 "Fun and thought provoking" | 2008-08-02 |
| - Reviewed By paxtax |
David E. Kelley is able to inject humor and entertainment into would be tragic legal cases. He tackles sensitive issues such as the environment, the healthcare system, a corrupt legal system. He is able to cut through the denial that our culture has and open it up to the light.
Everything that DEK produces is an excellent product. I love that he sets the show with proper Boston as his back drop. This is an excellent show and well worth the purchase. |
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| "Denny Crane!" | 2008-06-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3AK6WKZI8BOP9 |
I was initially "turned on to" "Boston Legal" around season three or four, and immediately fell in love with it. I couldn't get enough of Alan Shore's (James Spader) biting sarcasm, borderline sexual harassment, and hilarious banter. Furthermore, the character of Denny Crane (William Shatner) always left me curious as to his fall from grace, as Alzheimer's slowly and gradually robs him of his legal genius, replacing it with hilarious eccentricities that never cease to amuse me. I had many questions about the show, "How did Alan come to work in Boston? How did Denny contract "Mad Cow" (as he claims)? How did the show start?" Season One didn't disappoint any of my expectations.
Episode one immediately throws you into the story of "Crane, Poole, and Schmidt" and gives you very little exposition, focusing mainly on the stories of the cases and letting you figure out the character details on your own as the relationships play out through the caseloads of the lawyers. While this was initially frustrating, it nonetheless became highly entertaining.
Even if you've never seen the show before, I would highly recommend it. "Boston Legal" is like many David E. Kelly shows in that it shows off lush parties with music, political agendas (mostly "leftist"), and witty, back-and-forth, dialogue that is reminiscent of a funnier Aaron Sorkin.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend Season One as it is the genesis of one of the best shows on TV, has loads of great cameos (Freddie Prinze Jr., Elizabeth Mitchell (of "Lost" fame), and Larry Miller amongst others), and plenty of hilarious and poignant cases.
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| ""I Love Solitude... Mostly in a Relationship"" | 2008-05-31 |
| - Reviewed By flexitarianman |
The above quote from this amazing show is a true testament to David E. Kelley's brilliance. Now, I have not seen The Practice, Picket Fences, or Ally Mcbeal, so I am without prejudice, and I must say that I am very impressed.
James Spader, who plays Alan Shore, is the most interesting lead character in a decade, and plays the part to perfection. Alan is lonely, troubled, yet hides it with charisma and lewd comments. Spader is the perfect fit, and really brings out the best in his character. HE also has the best lines of the season (in later seasons Shatner has much better material) and says them with the confidence you would expect from such a character.
Denny Crane, played by William Shatner, is the indisputed star of the show. I don't think he quite knew it himself, but this was the role he was born to play. Even though in this season he doesn't have the large influx of funny lines, the ones he does have are made even funnier by his outrageous demeanor. The "mad cow" was a nice touch, and it makes for a very interesting character: a has-been lawyer who floats in and out of his prime with every new episode.
The femme trio of the season (all of which would leave quite suddenly) is composed of Sally Heap (Lake Bell), Tara Wilson (Rhona Mitra), and Lori Colson (Monica Potter). These women all want to sleep with Alan (and two do), a plot point that should have been more interesting than it was. It was almost as if Kelley said "To heck with romance" and made the show about Alan and Denny. This proved to be good for the show, but bad for the three unlucky actresses (who were all quite talented). Thus the three girls of season one got no real depth (expect Denise from seasons 2 and 3 seemed like a spin-off of Lori) and they never really got a backstory.
Last, but most certainly not least, is Candice Bergen, who plays founding partner Shirly Schmidt. When I received this set I was perplexed as to the nature of why one of the cover's participents was not in over half of the season. The first minute she was one screen I realized why. Bergen (agiain) is the perfect fit for the role she plays and also bounces of of Shatner amazingly well. She could be the star of the show, should Spader decide to leave, yet Kelley (in this season and others) decides not to write much for her. However, when she is on screen the show just flows, and she is a welcome member of the team.
