Boston Legal and Activism

I am a HUGE fan of the now-cancelled court dramedy Boston Legal. Especially if you're a liberal, this show has the most ingenious courtroom scenes on television. The issues it raises are both absurdly entertaining AND, most importantly, extremely progressive and topical. 


Aside from it's amazing cast, the series is brilliant on at least three levels:

#1) The Closing Arguments

It deals beautifully with great, relevant topics every episode. Episodes often deal with legal issues recently introduced in real American court rooms, or with issues that SHOULD be dealt with in real court rooms. The ebb and flow of arguments for and against, plus some beautifully written and acted closing arguments make the episodes really shine. James Spader, specifically, performs some awe-inspiring arguments and closings that match any great rhetoric or moral conscience. 

#2) The Balcony

Almost every episode ends with Alan Shore and Denny Crane smoking cigars, drinking scotch, and reflecting on the day’s events from the balcony of Denny’s executive office suite. These scenes are so special because the friendship between Spader's Alan Shore and Shatner's Denny Crane is one of the most beautiful fictional friendships ever written. The friendship is also a brilliant interplay between liberalism and conservatism.

Alan Shore is a fierce Democrat who believes in social justice. He has argued against the death penalty, abuse of the 1st amendment in protecting the worst in religions, big tobacco, the credit industry, the gambling industry, radical prejudice, and -- for lack of a more concise term -- George W Bush.  
    
Denny Crane, on the other hand, is a stout Republican. He believes in big business, old-fashioned values, the second amendment / NRA, free-enterprise, and American exceptionalism. He staunchly argues against a liberal town from succeeding from the USA, argues for the 2^nd Amendment, and even for the right of a home-owner to protect his property by means of electrocution.

Their friendship is great because, despite their seemingly incompatible beliefs and ideologies – not to mention their frequent falling outs – they share one of the great bromances of our time. They are each other’s “flamingos”.

#3) The Heart + The Silliness

Boston Legal is both brilliantly topical and ridiculously silly. The friendship of Alan and Denny is just one great example. They are both silly, dysfunctional, sexist, and unabashedly confident. They also get into all kinds of hijinx in and out of court.

Yet, at the same time it’s an endearing friendship of two completely different people finding a soulmate in the other. It is also a friendship between  one person at the height of his legendary legal career and another who -- suffering from Alzheimer’s disease -- struggles to keep his legendary reputation and pride from utter ruin.

In this vain, Boston Legal often balances bizarre shtick with topical and moving issues – and it does a great job of delivering on both accounts. If you haven’t seen it, please pick up a season on DVD or catch it in syndication! If you do neither, then I hope you still enjoy the clips I have selected for the purpose of bringing different topical issues under discussion. I hope you argue or supplement the views of the characters and myself on the comments section.