Boston Legal83%
Ratings
Combined
82.7
%
7 sources
IMDb
8.5
/10
54,138 votes
Rotten Tomatoes
86
%
45 votes
Metacritic
69
%
22 votes
Trakt
83
%
1,789 votes
TMDB
79
%
393 votes
Metacritic Users
8.2
/10
77 votes
RT Audience
89
%
Alan Shore and Denny Crane lead a brigade of high-priced civil litigators in an upscale Boston law firm in a series focusing on the professional and personal lives of brilliant but often emotionally challenged attorneys. A spin-off of long-running series The Practice.
4
members tracking
1
favorite
Status
Ended
Runtime
42m
Seasons
5
Episodes
101
Network
Country
United States of America
Language
English
Awards
Won 4 Primetime Emmy Awards
Primetime Emmy Awards 4 won · 4 nominated
- 2009 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated Christian Clemenson
- 2008 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated Candice Bergen
- 2007 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Nominated Christian Clemenson
- 2007 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Won James Spader
- 2006 Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Won Christian Clemenson
- 2006 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated Candice Bergen
- 2005 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Won William Shatner
- 2005 Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Won James Spader
Golden Globe Awards 1 won
- 2004 Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Won William Shatner
Screen Actors Guild Awards 5 nominated
- 2009 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated Taraji P. Henson, Christian Clemenson, Candice Bergen, Saffron Burrows
- 2008 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated Taraji P. Henson, Christian Clemenson, Constance Zimmer, Candice Bergen, Saffron Burrows
- 2007 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated Candice Bergen
- 2006 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Nominated Candice Bergen
- 2006 Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series Nominated Candice Bergen
Satellite Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy 1 nominated
- 2005 Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy Nominated Candice Bergen
Award data from Wikidata (CC0). Coverage may be incomplete.
Created by
Cast
James Spader
Alan Shore
William Shatner
Denny Crane
Candice Bergen
Shirley Schmidt
Mark Valley
Brad Chase
René Auberjonois
Paul Lewiston
Julie Bowen
Denise Bauer
Christian Clemenson
Jerry Espenson
Gary Anthony Williams
Clarence Bell
John Larroquette
Carl Sack
Tara Summers
Katie Lloyd
Constance Zimmer
Claire Simms
Henry Gibson
Judge Brown
Season 1
- 1 Head Cases A civil-rights issue hinges on the casting choice for a version of "Annie"; a child-custody battle turns ugly; an adultery case involves Crane.
- 2 Still Crazy After All These Years An ex-lover haunts Shore, who secures the woman's release from a psychiatric hospital where she was confined after trying to kill him. Elsewhere, Crane fights an opposing counsel'…
- 3 Catch and Release A client of Crane, Poole & Schmidt want to build a shopping mall on an area where salmon are spawning and Denny's son is the environmental lawyer defending the area. Alan and Lori…
- 4 Change of Course A cop killing centers on a haughty defendant, reluctantly represented by Lori and zealously by a firm veteran, who has been a patient in a mental facility. Meanwhile, Shore plays …
- 5 An Eye for an Eye Seniors take on a drug firm in a class-action case handled by the grandstanding Crane. Also: revenge motives are raised in a murder trial; and medical ethics are at issue in a civ…
- 6 Truth Be Told Shore's dream lover from college, now wed to a slick mayoral candidate, hires Shore to block his opponent's provocative TV-ad campaign. Meanwhile, a power struggle embroils Crane.
