BOSTON LEGAL: MAD ABOUT YOU (TV)

Summary

One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally-challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, Denny cites his Coast Guard status as he barges onto a crime scene, discovering that an acquaintance, Penelope Kimball, has murdered her husband while gardening, apparently accidentally. Later, a dismayed Alan views Denny's absurd television statements about the case and offers to sit second chair, but Denny declares that he will handle it without him and will argue temporary insanity. He summons Whitney and orders her to "watch and learn" from him, while elsewhere Mary Winston meets with Katie and Jerry and requests to sue her husband's lawyers for coercing him into divorcing her. Jerry, however, is still flustered by his mistletoe kiss with Lorraine and exhibits a number of his characteristic tics. Denny makes his usual inappropriate jokes in court, though the judge agrees to allow the case to go to trial, and Denny immediately hits on Penelope as she explains that her marriage was ending shortly before her husband's death. Jerry admits to Katie that he may have Tourette's and is embarrassed by his "undignified" outbursts, but she reassures him.

Alan walks in on Denny and Penelope's "meeting" and later scolds Denny for his behavior, saying that his antics could damage his streak and cause him to finally lose a case. Denny, however, declares that he is not "over" and vows to continue handling the trial himself, with an uncertain Whitney in tow. The prosecutor assures the jury that it was simply a "good old-fashioned murder" and that Penelope was motivated by their separation, but Denny reminds them that they still have reasonable doubt as a disguised Alan watches from the gallery. Mary's husband Perry and his lawyers are baffled by Mary's odd accusation, but Katie and Jerry maintain that he was unfairly influenced by the firm's "sleazy" billboards and tactics. The police explain that Penelope openly confessed to killing her husband, though she testifies that she was unaware of deciding to hit him with the shovel and that it "just happened." Whitney is further discomfited when Denny bribes an expert into testifying that the client was indeed insane at the time, and Dr. Roswell swears that Penelope was suffering from brain-altering "peri-menopause." Jerry frets that he cannot argue Mary's case in court because of his frequent tics, but with Katie's encouragement, he offers a compelling speech about how the billboards went beyond the usual scope of advertisement and cheapened the legal profession.

Alan visits Denny and gently offers to assist him with his closing arguments if necessary, still worried that he cannot handle the case. The prosecutor reiterates that Penelope had ample motive for murder and did not act at all insane, but Denny offers a very convincing argument that she simply had a "flash" of madness and did not set up any kind of false defense ahead of time. Katie kindly praises Jerry's talents when the judge allows Mary's case to go to trial because of his argument, and Alan declares that Denny's closing was "superb." The jury returns quickly and Penelope is found not guilty on all counts, and though Denny reacts with his usual cocky pride in front of the press, Alan catches him having a private emotional moment, revealing his true fears about the case. Later, the two best friends savor the victory with a drink. Includes commercials and promos.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: January 15, 2008 Tuesday 10:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:58:07
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:92830
• GENRE: Comedy
• SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Lawyers
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - AT&T cellular services
  • TV - Commercials - Abreva medication
  • TV - Commercials - Arm & Hammer Odor Alert cat litter
  • TV - Commercials - Beano medication
  • TV - Commercials - Best Buy stores
  • TV - Commercials - Carnival cruise lines
  • TV - Commercials - Chase banks
  • TV - Commercials - Chevrolet automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Digital television information website
  • TV - Commercials - DirecTV services
  • TV - Commercials - Dunkin Donuts coffee
  • TV - Commercials - Enterprise Rent-A-Car services
  • TV - Commercials - First Response pregnancy tests
  • TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - H&R Block services
  • TV - Commercials - Healthy Choice Panini meals
  • TV - Commercials - Hyundai automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Make-A-Wish foundation
  • TV - Commercials - Nissan automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Plavix medication
  • TV - Commercials - Staples stores
  • TV - Commercials - TD Ameritrade investment services
  • TV - Commercials - The Home Depot stores
  • TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - US EPA Certified SmartWay driving tips
  • TV - Commercials - Verizon Wireless cellular services
  • TV - PSA - A Better Community
  • TV - Promos - "All My Children"
  • TV - Promos - "Boston Legal" upcoming episode
  • TV - Promos - "Cashmere Mafia"
  • TV - Promos - "Eli Stone"
  • TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
  • TV - Promos - "Lost"
  • TV - Promos - "Supernanny"
  • TV - Promos - "The Bucket List" motion picture
  • TV - Promos - "The Game Plan" home video
  • TV - Promos - "Untraceable" motion picture
  • TV - Promos - "Wife Swap"

CREDITS

• Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
• David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
• Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer
• Lawrence Broch … Co-Executive Producer, Writer
• Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
• Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
• Craig Turk … Producer
• Phoef Sutton … Consulting Producer
• Susan Dickes … Consulting Producer
• Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
• Tom Verica … Director
• Danny Lux … Music by
• James Spader … Cast, Alan Shore
• John Larroquette … Cast, Carl Sack
• Anne M. Uemura … Co-Producer
• Christian Clemenson … Cast, Jerry Espenson
• Gary Anthony Williams … Cast, Clarence / Clarice Bell
• Tara Summers … Cast, Katie Lloyd
• Saffron Burrows … Cast, Lorraine Weller
• Taraji P. Henson … Cast, Whitney Rome
• Candice Bergen … Cast, Shirley Schmidt
• William Shatner … Cast, Denny Crane
• Xander Berkley … Cast, A.D.A. Rex Swarthmore
• Bess Armstrong … Cast, Penelope Kimball
• Grant Shaud … Cast, Perry Winston
• Valerie Mahaffey … Cast, Mary Winston
• Patrick Fabian … Cast, Attorney Stanley Gould
• Amy Hill … Cast, Dr. Kathleen Rosewell
• Lou Beatty Jr. … Cast, Judge Gordon Kolodny
• Jenifer Lewis … Cast, Judge Isabel Fisher
• Michael C. Mahon … Cast, Officer James Gilmore
• Dean Cudworth … Cast, Detective Ian Peters
• Karen Lew … Cast, Clerk
• Ed Brigadier … Cast, Foreman
• Marcus Folmar … Cast, Bailiff