Boston Legal: Season Four

I'm a huge fan of Boston Legal. It's about the only show I really enjoy. This season was good, but it lacked a lot of the humor that was found in the other seasons, humor that balances the show out and just barely keeps it from being a "drama".

Good, but not *as* good.

Overall, the Boston Legal series is incredibly written and acted, but season four was the worst in my opinion.

The cast losses occur all the time and it's really Shatner and Spader that we watch for, but the magic that Kelly was able to spin in seasons 1-3 took a vacation.

There were a number of good episodes, few great and a lot of ok ones.

Luckily, season 5, currently airing has trimmed some skinny (as opposed to fat) and is back on track.

Still worth buying, but just not with the same vigor (ie, wait for a sale)

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.

I was heading to Kuwait when this season started, so I only got to see the second episode before I left, and I was freaked out that Brad Chase was the A.D.A. now, Paul Lewiston was gone, and replaced by Carl Sack played by John Larroquette. So I honestly wasn't planning on buying this right away. But being over here, in the Army with nothing really to do except go to work, and pretend I'm not here, I picked it up. Well I really couldn't resist because William Shatner is my biggest hero, and I love the character of Denny Crane.

Watching this season from the beginning to end I realized this show was a lot better than I had expected, in fact better than season three, which kind of left me wanting a little bit more. Season Four brings back a lot of characters and stories from past seasons, more so from season two; witch is my favorite season over all.

I was going to give this set a four star, because a few of the episodes it was a little hard to suspend disbelief, like when Alan go to the U.S. Supreme Court, I find it hard to believe they wouldn't have shut Alan down when he just unloads on them. But I had to give it five stars, because even though some episodes are hard to believe, for the most part, it tries to be fair when it comes to both sides of the issues, more so than Fox news itself, which they even take shots at from time to time. That's cool for a show that's a Fox property. But more than that I found myself laughing so hard in some episodes, I completely forgot that I was in this bleak and desolate country and felt like I was back home in the states among friends.

It is sad that this next season is going to be short and last season, which surprises me because of all the praise and awards this show, has received over the years. But that falls on the suits at ABC, which they also take a few potshots at towards the end of this season. So one can only hope when they get to the Finale, they end it with a BANG.

So until next time...
DENNY CRANE, OVER AND OUT.

Great series, but the DVD sets are notably short on special features. Maybe they are holding them for the end? When will we get to see the intro of the main characters (on The Practice)? Will be a long time, if ever, when that season of The Practice will come to DVD. Why not include them, or other special features, in the last box set? Maybe if we talk it up here, they will!!!