Once Boston Legal ends its run with a Dec. 8 series finale, Emmy-winning writer-producer David E. Kelley won’t have a series on TV for the first time in at least two decades. But fortunately, there’s some good news for fans of his irreverent dramedies: NBC recently scooped up his latest script—about an aging lawyer and his adult daughter who work together at a Chicago firm—for a potential Fall ’09 premiere.
“It’ll feature a cauldron of eccentric characters,” Kelley tells EW. “It’s much more of a comedy than some of my other shows. Some of the [touches] will remind you of Boston Legal and Ally McBeal, but it won’t be an issue- or case-driven show. It’s about the comedic relationship.” As is the case with most, if not all of his creations, the law “remains the best vehicle” for Kelley to explore his characters. In other words, don’t expect Kelley to pull a Tim Kring and suddenly churn out another Heroes. “[The law] is a natural for me,” Kelley says. “It’s society’s way of legislating morality. It’s a franchise that causes people to unearth their ideas and beliefs, and it’s such a natural spring board to tell stories about characters.
Meanwhile, Kelley just turned in the final script for Legal,
a series he never thought would make it past a couple seasons, much
less five. So what’s the story? Could rule-breaker Alan Shore (James
Spader) finally lose his job?
“Yes…and no,” says Kelley. “That’s not a big part [of the ending].
It’s a small component that pays off a little bit in the last couple
of episodes.” And what about ongoing hints that Denny’s (William
Shatner) mad cow disease could turn into a full-blown battle with
Alzheimer’s? “We will get into it a little bit, but whether we resolve
it, I’m not telling,” adds Kelley, who says this series-ender is one of
the very few he’s written in his career. (He wasn’t there for the last
bows of L.A. Law, Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, and Boston Public, and he never felt like The Practice ended because it spun into Legal.)
“This one feels like a finale,” Kelley promises. “There are no
nuclear devices that blow up—but if executed properly, this one could
be my favorite. It will be satisfying.”
More on Boston Legal:
Ausiello: Another Boston Legal vet returns
DVD review: Boston Legal season 1
Boston Legal renewed for fifth season
We love 1980s James Spader
Meanwhile, Kelley just turned in the final script for Legal,a series he never thought would make it past a couple seasons, muchless five. So what’s the story? Could rule-breaker Alan Shore (JamesSpader) finally lose his job?
“Yes…and no,” says Kelley. “That’s not a big part [of the ending].It’s a small component that pays off a little bit in the last coupleof episodes.” And what about ongoing hints that Denny’s (WilliamShatner) mad cow disease could turn into a full-blown battle withAlzheimer’s? “We will get into it a little bit, but whether we resolveit, I’m not telling,” adds Kelley, who says this series-ender is one ofthe very few he’s written in his career. (He wasn’t there for the lastbows of L.A. Law, Picket Fences, Chicago Hope, and Boston Public, and he never felt like The Practice ended because it spun into Legal.)
“This one feels like a finale,” Kelley promises. “There are nonuclear devices that blow up—but if executed properly, this one couldbe my favorite. It will be satisfying.”
More on Boston Legal:
Ausiello: Another Boston Legal vet returns
DVD review: Boston Legal season 1
Boston Legal renewed for fifth season
We love 1980s James Spader
Comments (1-30) of 61 Add your comment
After all the talk between Alan and Denny about would Alan let Denny live if he loses all his faculties, I’m a little worried the finale will feature a mercy killing of Denny.
I find it strange that ABC would cancel boston legal with all the critical acclaim it is still getting.
BL can’t be cheap, not with James Spader, William Shatner and Candice Bergen commanding huge salaries on top of the top-tier guest actors the show regularly attracts. At some point it clearly wasn’t worth keeping past its sell-by date.
I for one am a bit disappointed DEK isn’t still with “Life On Mars,” as that show deserves his ear for dialogue.
I doubt they’ll kill Denny off in the finale, but I do hope that Alan and Denny will don the flamingo costumes one last time. PLEASE???? *sigh* I love this show SO much. Why, David E. Kelley? Why, ABC?? WHY?????
I am bummed that this series is ending. I wonder if the things they mentioned in the episodes this season are hints at what is going to happen. There have been mentions that the firm is in financial trouble; there have been mentions that there have been complaints with the state bar association. Maybe the branch office will close and attorneys have the option of being transferred to the NY office. Denny and Alan decide to start their own firm.
It HAS to end with Denny and Alan on a balcony.
There are so many ways this could end. Have no idea how. But the balcony scene is a must.
Unless Alan (or Denny) is there alone- but that seems too dismal.
It needs to leave us with a smile on our face.
Great Show.
they should get married! it’s legal in mass. isn’t it?
David E. Kelley helped win this election. Thanks for keeping that hope alive every week. It was the only show that I never missed.
David E. Kelley is a genius!! This is the best show on TV. I don’t understand why it is the last season?
I love that the writing is so smart, the topics and issues so poignant and of today AND that it is so entertaining.
Certainly there are more issues to explore. The cast is superb!!! esp. Spader and Shatner. Bergan and Larroquette are great!!
I feel as though I have learned something and have been so entertained at the same time. There is no show that can compare.
Please keep it going or with your new show in ‘09. It provides such great insights for those of us who have a brain.
