Ally McBeal

One of the best shows to ever hit TV. There are some pretty negative comments here, but I know why. Folks are angry that the show changed in the last few seasons and they are disappointed that it ended. The first three seasons you couldn't go to the water cooler if you had not watched the show and had some little tid-bit to say about what you saw. That spells great writing and fabulous performances to me. Calista Flockhart is a wonderful person and a terrific actress. She made the show work. without her, no Ally. There are episodes that are priceless. The dancing baby is unique and entertaining. No one had ever taken that kind of risk on TV. A computerized baby dancing with real people. Of course everyone's doing it now. I believe Ally Mcbeal to be a classic.

When "Ally McBeal" premiered in Australia in July 1997, I by perchance taped the pilot episode, not even knowing what it was about. It was that sole episode that drew me into "Ally" magic, which quickly dominated a dull Monday night, 8:30pm timeslot.

As a teenager who gives the typically teenaged aim of "Dawson's Creek", "Felicity" and "Charmed" a miss, "Ally" was a complete relief, despite the fact then I knew little about the law.

As expected from David E. Kelley, the characters and the actors portrayals of them are simply first rate. By far the best of the ensemble, Calista Flockhart in the title role is sensational as the insecure, uptight lawyer of Boston. The Ally character is bound to become a future cultural icon of the 1990s.

Peter MacNicol, as the weird John Cage, Greg Germann as the legally unaware, unsympathetic boss Richard Fish and Lucy Liu as the moody, bitchy Ling are the forefront supporting actors of the cast. Jane Krakowski as the snoopish, inventive secretary Elaine is pretty good too.

However, it is the weaker characters of Nelle (Portia deRossi), Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), Billy (Gil Bellows) and Renee (Lisa Nicole Carson) that have begun to show their wear and tear in the second series. Merely, they seem to be paid for standing around looking pretty. Hopefully David E. Kelley will develop these characters more in the coming seasons, otherwise they will continue to be dominated by the stronger cast, looking like beautiful people dressed up with sex to look better than they really are.

The "Ally" cast, and their continuing ongoing struggles in the court room and in their personal lives in a dream of a law firm has been for the majority of the season, one of the most entertaining of the shows on the air today.

However, Kelley's creativity and imagery that goes into each special treat of an episode is excellent. For once, plot and character seem to go hand in hand. By breaking the barriers and creating a show that is neither four parts drama to one part comedy, or four parts comedy to one part drama, was the just the beginning of his dealing with controversial issues.

Since the cross over episode with Kelley's even better show "The Practice", I have graduated from little league law to the darker, grittier side of Boston which has now replaced "Ally" as my favourite show. But the allure for more "Ally" is still there.

As long as Kelley can continue to separate sex and controversy entirely from a show of pure genius, "Ally" will be continue to be fresh and by all means, a great show.

For David Kelly the creation of this law firm must have come to him as he envisioned what L.A.Law would've been in it's most bizarre form. If you told viewers beforehand some of the quirks and cases the main character, and the firm, would entertain I'm sure the "test" audience would have responded with a collective thumbs down. This is why the success and following of the show is all the more astounding.

I have watched from the first episode and look forward to it every week. From the first time we saw Ally get sexually harassed in her old firm, to her first sighting of the baby cupid on roller skates with a bow and arrow we have embraced her quirks and her flaws. We have hung on every "theme song", everytime she saw Al Green and most recently Barry Manilow, and we have learned to clutch onto all the zaniness of the other characters as well.

Be it John Cage stuttering(pa..pa..pa..poughkeepsie), to the great "Fishisms" of his partner Richard Fish, to Billy's Robert Palmer girls, to Elaine's face bra, etc. etc. These characters are now part of our tuesday conversation at the water cooler. And in America that is when a show has made it!

Season three had it's mindnumbing sameness to it, but the introduction of Robert Downey Jr. has brought new life to a stagnant show. At the time of this writing it was announced Downey Jr. had signed a new 8 episode deal so it should be interesting to see where the show goes.

I'm in the middle of season four as i write these words. It's been a few years since the last time i watched Ally McBeal but somehow it was time again to visit the old gang at Cage & Fish.

I absolutely fell in love with this show, it's characters and story's a few years ago and I'm falling in love all over again. This show, it's heart, gentleness and (sometimes)idealistic look at life and love can get me to weep like a little schoolgirl (and I'm a man, age 32).

The story's about fulfilled and unfulfilled dreams, lost loves, Christmas spirit, special friendships,The passing of time and meandering moments, etc. have me glued to my television once again.

Like, why? Why is she in every episode? Far too much Vonda