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Boston Legal : Season 2 [2005]


RRP: £44.99
Our Price: £23.46 (subject to change)

What's not to like?
Review date: 2008-07-17 Rating: 10 out of 10

I've always loved James Spader and his choice of quirky, sometimes troubled characters. Here he's on top form, wily, idiosyncratic, creepy sometimes but always funny and with excellent delivery of clever dialogue. William Shatner is harder to place - being a fan of TNG rather than TOS (yet the first Star Trek series was much more my era), I never found him funny, sexy or even a particularly good actor. Here however he's a revelation. He plays 'Denny Crane' (as he often keeps reminding us) with exactly the right tone and his pathos at possibly losing his mind, his vivacity for life and love means we sympathise rather than ridicule.

I used to like Ally McBeal but bored of it after about series 3. It was just a little too far fetched for my taste at the time. This however, although from the same stable is a class act. What's not to like at storylines that are engaging, sometimes thought provoking or downright laughable? Or the friendship that's played like a gentle, platonic love affair between Alan and Denny who are both acutely aware of the exasperated effect they have on the more reactionary and traditionalist lawyers in the practice.

More, much more of these polished and clever series please. Even if you don't like legal dramas you'll be beguiled by this.

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Reviews


"Spaderman" ???
Review date: 2008-03-23 Rating: 10 out of 10

"Spaderman"....Superhero of the court room...but more than that.

I loved the first season and was therefore looking forward to the second one, but the first 3 - 4 episodes nearly made me regret I've bought it.

In my opinion they are "too far out" , but then it gets back on track again and the stories get better and better and looking back on the whole season I will rate it higher than the first one.

Denny Crane of course remains Denny Crane, but James Spader changes Allan Shore into a real "spaderman of court" fighting for humanity. The friendship and the differences between Crane and Shore are the scoop in this season..and still with a great sense of humor.

I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.



Guilty as charged!
Review date: 2007-09-06 Rating: 10 out of 10

It really is hard to find fault with this series. In fact, for me, Season 2 has the edge on the excellent first season partly due to the introduction of some new characters and the massive central performances of Spader, Bergen and Shatner. Denny Crane!!

A Classic TV Show, but lose Betty White!!!!
Review date: 2007-06-24 Rating: 10 out of 10

Boston Legal Series One & Two

"Boston Legal" is that rare American show that is both intelligent and original. The result is a completely compelling and engrossing "tele-visual feast".

The almost magical chemistry between Shatner and Spader is remarkable to behold. This is a casting coup if there ever was one. Their relationship is beautifully played and completely life affirming. It is so good to see William Shatner being given the chance to perform in a part that demands of his talent. He has always been an extraordinary showman and it is a crime that it has taken so long to acknowledge just how good he is.
Spader has a charm and perverseness as an actor that is hard to quantify. He has such allure and grace. His delivery of such very complicated and complex speeches is a master class for all in his profession. His performance, as is Shatner's, is simply brilliant!

The actors are of course served with perceptive and enlightened scripts, that cry out for change in modern America. The scripts are never preachy and yet always funny. These scripts are excellent examples of great American screen writing, which more often that not is becoming harder to find.

The casting is generally excellent. The loss of Rhona Mitra in the second series is a terrible blow. She is a very good actor and sorely missed. Mark Valley is also a hidden gem. Some of the best episodes involve his "Mannix" aspirations and his bouts of rapid verbal dexterity. The inclusion of Cadice Bergen to the heady mix of Shatner and Spader is a masterstroke. She is such a superb actor with an extraordinary depth. Her ability to deliver speeches with such brilliant clarity and simple emotion is a wonder to behold. Julie Bowen is another great addition to the second series. She is excellent. Her range of facial expressions seems limitless! Another casting coup is the inclusion of the talented Parker Posey towards the end of the second series. This is an inspired piece of casting. I hope her character will be developed further, as Parker Posey is an actor with a rare talent that includes superb and precise comic timing. Anthony Heald and the superb Henry Gibson need to be mentioned for their perfectly pitched and hugely enjoyable performances. One actor in particular almost steals the show from Spader in the episode called "Legal Deficits". His name is Christopher Rich and he plays to perfection a creepy, ingratiating Texas Attorney. The scene between Rich and Spader is one of the most electrifying and satisfying in the whole series.

The only criticism I have of "Boston Legal" is the development of the only completely unbelievable character in the series. Catherine Piper played unsympathetically by Betty White. Her performance is completely at odds with the rest of the show and cast. Her performance tries to be funny but is far from it. At one point she tells Alan Shore before his closing "I hope you're good!" The line falls completely flat. She then comments after his closing "I thought you would be better!" Again the line rings hollow as if it is played knowingly for laughs. This kind of unsubtle acting is simply out of style with the rest of the cast. I keep hoping her character will be written out, as she is the only negative in an almost perfect show, but no! She now quite unconvincingly evicts a young associate from his office and is pushing a tea trolley around!

That said "Boston Legal" is an addictive show. One episode is never quite enough! Everyone involved in the show should feel blessed to be working on something truly special and original. This series will soon be regarded as the classic it most certainly is.

Great series
Review date: 2007-05-16 Rating: 10 out of 10

Buying these boxed sets is a great way to see this series without the annoying interruptions of ads;and the vagaries of TV schedulers who constantly chop and change.The acting is great-Shatner is a delight as Denny Crane.The writers have managed to get away with spearing the legal establishment(without being sued I hope) while using incredibly "honest" language that has been banned from TV-land since the banishment of unequivocal language by the PC ayatollahs.If you listen carefully,you will also be rewarded with regular allusions and references to Star Trek (Shatner was the original Capt.Kirk of the Enterprise).

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
James Spader
Parker Posey
William Shatner
Robert Wagner
Candice Bergen

Creators:
James Spader (Primary Contributor)
Robert Wagner (Primary Contributor)

Recording label: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
EAN: 5039036029896
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 7
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2007-03-05
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 1107 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2005-04-25
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: Norwegian (Subtitled)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: English (Original Language)

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