I can’t say enough about David E. Kelley’s genius!!!!!
please keep your political views to yourself, I used to like Boston Legal, the shows around the elction were pathetic , I will never watch it again!!!!!! I will tell everyone I know to ban it!!!!!!!!!
thank you david kelly. you have portrayed a beautiful women in her 60’s as a sex object: an offish but brilliant male at the pinacle of his career but with memory failing:
and a shining star in the legal profession with flaws of the
every man. please don’t stop your take on life with the last
season of boston legal. we all need more david kelly.
Denny and Alan and the rest of the superb characters of Boston Legal are larger than life and will continue to be our friends long after the show passes into reruns – Thanks for putting this show on DVD – and now how about the PRACTICE Season 8? I’m eagerly looking forward to your new projects!
I am a 54 year old ordained minister and I LOVE Boston Legal. David Kelley’s ability to provoke thought and entertain, to make me laugh and cry and present both sides of many issues, I find extraordinary. I would give my eye teeth to meet him and just talk! Kelley’s compassion and insight into human beings is amazing.
why is my favorite program being taken off the air and replaced with that stupid program. WHY!!!!! Don’t understand. Please explain.
Boston Legal is my favourite show – is there no hope of a spin-off?????
do these comments ever reach those who could make things happen??
Bigots! AS Carl says, the bunch of bozos running the networks have no clue what we want to watch…they are just throwing things on the wall…and they don’t want it to be about real people and real problems, even if the scripts are smart and funny, such as Boston Legal…unacceptable…
My favorite show, by far. Thank Goodness for Ion and reruns!!!
I will sorely miss Alan’s jibber jabber, Denny’s shenanigans, and Shirley’s delight in them both. Hubby, being a Shatner fan, and me being a Spader/Bergan fan, we both laugh out loud several times every ep, especially at all the tongue-in-cheek self-referencial lines. I’ll be certain tune in to whatever else David E. Kelley serves up, but BL was one in a million.
i wish that we could take out an injunction to make him keep writing BL till the year 2012 or even later lol
i was a fan of the practice from the early days and even more when Alan joined and was so happy to see him continue into BL
life will not be the same without Alan and Denny
I, too, shall miss BL. As others have mentioned, it was informative and enlightening all at the same time. I love the camaraderie between Alan and Denny. I also love that they take on modern day issues…and win….I’m sorry to see this exceptional show go by the wayside when there is so little to enjoy on current tv. Let’s ditch some of those reality shows,and keep this show…. please!!!!
ABC is a typical big business. Poorly run, not in touch with its audience. BL is one of the few shows provoking thought.
Mr. Kelly you did BL justice. You did not leave me to wonder what if… I would have loved to have been able to keep my mind thinking of outlandish case law a few more years. The group of actors were incredible together and I enjoyed every episode. What a wonderful ending to a wonderful show. I must say I had to watch using my DVR as I couldn’t take the endless commericals for the new HIT reality show about being the pretties girl. Sadden me to think we could possible go from weekly episodes which provoked a lawful thought to I’m the pretties pick me!! Thank you again for 5 years. I will miss the group.
Please!Please! give me some hope!; tell me there will be a spin off; what will happen to Denny, Allen, Shirley? This is the only television program I thoroughly enjoy! No More reality TV! What has happened to our broadcasting networks? Save us All!!!
Bravo! What a wonder series Boston Legal was. Thank you David Kelly and cast for a truly entertaining show. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute. Very, very well done. I will miss it.
Brilliant ending David E. Kelley. Kudos.
R.I.P. Boston Legal, you will be missed.
I just watched the final episode of Boston Legal and I am so sad that I haven’t got my favorite show to look forward to anymore. I was hoping that some of the hints about maybe being picked up by another network would pan out…but I guess not. Why is it that they take away the best, well-written, most thought-provoking shows off the air only to replace them with mindless, self absorbed reality shows? Is this really the mentality of the country? God help us all! I think I will give up tv.
Just as Obama is the worst President ever, this was the worst TV finale ever. I hated every single minute of it. I’m glad it’s gone.
Don’t let this show die!!! Although I watched the series finale last night, and relished in the the storyline unfolding, I cannot help but feel there is more out there for Alan and Denny. Switch networks, go to basic cable, or ABC execs could get a clue and put it back on Tuesday’s at 10:00PM!!! The show has a consistently strong cast and I liked the fact that it got people to think and be entertained. Try that with cheapo reality programming? Keep Boston Legal alive.
The absolute best show on TV. David Kelley is a genius who incorporates newsworthy subjects on every show. I’ve watched all 5 seasons and will definitely buy all 5 season dvds. When faced with nothing but reality and teen type shows I’ll be watching Boston Legal reruns. Thank you David for 5 great seasons!
As a stockholder of Disney, I’m appalled that they let one of their “Jewels in the Crown” disappear.
It was a show for intelligent, thoughtful, curious viewers—-obviously, not alot of those left in
America. The dumbing down is now complete—there isn’t any show that any of us in my office or home are interested in watching anymore.
To paraphriase my OB/GYN who once said, “these days, it’s just idiots having more and more idiots”.
In the case of network TV, “It’s overpaid, not-a-clue executives, pawning off trash on the American public, and calling it entertainment.
And more disturbing—-the American public watching the crap.
BP staff—Your loyal viewers appreciated your talents and efforts.
Please reconsider—after all, there ARE OTHER NETWORKS!!!!!!!!!