I can do about that.
March 14, 2008
#5
Looks like the writers are about out of ideas…I’d guess one more season and this series loses viewer interest…the biting panache of the first season or two has dwindled down into the mindless drivel of a daytime soap opera…with a very slightly legal overtone.