Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8226 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-03-05
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
• Number of discs: 7
• Running time: 1107 minutes

Synopsis
BOSTON LEGAL--a wry courtroom television show that walks the line between drama and comedy--is the creation of perennial hit-maker David E. Kelly (ALLY MCBEAL, PICKET FENCES). BOSTON LEGAL revolves around the Boston litigation law firm of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt, in particular two eccentric and flawed attorneys, Alan Shore and Denny Crane. Shore, an unscrupulous and wily ambulance chaser and womaniser (played, with sly charm by James Spader) finds an uneasy alliance with Crane, a bombastic, self-aggrandising, and temperamental elder lawyer (William Shatner in an Emmy-winning performance). Despite their ethical and emotional deficiencies, Shore and Crane usually find themselves fighting on the right side, as they take up cases that no one else is willing to touch. The firm is rounded out by Shirley Schmidt, a lawyer who joined the firm despite having a past with both Crane and Shore, as well as Brad Chase (Mark Valley), Denise Bauer (Julile Bowen), and Jeffrey Coho (Craig Bierko).

Customer Reviews

A Classic TV Show, but lose Betty White!!!!
Boston Legal Series One & Two

"Boston Legal" is that rare American show that is both intelligent and original. The result is a completely compelling and engrossing "tele-visual feast".

The almost magical chemistry between Shatner and Spader is remarkable to behold. This is a casting coup if there ever was one. Their relationship is beautifully played and completely life affirming. It is so good to see William Shatner being given the chance to perform in a part that demands of his talent. He has always been an extraordinary showman and it is a crime that it has taken so long to acknowledge just how good he is.
Spader has a charm and perverseness as an actor that is hard to quantify. He has such allure and grace. His delivery of such very complicated and complex speeches is a master class for all in his profession. His performance, as is Shatner's, is simply brilliant!

The actors are of course served with perceptive and enlightened scripts, that cry out for change in modern America. The scripts are never preachy and yet always funny. These scripts are excellent examples of great American screen writing, which more often that not is becoming harder to find.

The casting is generally excellent. The loss of Rhona Mitra in the second series is a terrible blow. She is a very good actor and sorely missed. Mark Valley is also a hidden gem. Some of the best episodes involve his "Mannix" aspirations and his bouts of rapid verbal dexterity. The inclusion of Cadice Bergen to the heady mix of Shatner and Spader is a masterstroke. She is such a superb actor with an extraordinary depth. Her ability to deliver speeches with such brilliant clarity and simple emotion is a wonder to behold. Julie Bowen is another great addition to the second series. She is excellent. Her range of facial expressions seems limitless! Another casting coup is the inclusion of the talented Parker Posey towards the end of the second series. This is an inspired piece of casting. I hope her character will be developed further, as Parker Posey is an actor with a rare talent that includes superb and precise comic timing. Anthony Heald and the superb Henry Gibson need to be mentioned for their perfectly pitched and hugely enjoyable performances. One actor in particular almost steals the show from Spader in the episode called "Legal Deficits". His name is Christopher Rich and he plays to perfection a creepy, ingratiating Texas Attorney. The scene between Rich and Spader is one of the most electrifying and satisfying in the whole series.

The only criticism I have of "Boston Legal" is the development of the only completely unbelievable character in the series. Catherine Piper played unsympathetically by Betty White. Her performance is completely at odds with the rest of the show and cast. Her performance tries to be funny but is far from it. At one point she tells Alan Shore before his closing "I hope you're good!" The line falls completely flat. She then comments after his closing "I thought you would be better!" Again the line rings hollow as if it is played knowingly for laughs. This kind of unsubtle acting is simply out of style with the rest of the cast. I keep hoping her character will be written out, as she is the only negative in an almost perfect show, but no! She now quite unconvincingly evicts a young associate from his office and is pushing a tea trolley around!

That said "Boston Legal" is an addictive show. One episode is never quite enough! Everyone involved in the show should feel blessed to be working on something truly special and original. This series will soon be regarded as the classic it most certainly is.

I would love to give this a 10 it is absoloutly fantastic!
Buy, buy, buy this DVD set. The series is hilarious, entertaining and it just leaves you wanting more. The Alan Shaw and Denny Crane characters are sure to become modern legends. There is one particular scene where the two are dancing 'Salsa' style while having a witty conversation and it had me in stitches and in 'awe' all rolled in to one. I rate DVDs very little but felt this just had to deserve my time to recommend. Fantastic all the way.

Excellent
Don't know about you, but I've always been a little sceptical when it comes to these glossy, sassy, American drama's. From Desperate Wives and on to CSI, Las Vegas and Bones, they always seem extremely high on beauty, production values and editing but leave me somehow unsatisfied, like eating a Macdonald's-good, but somehow the show didn't really take me anywhere. Certainly not enough to purchase the DVD. Boston Legal has broken that mould for me. It's a great series. Shatner's part Denny Craine is hilarious, I've never laughed out loud so often at an American show like this before(that wasn't an outright comedy at least). The exchanges between him and Alan Shore had me roaring, the moment he flicks his eyes sideways in close up whilst in bed at the Fishing Lodge when Alan mentions "Klingons" is a huge a personal favorite.Well worth the money.