ALLY MCBEAL: SILVER BELLS (TV)
Summary
One in this whimsical comedy/drama series about the personal and professional misadventures of Ally McBeal, a neurotic young lawyer living in Boston. Cage & Fish becomes involved with an unusual case featuring a man wishing to marry another woman in addition to his current wife. By their account they have made a life together and the husband, James Horton, has had children by both women, Mindy and Patti. On the stand, Mindy, James's first wife, mentions that when he started seeing Patti, James paradoxically become more attached to her. In private, Georgia accuses Billy of undergoing something similar; she notes that since Ally arrived their marriage has gotten better and while she doesn't suspect an affair, she is irritated that Billy seems closer to Ally than to her. Meanwhile, preparations are made for Richard's office Christmas party. Billy secretly tells Ally about Georgia's accusations and admits there is a component of truth to them. Billy believes it is due to their friendship but Ally thinks it's because of their romantic history together. She leaves, uncomfortable with the whole situation. Whipper seems depressed and Richard talks to her about it. She wants him to marry her but he is apparently afraid of the prospect and won't say why. Georgia soon discovers that Billy told Ally about their conversation and is upset. John admits to Richard that he's "drawn" to Ally and wants to ask her out to the Christmas party. Richard encourages him to do so. Georgia sits Billy and Ally down in a room with her and she goes on a rant about Billy's relationship with Ally and its effect on their marriage. Eventually Ally manages to excuse herself from the room. Whipper visits the Horton household to get a brief look at their family life. Georgia confronts Billy again and notes that they require trust, which she feels he violated by telling Ally about their marriage situation. John finally works up the courage to ask Ally to the Christmas party, but his attempt proves unsuccessful. At the Christmas party, Whipper calls Ally away to hear the verdict on the trio marriage case. Whipper compares the Horton marriage favorably to her own past marriages and notes that they deserve to have their union, but rules against them anyway due to views on the sanctity of marriage. Afterwards, Richard confronts her and admits that he doesn't want to marry her because he's afraid of ending up like his constantly bickering parents and because of the age difference between them. Despite this, the two of them resolve to work something out. At the party, Georgia apologizes to Ally for sounding like a "lunatic" earlier. Ally finds John by himself in the office and offers to be his date after all. The episode ends with everyone engaging in a slow-dance, including Ally and John in his office. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: FOX
- DATE: December 15, 1997 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:09
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:55023
- GENRE: Comedy; Drama, legal
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama, legal
- SERIES RUN: FOX - TV series, 1997-2002
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Jeffrey Kramer … Co-Executive Producer
- Mike Listo … Producer
- Pamela Wisne … Co-Producer
- Robert Breech … Co-Producer
- Steve Robin … Co-Producer
- Jonathan Pontell … Supervising Producer
- Joe Napolitano … Director
- Vonda Shepard … Music by, Theme Music by
- Danny Lux … Music by
- Calista Flockhart … Cast, Ally McBeal
- Courtney Thorne-Smith … Cast, Georgia Thomas
- Greg Germann … Cast, Richard Fish
- Lisa Nicole Carson … Cast, Renée Raddick
- Jane Krakowski … Cast, Elaine Vassal
- Gil Bellows … Cast, Billy Allen Thomas
- Eric Pierpoint … Cast, James Horton
- Katie Mitchell … Cast, Patti Horton
- Amanda Carlin … Cast, Mindy Horton
- Vonda Shepard … Cast, Herself
- Peter MacNicol … Cast, John Cage
- Dyan Cannon … Cast, Jennifer "Whipper" Cone
- Renee Goldsberry … Cast, Ikette #1
- Vatrena King … Cast, Ikette #2
- Sy Smith … Cast, Ikette #3
- Peter Roth … Cast, Network President
- Eric Cohen … Cast, Dancing Twin #1
- Steve Cohen … Cast, Dancing Twin #2
- Bailey Thompson … Cast, Jean Horton