BOSTON LEGAL: RACE IPSA (TV)

Summary

One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, Denny meets with his exasperated therapist, Dr. Fields, who informs him that he is tired of his "feculent blather" and that Denny leads a meaningless life of boredom. Denny, as ever, pulls his gun, but the suicidal Fields reveals his own weapon and orders Denny to shoot him, which he does. Alan takes over an overworked public defender's case and, after running into Chelina in the hallway, realizes that he can use her help with his race-related defense. Alan then learns of Denny's latest antics and visits him in jail, where Denny protests that he had no choice but to shoot Fields. Back at the office, Brad confesses to Denise that he has been dumped again because of his terrible kissing technique, though his attempts to improve his talents through "male bonding" with Denny and Alan fall flat. Alan is frustrated to find that Denny's case will be tried by Judge Sanders, who infamously despises Alan's trademark "jibber-jabber," but he demands a probable cause hearing, pointing out that Fields was only mildly injured. Alan tries to question an uncooperative Fields, reminding him that he must be honest about his threat against Denny, and Paul frets to Shirley that the managing partners will oust Denny if he is convicted of a felony, as he likely will be.

Melissa informs Alan that she is uncomfortable with his working closely with his ex-flame Chelina, though Alan points out that they are hardly exclusive, having only kissed once themselves. In court, Chelina questions Officer Ralston, who detained and then arrested Dennis Pryor, a black man, for simply "looking at" houses in an upscale white neighborhood, prompting him to admit that race was a factor in the encounter. Alan admits to Shirley that he has no plan yet for getting Denny off, as his guilt seems definite, and Brad tells Denise that he is developing a "phobia" about kissing a woman and receiving another bad review. Pryor testifies that he was merely observing the elegant houses and was unfairly racially profiled by the cops, though Alan and Chelina try to convince him to plead guilty and accept probation, as the cop did in fact have the legal right to ask for his identification. Alan tells Denny that his "colorful history of shooting people" will count against him, though Denny states that he was genuinely disturbed by the encounter with Fields and does not want to go near a gun again. Chelina struggles to write her closing argument, aware that Ralston was not actually breaking the law, but Alan urges her to use her non-cynical nature to appeal to the jury's sense of morality.

Brad finally accepts Denise's offer for "clinical" kissing instructions, and the lessons go a bit too far when he proves to be a "quick study." Alan questions Fields, forcing him to admit that he provoked Denny with highly unprofessional insults and then demanded that he shoot him, but everyone is shocked when Fields again pulls his gun, ranting that he is a "spectator to his own life" and has spent fruitless years trying to help narcissists like Denny. He threatens to kill Denny's "real therapist," Alan, but Denny saves the day by shooting Fields – again. Denise refuses to discuss her encounter with Brad, and Chelina argues that racial profiling has become unfairly normalized, thanks to "the War on Terror," and that Pryor had the right to fight back with civil disobedience. Denny too argues that he was acting in the interest of "national security" by carrying a concealed weapon, and Sanders grudgingly admits that he likely saved them all and allows Denny off with a stern warming. Alan and Chelina win their case and part with another longing kiss, and Denny later questions Alan about his current love life as he savors his own victory, musing that he surely would have been jailed in other "pinko countries" for his various shooting incidents. Commercials deleted.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: April 25, 2006 10:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:43:20
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: 112444
• GENRE: Comedy
• SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Lawyers
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Promos - "Boston Legal" upcoming episode

CREDITS

• Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
• Scott Kaufer … Executive Producer
• David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
• Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer
• Peter Ocko … Co-Executive Producer
• Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
• Jonathan Shapiro … Supervising Producer
• Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
• Anne M. Uemura … Associate Producer
• Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
• Sheila Lawrence … Consulting Producer
• Lou Antonio … Director
• Danny Lux … Music by
• James Spader … Cast, Alan Shore
• Julie Bowen … Cast, Denise Bauer
• Mark Valley … Cast, Brad Chase
• Rene Auberjonois … Cast, Paul Lewiston
• Candice Bergen … Cast, Shirley Schmidt
• William Shatner … Cast, Denny Crane
• Kerry Washington … Cast, Chelina Hall
• Peter MacNicol … Cast, Dr. Sydney Field
• Marisa Coughlan … Cast, Melissa Hughes
• Shelley Berman … Cast, Judge Robert Sanders
• Jason Blicker … Cast, A.D.A. Duncan Jones
• Page Kennedy … Cast, Dennis Pryor
• Michael Ensign … Cast, Judge Paul Resnick
• Randy Thompson … Cast, Officer Carl Ralston
• Allan Wasserman … Cast, A.D.A. Oliver Goldberg
• Jonathan Palmer … Cast, Public Defender Adams
• Rowan Joseph … Cast, Foreman
• Zylan Brooks … Cast, Clerk
• Kurt Scholler … Cast, Bailiff
• Deb Hiett … Cast, Cindy