- 7 Questionable Characters A showcase for the wily, agitating Alan Shore, who badgers a dotty judge; romances Tara, whom he surreptitiously helps in a thorny criminal case; and backs Crane, who's been arres…
- 8 Loose Lips Alan help a department store Santa sue to get his job back after he is terminated for being a transvestite. Brad bets Alan that he won't win. A therapist seeks Lori's help when on…
- 9 A Greater Good Alan and Denny defend a drug company that is being sued by a woman who states they provided false reasoning when they took her off of an experimental pill that was a possible cure…
- 10 Hired Guns Lori and Brad defend a woman who is accused of murdering her husband and his mistress while they were in bed together. Alan's life is endangered when he helps a woman whose ex-hus…
- 11 Schmidt Happens A Sudanese native wants to sue the U.S. government for the lack of action taken against the mayhem happening in his country and Paul looks to Lori to take the case. Founding partn…
- 12 From Whence We Came Lori, along with Denny and Shirley, defends a school superintendent who fired two science teachers because they refused to teach creationism and is now being sued by them. Alan le…
- 13 It Girls and Beyond Brad becomes attracted to his client who being sued for having a relationship with her boss merely for financial purposes. To make matters more difficult, Brad convinces himself t…
- 14 Til We Meat Again While out with Tara, Alan ends up causing a bar room brawl and as a result, becomes arrested for conspiracy to commit assault and battery. Shirley and Denny represent a man whose …
- 15 Tortured Souls Shirley asks Alan Shore to use his odious lawyering to help her defend a police officer accused of torture. Donny Crane returns and is the opposing counsel in Denny's case, with C…
- 16 Let Sales Ring Milton Bombay is asking the courts to allow him to be frozen until another century so he can continue his legacy of being a great lawyer and needs Denny and Shirley to defend him.…
- 17 Death Be Not Proud Chelina asks Alan to assist her in Texas because her former client is getting executed but may be innocent of the crime. An old friend of Denny and Shirley asks them for legal rep…
Season 2
- 1 The Black Widow Alan Shore and Brad Chase represent Kelly Nolan who is on trial for poisoning her husband. Meanwhile, Tara Wilson second-chairs for Shirley Schmidt and is shocked to find that the…
- 2 Schadenfreude The Kelly Nolan trial continues, but Alan, Denny and Brad run fear the worst when Kelly's cold demeanor begins to turn off the jury. Meanwhile, Garrett and Sara are enlisted to he…
- 3 Finding Nimmo Denny takes Alan to Nimmo Bay, British Columbia, Canada, to help him get over his breakup with Tara. Catherine confesses to Bernard's murder. Sara and Garrett take extreme measure…
- 4 A Whiff and a Prayer Denny's strong conservative values are put to the test when the firm represents a Democratic congressman who refused to keep a promise to his supporters. Alan tries to forget abou…
- 5 Men to Boys Denise finds herself in a difficult position when an auto-injury case she neglected for three years comes up for trial and she is unprepared. While Garrett researches, he meets Ca…
- 6 Witches of Mass Destruction The firm takes on two milestone cases. First, Shirley and Denise represent Christian and Wiccan parents who are outraged by a public school's Halloween celebrations, but the case …
- 7 Truly, Madly, Deeply Denny is called to defend a man who raped and killed a 13-year-old girl, but decides he'd rather go to jail than spend his days defending murderers. Meanwhile, Alan must face his …
- 8 The Ass Fat Jungle Denise finds herself wanting to sue her own client when Boston's most celebrated plastic surgeon is under fire for unorthodox techniques. Shirley takes on a difficult case involvi…
- 9 Gone When the FBI's hands are tied with red tape, Brad helps Denise go undercover as a rogue agent in order to find a missing boy who is close to her heart. But when legal and ethical …
- 10 Legal Deficits After kidnapping a witness and physically assaulting a priest, Brad is put on trial and enlists the help of Denny and Shirley to bail him out. Meanwhile, Alan's hands are full wi…
- 11 The Cancer Man Can Paul recruits Denise to help him defend a cancer patient who used his wealth to guarantee he would not get a placebo during a drug study. Meanwhile, Alan goes too far in trying t…
- 12 Helping Hands Alan finds himself all alone against the firm when he decides to defend Jerry Espenson from charges of attempted murder, torture and terrorist threats. Denise and Daniel Post get…
