BOSTON LEGAL: SCHMIDT HAPPENS (TV)
Summary
One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally challenged attorneys in Boston.
In this episode, Shirley Schmidt barges into the men's room -- investigating its facilities for a suit filed involving Title IX -- and stumbles upon Alan before they engage in a little tete-a-tete. Lori and Sally discuss Shirley getting called back from New York by Paul in order to put their office in shape.
Denny angrily asks Brad about Shirley's return, saying he doesn't want the newly named partner in the building. Denny further claims to have had a "torrid" affair with Shirley in the past. Later, Alan gets a call from an upset man, Bernard Ferrion, who claims to have accidentally killed his mother. With the man afraid to call the police, Alan pays a visit to his residence.
Lori meets with John Zenawi, a Sudanese ex-pat wanting to sue the U.S. government for its laissez-faire attitude toward the genocide in his home country. However, John doesn't have any idea about how he can sue, needing Lori to create the issue and bring it to the public's attention. Immediately, Shirley takes charge in the workplace, firing the Title IX complainer, telling Sally to -- sartorially speaking -- "pretend to be a lawyer," and reigning in Denny's outlandish behavior.
Meanwhile, Lori tries to hammer out a plan for John's suit, wondering if he was ever a witness to Sudan's devastation. At Bernard's home, Alan finds the woman's body on the kitchen floor before the would-be murderer discusses how he killed his berating mother. With Alan about to call the police, Bernard's mother abruptly makes a noise, making them realize that she's still alive. Though relieved, Bernard is then worried that she will rat him out. With the police soon on the scene, Bernard must pretend that Alan is his friend, while Alan wonders about the location of the assault weapon, a skillet.
Lori comes up with a "crazy idea" for how to prosecute America. Later, Bernard arrives at the law offices with another problem -- his mother is now in a vegetative state. He told doctors that his mother doesn't want medical treatment as she was once a Christian Scientist. Bernard wants Alan to "safeguard" her religious freedom. The next day, Lori informs Paul that the U.S. is claiming 12B6 "sovereign immunity" and they will only have one day to generate some "noise" in the courtroom, making them think of enlisting Denny's services.
At his own motion, Alan argues that Bernard's mother should be taken off life support. However, before a decision is reached, it's announced that she has regained consciousness. At Lori's motion, she argues that the U.S. has failed to complete its "rescue operation" in Sudan. Eventually, it is Shirley's argument that gets the motion accepted.
Bernard pays a visit to his hospitalized mother, who smiles upon seeing him before claiming that he hit her on the head with a skillet. Later, Shirley tells Denny that, if they're going to be working together, they should reach an accord. Denny thinks Shirley is "Bush-bashing," but Shirley knows his aversion to her has nothing to do with politics. Then, Lori gets a call from the judge, not thinking it a good sign.
Meanwhile, a worried Bernard learns that his mother finally passed away. Soon, the police arrive to arrest the grieving Bernard. Back in court, the judge agrees that America is "supposed to give a damn" and that Lori and Shirley's case will go through. Appearing for Bernard, Alan tries to get bail for his client before realizing that there's no evidence for murder, resulting in charges being dropped. Finally, Shirley and Lori share beers and wonder if they can make a difference while Denny and Alan share scotch and talk about Shirley. Includes commercials.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: January 9, 2005 Sunday 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:35
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:86458
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: She Made It Collection (Candice Bergen); Comedy; Drama, legal; Lawyers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "The Village" home video
- TV - Commercials - "Troy" home video
- TV - Commercials - Aflac insurance
- TV - Commercials - Air Wick air freshener
- TV - Commercials - Alka-Seltzer Plus cold medicine
- TV - Commercials - Campbell's soup
- TV - Commercials - Crest toothpaste
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - H&R Block tax company
- TV - Commercials - Habitat for Humanity organization
- TV - Commercials - Halls lozenges
- TV - Commercials - Hyundai automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Levitra erectile dysfunction medication
- TV - Commercials - Lysol toilet cleaning system
- TV - Commercials - March of Dimes organization
- TV - Commercials - Maybelline makeup
- TV - Commercials - Mercury automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Olive Garden restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Royal Caribbean cruise lines
- TV - Commercials - Sara Lee bread
- TV - Commercials - Sprint wireless
- TV - Commercials - Subway sandwiches
- TV - Commercials - The Lance Armstrong Foundation
- TV - Commercials - Three Musketeers candy bars
- TV - Commercials - U.S. Marines
- TV - Commercials - Verizon wireless
- TV - Commercials - Wal-Mart stores
- TV - Commercials - Wellbutrin XL antidepressant medication
- TV - Commercials - World Vision AIDS organization
- TV - Promos - "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition: How'd They Do That?"
- TV - Promos - "Supernanny"
- TV - Promos - "The Bachelorette"
- TV - Promos - "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings"
CREDITS
- Bill D"Elia … Executive Producer
- Scott Kaufer … Executive Producer
- David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Writer, Created by
- Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer
- Peter Ocko … Co-Executive Producer
- Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
- Jonathan Shapiro … Supervising Producer
- Lukas Reiter … Supervising Producer
- Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
- Anne M. Uemura … Associate Producer
- Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
- Kerry Ehrin … Consulting Producer
- Allison Liddi-Brown … Director
- Danny Lux … Music by
- James Spader … Cast, Alan Shore
- Monica Potter … Cast, Lori Colson
- Rhona Mitra … Cast, Tara Wilson
- Lake Bell … Cast, Sally Heep
- Mark Valley … Cast, Brad Chase
- Candice Bergen … Cast, Shirley Schmidt
- William Shatner … Cast, Denny Crane
- Leslie Jordan … Cast, Bernard Ferrion
- Brenda Wehle … Cast, Judge O'Keefe
- Gregalan Williams … Cast, John Zenawi
- Jodi Lyn O'Keefe … Cast, Nora
- Lisa Kaminir … Cast, D.A. Valerie Murrow
- Michael Wiseman … Cast, D.A. Bret Haber
- Tony Pasqualini … Cast, U.S. Attorney Joyner
- Rene Auberjonois … Cast, Paul Lewiston
- Fiona Hale … Cast, Mrs. Ferrion
- Ron Butler … Cast, Dr. Kohler
- Thom Gossom … Cast, Judge Blake Winters
- Rhomeyn Johnson … Cast, Detective Willet
- Alex Paez … Cast, Officer Coulier
- Obie Sims … Cast, Paramedic
- Phillip Palmer … Cast, Newscaster
- S. Zylan Brooks … Cast, Clerk
- Ray Laska … Cast, Judge James Billmeyer
- Crystal Allen … Cast, Maddie Tyler
- Barry Sigismondi … Cast, Office James