In short (ironically) this show is the best thing on TV right now. It is socially relevent, funny, and brilliantly written. I highly recommend this amazing experience of a televsion program. |
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| ""Shock & awe"" | 2008-04-12 |
| - Reviewed By ckingfsu |
| This show is one of the all time best shows on television. Few shows have ever made me laugh so hard. David E. Kelley is a wonderful writer and does a great job with developing such intricate characters as Alan Shore, Denny Crane and Shirley Schmidt. What is so strikingly funny about Alan Shore's character is his amazing one liners and his wonderfully constructed tirades. Denny, on the other hand, just says what he thinks. He says the things that a person would think someone would know better than to say, even if they thought them. All I can say is, no better show out there . . . |
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| "The great and bloated Captain Kirk" | 2008-03-09 |
| - Reviewed By jaysunaltman79 |
To the reviewers who lambaste this show for it's obvious and pervasive non-realism, perhaps you have missed the point. I am an attorney. I have taken two bar exams and am thus all too familiar with the rules of evidence, constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal law, criminal procedure, family law, torts and contracts. I only mention these areas because they are the only areas this show deals with (apart from an occasional mention of M & A and other corporate practices) and are consequently the areas that this show fudges severely. Almost nothing about the way lawsuits are brought or the way they proceed is realistic in any way shape or form in this program. Further, if Crane, Poole & Schmidt is the gargantuan law firm the viewer is led to believe it is, associate Alan Shore would not be able to pick whatever random criminal, tort or constitutional case he feels like trying. Also, neither the partners nor any other associates would involve themselves in ANY criminal or family law matters unless in a pro bono capacity. Going even further, no attorney in the firm, partner or otherwise would be able to continually get away with shooting people. Oh, and while we're on the subject, partners would not be able to fondle members of the opposite sex in the office and attorneys who were sleeping with each other would probably be disciplined for discussing their relations or having sex in the office whilst others can see or hear. It is also likely that sex dolls would be disallowed, whether or not they were made in the likeness of one of the named partners. Since we're on the topic of unrealism, another common trait shared among real-world firms that operate on the national and international scale comparable to this make-believe firm is that the named partners are usually dead. You may be able, from time to time find a lawyer named Foley, Larder, Arnold, Porter, Snell, Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, King, Spalding etc., but it's quite rare that this lawyer is the one who founded the firm that carries his/her namesake. The show is set in a fake TV world. Here's a few other shows set in a fake TV world where nothing resembles realism:
House (Hugh Laurie is really English!!)
The Cosby Show (Bill Cosby was really a comedian, not a doctor!!)
ER
Chicago Hope
Law and Order
Law and Order SVU
Law and Order CI
Law and Order XR4TI
Law and Order S&M
Law and Order ABC
Law and Order USA
Law and Order MIA
Law and Order DDP
Law and Order DDT
CSI Miami
CSI New York
CSI Poughkeepsie
CSI Marietta
CSI Green Bay
CSI Newfoundland
CSI Siberia
Medium
Large
Xtra Large
Small
All are (or were) hit shows. All have very little basis in reality. The difference between Boston Legal and the other "legal" dramas is Boston Legal flaunts its lack of realism. It almost seems as if David E. Kelley is poking fun at his own work to some degree as well as the various Law and Order franchises. True, there are many points in every episode in which the characters (most often Alan Shore) pontificate and make profound discoveries, but in the interim, the show does not take itself too seriously. So therefore I love it, even though I know it is wrong. I contrast the Law and Order series, which is equally unrealistic, yet does take itself all too seriously, constantly pretending that it is not pretending even though the show's version of basic rules of law is no less outlandish than Denny Crane firing off a shotgun in a courtroom. In short, Boston Legal is good. The actor's deliver because the screenplays deliver and the insincere treatment of law and procedure can be excused by the sincere treatment of the topics as well as the laughs. I would encourage anyone to buy this set and view it periodically (just perhaps not with your kids if they're under 16). |
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 "All Hail Denny" | 2008-02-16 |
| - Reviewed By User: A147FUNITGB21I |
| Hopefully as you read this the price is still right; picked up the first three seasons for 25 bucks a pop! Great to get the first two, since back then the ABC schedule was less dependable and I missed a lot of early episodes of the best lawyer show in the history of television. |
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| "A Great Beginning" | 2008-02-11 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1R0CPLG5FIL1U |
| Best show around and the chemistry between William Shatner and James Spader is the best. It has it all - from it's serious content to it's humor. Who could ask for more. |
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| "James T Who...?" | 2007-12-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2NGJG914PNIVW |
You've got to give David E Kelly credit; this series has achieved the highly improbable...
For 35 years if the name William Shatner crossed my mind, I'd instinctively picture James T Kirk and all thoughts are colored by Star Trek memories. But, as an actor if you become successful in genre stuff or soap opera's, it's a fair bet that you're almost dead in the water as far as fresh characterisation is concerned. The movie Galaxy Quest gently parodies this, although when you juxtapose Jason Nesmith and Bill Shatner this perhaps borders on brutal.
There's a price for this sort of worldwide osmosis, so even if you didn't like Star Trek, you knew who James T Kirk was. Stepping out of Kirk's shadow is a pretty tall order, look at T J Hooker, for example, "hey, there's Kirk playing an LA cop". Similarly, both Leonard Nimoy and the studio [Desilu, I think] traded on Mr Spock's enormous popularity, by playing a character in Mission Impossible in the late 60s; I think my young mind got confused every time he smiled...
To my knowledge it's extraordinarily rare for someone to step out of a show that permeated the national and in Star Trek's case, global consciousness to play a totally fresh and original character, but then again, William Shatner is a very fine actor.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: "Denny Crane".
And hey, the rest of the show ain't bad either...
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| "Benton Legal" | 2007-12-18 |
| - Reviewed By phabulousphur |
| Here I am in Benton,Arkaasas, waiting for the delight my incredible hubby will show when he sees that we will be able to seee all of the first season anytime we want to! Since Christmas is not here yet, I can not verify the quality of the video, but it is brand new, arrived in fast timing, and was perfectly packed for safe travel. I am so pleased to be able to get it at such a great price. Thank you amazon.com |
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| "Boston Legal Season 1. Great Humor (not for everyone)" | 2007-11-05 |
| - Reviewed By flmiami |
| I find myself laughigh out loud when I watch these DVD's. It's not for everybody though. Some people may find some of it to be offensive. |
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