- 13 Too Much Information Alan and Denise take on the case of a young girl whose father killed her mother after finding the mother's whereabouts through her HMO's website. Catherine Piper comes back into …
- 14 Breast in Show After meeting Irma for a date, Alan finds himself defending her when she is charged with a sex crime by protesting topless. Meanwhile, Denise finds it difficult to remain close t…
- 15 Smile Alan's friendly demeanor quickly turns into anger when a prestigious private school turns away a child prodigy because she lacks the face muscles to smile. Meanwhile, Shirley and…
- 16 Live Big Alan and Denny defend a man charged with murder after he euthanized his wife with Alzheimers. Meanwhile, long-lost family members return when Shirley's ex-husband asks her to be …
- 17 ...There's Fire! Shirley, Paul and Brad batten down the hatches as Bev files for divorce hours after her marriage to Denny, and demands half of his assets. Alan helps defend an old friend who was…
- 18 Shock and Owww! Shirley covertly asks Alan for help when nude photographs of her surface for auction. Paul sends Brad in undercover when he suspects his daughter is once again using drugs, and D…
- 19 Stick It Alan once again goes to bat for Melissa, this time with much less confidence, who is in serious trouble with the IRS. Meanwhile, Paul and Brad enact a plan to help Rachel get int…
- 20 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Shirley defends a long-time client who doesn't want his Victorian erotica collection lost in his divorce, but she is shocked when Ivan is opposing council. Alan takes drastic ste…
- 21 Word Salad Days After beginning to speak gibberish in court, Alan turns to Denny for help in curing his new, debilitating condition. Meanwhile, Paul and Brad defend a video game company when a m…
- 22 Ivan the Incorrigible Alan decides to help Jerry with his first big attempted-murder case, but has to take drastic action when Jerry's courtroom outbursts jeopardize the case. Meanwhile, Shirley is sh…
- 23 Race Ipsa When Denny shoots his therapist in self-defense, the senior partners, fed up with his rogue behavior, begin to enact plans to remove him from the firm. Meanwhile, Alan enlists th…
- 24 Deep End of the Poole Name partner Edwin Poole returns from a mental institution to Crane, Poole and Schmidt, ready to jump back in, but Shirley has reservations when he decides to sue a candy company.…
- 25 Squid Pro Quo Denny once again goes head-to-head with his non-son, Donny, when he shows up in his new role as a Lawyers Without Borders representative. But Alan finds it difficult to support De…
- 26 Spring Fever Shirley once again helps Professor Cabot, whose research into human sexual behavior gets him into trouble when he's caught with a prostitute. Marlene and Denise continue their fig…
- 27 BL: Los Angeles While in LA, Alan takes on the case of TV star Courtney Rae, who is arrested after shooting a photographer who she mistakes for a stalker. But Denny and Barry make life difficult …
Season 3
- 1 Can't We All Get a Lung? Terminally ill Daniel Post needs Denise and Shirley's help after running afoul of the law. Meanwhile, Alan defends Jerry after his driving habits lead to trouble.
- 2 New Kids on the Block Crane Poole & Schmidt's new lawyer makes his mark while defending a man charged with killing a judge. Meanwhile, Denny's Internet romance creates trouble at the firm, and Alan hel…
- 3 Desperately Seeking Shirley Shirley finds an unlikely--but familiar--foe in court when her ex-husband, Ivan, wants to get rid of his postnuptial agreement to his current wife. Meanwhile, Coho engages in ques…
- 4 Fine Young Cannibal Denny is attracted to feisty lawyer Bethany Horowitz as they try a case against an HMO, and Alan grows more attracted to Shirley as they defend a homeless man accused of cannibali…
- 5 Whose God is It Anyway? The media spotlight intensifies as Coho's high-profile murder case goes to trial; Alan finds himself defending Jerry Espenson--again--but also sees another familiar face in court;…
- 6 The Verdict A shocking allegation of Oedipal proportions in the Scott Little case threatens to torpedo Coho's defense; Alan seeks outside help to breathe some life into his relationship with …
- 7 Trick or Treat Halloween brings Denise startling news about Daniel Post; Denny meets Bethany's mother; Jerry needs Alan's help with a federal jury matter; and the fallout from the Scott Little c…
- 8 Lincoln Shirley finds herself attracting the attention of the eccentric Lincoln Meyer; Denny, Bella and Bethany prepare themselves for the results of his paternity test; and Alan helps Je…
- 9 On the Ledge Lincoln's obsession with Shirley takes a dangerous turn; Jerry and Alan's collaboration in a murder trial leads to a scotch-and-cigar session, which makes Denny jealous.
- 10 The Nutcrackers Alan represents a mother fighting for custody of her preteen daughters, who happen to be white-supremacist singers; a woman reaches for the heavens to blame someone for her husban…
- 11 Angel of Death Alan goes to New Orleans to help a New York attorney with the defense of a doctor on trial for euthanizing five patients during Hurricane Katrina. Meanwhile, Clarence is thrown ou…
- 12 Nuts Self-proclaimed patriot Denny needs Alan's assistance when his name shows up on a federal no-fly list; Shirley and Vanessa help a teacher in a wrongful-death suit after a student …
- 13 Dumping Bella Denny goes ape when Bella is the target of animal-rights activists, who are being represented by her daughter--and his diminutive ex-girlfriend--Bethany. Meanwhile, Brad has doubt…
- 14 Selling Sickness Shirley tackles a case involving a drug remedy for trauma; Alan, Denny and Bethany help a judge who is unhappy with his sexual orientation; and Denise learns she's pregnant, but i…
- 15 Fat Burner Denny is arrested for illegally exporting human fat to be used as a fuel source; Clarence tries his first case--a homicide--with the help of Bethany and Paul; and a member of the …
- 16 The Good Lawyer Alan tries two different cases, including the defense of a therapist who was fired for his belief in UFOs. Meanwhile, Clarence is confused by Claire's dinner invitation; and Betha…
- 17 The Bride Wore Blood At the courthouse, Alan runs into an old flame and coworker, who's looking very guilty in a bloody wedding gown; Claire reluctantly defends a cell-phone thief; and Denny's prejudi…
- 18 Son of the Defender The past comes back to haunt Denny when a vengeful man forces the firm to find a different outcome in a decades-old murder trial. Meanwhile, Alan is jailed for contempt of court w…
- 19 Brotherly Love Alan and Denny defend an unscrupulous lawyer accused of obstructing justice on behalf of his brother. Meanwhile, interoffice couples Brad and Denise and Claire and Clarence each d…
- 20 Guise 'N Dolls Alan faces Jerry in court again in a case involving a department store's sale of allegedly lewd dolls; Shirley and Paul react to Denny's insensitive remark to a potential employee…
- 21 Tea and Sympathy Denny lusts after Judge Weldon when Alan defends her in a drug case; a sorority girl's expulsion pits Clarence against Jerry; Brad expresses a desire for a military wedding, but i…
- 22 Guantanamo by the Bay Alan takes on the United States of America based on a client's claims of torture for two years at a detention camp; Jerry pleads with Shirley to rehire him; and Claire defends a l…
- 23 Duck and Cover Alan defends Brad and Denise's priest after he's arrested on their wedding day on charges of sheltering undocumented immigrants; Jerry helps a woman with a pet duck who was evicte…
- 24 Trial of the Century Alan and Denny defend brothers charged with murdering their father; and Jerry and Clarence represent a woman with enormous gambling debts who blames her misfortune on a casino.
Season 4
- 1 Beauty and the Beast Senior partner Carl Sack clashes with Denny after the latter is arrested. Meanwhile, Shirley needs Alan's help when a university wants a donation, and Jerry assists another new at…
- 2 The Innocent Man A new lawyer at the firm draws instant attention from Alan, who is busy helping Jerry and Katie on a murder trial and fielding an offer from Gloria to be the father of her child. …
- 3 The Chicken and the Leg Denny believes a bet against Carl Sack in a cockfighting case is a sure thing; Alan and Lorraine represent an HIV-positive girl in a suit against her school; a widow hires Katie a…
- 4 Do Tell Shirley answers the call when a military man, who is an old friend of Denny's, comes under fire for admitting he's gay; Alan endures another bout of incoherent speech; Katie helps…
- 5 Hope and Gory A woman asks for Alan's advice on how to kill the man who murdered her daughter but was acquitted by reason of temporary insanity; Katie and Jerry try to overturn a child-molester…
- 6 The Object of My Affection Alan pushes a temporary-insanity defense when Patrice is accused of killing the man who murdered her daughter; Denny finds fault with an associate's physique; Jerry helps a kindre…
- 7 Attack of the Xenophobes Denny needs Alan's help after using an employee's weight as a reason for dismissal; Clarence is upset by an Internet posting of him as Clarice; Katie and Whitney work on a murder …
- 8 Oral Contracts Shirley takes part in a case involving a radio personality's dismissal for using disrespectful language; Denny needs Alan's help after getting arrested; Katie wonders if Lorraine …
- 9 No Brains Left Behind Shirley's granddaughter gets kicked out of school for making a social statement; Alan and Denny take matters into their own hands to help a flood victim; Carl makes an important d…
- 10 Green Christmas Alan defends Clarence against a bank in a foreclosure case; a client challenges Denny's claims about the firm's commitment to the environment; concerned parents try to keep a teen…
- 11 Mad About You Shirley and Carl worry about the firm's reputation when Denny turns down Alan's assistance in order to go it alone on a headline-grabbing murder case. Meanwhile, Jerry and Katie h…
- 12 Roe v. Wade, the Musical Shirley and Alan face off in court when they're on opposite sides of a case involving stolen sperm; Jerry helps his objectophile ex-girlfriend when she loses her teaching job for …
- 13 Glow in the Dark After enlisting Alan and Denny to help her friend, who's suing her town for its decision to build a nuclear power plant, Shirley discovers that the opposing counsel is her college…
- 14 Rescue Me Carl helps Shirley's friend Andrea when she blames a company for botching the process of turning her mother's ashes into a diamond; Whitney takes on a high school over a student's…
- 15 Tabloid Nation Alan and Jerry go after a tabloid talk show when a women is murdered for turning down a marriage proposal on the air. Meanwhile, Denny hopes a dinner invitation from Shirley will …
- 16 The Mighty Rogues Alan fields a difficult request from Shirley after her father suffers an injury while in the late stages of his battle with Alzheimer's; Carl represents a group of Nantucket resid…
- 17 The Court Supreme It's a lawyer's dream come true for Alan when he presents an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in a case involving a mentally challenged man who was convicted of statutory rape. Me…
- 18 Indecent Proposals Denny is head over heels for a cattle rancher who wants the government to stop the sale of cloned meat. Meanwhile, Shirley asks Alan to sue the Democratic Party when her nephew--a…
- 19 The Gods Must Be Crazy Jerry comes to the aid of his ex-girlfriend when she's collared for prostitution; Carl and Shirley help a woman who's suing the church for prohibiting her from becoming a priest; …
- 20 Patriot Acts Alan and Denny mark their acceptance into the Auxiliary Coast Guard, but their relationship is tested when a Massachusetts town wants Alan to help it secede from the U.S., and Den…
Season 5
- 1 Smoke Signals Alan answers a call for help from Bethany Horowitz in a suit against a tobacco giant, but he suffers a crisis of confidence when the opposing counsel turns out to be an old girlfr…
- 2 Guardians and Gatekeepers A close call for Denny involving prescription drugs inspires Alan to go after a pharmaceutical company for its unscrupulous advertising tactics. Meanwhile, Carl defends Shirley's …
- 3 Dances with Wolves Denny is arrested on concealed-weapon charges after shooting a man who tried to rob him and Jerry. Meanwhile, a case gets personal for Alan when he tries to help a sex surrogate i…
- 4 True Love After an old girlfriend hires Alan to help her husband beat a murder charge, he faces a moral and professional dilemma when his lingering feelings for her elicit a secret desire f…
- 5 The Bad Seed Alan and Shirley prepare for a fight with the military on behalf of a man whose brother died under suspicious circumstances. Meanwhile, Jerry helps his sister in her search for th…
- 6 Happy Trails Shirley defends the notorious Catherine Piper after she accidentally blows up her doctor. Meanwhile, Alan and Denny take a break from the office, but they are out of their element…
- 7 Mad Cows Alan and Denny sue the USDA on behalf of a cattle rancher who wants to test her entire herd for mad cow disease; Jerry's consideration to make partner hinges on an up-or-down vote…
- 8 Roe Alan and Shirley help a minor in a legal battle over her pregnancy, and Jerry takes up his own defense when he faces aggravated-assault charges after an encounter with a bully.
- 9 Kill, Baby, Kill Carl and Denny go to Virginia to defend a prison guard who shot a death-row inmate when a lethal-injection execution was botched. Meanwhile, Alan and Shirley help a woman who says…
- 10 Thanksgiving Shirley's quiet Thanksgiving with Carl becomes considerably louder when she opens her door to other members of the firm, including Alan, Denny, Jerry, Katie and emotionally unstab…
- 11 Juiced When Denny receives bad news about the state of his Alzheimer's, Alan goes before the Massachusetts Supreme Court to plead for access to an experimental drug that could help his c…
- 12 Made in China (1) Financial problems may force Crane, Poole & Schmidt to be put up for sale. Meanwhile, Alan petitions the Supreme Court for Denny's access to a non-FDA approved medicine; and Shirl…
- 13 Last Call (2) Financial problems may force Crane Poole & Schmidt to be put up for sale in the series finale, which also finds Alan petitioning the Supreme Court for Denny's access to a non-FDA …
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