BOSTON LEGAL - We're in the Coast Guard!

The acerbic and reptillian Judge Cooper returns to Boston Legal in this final episode, but as a client.    Since this is Boston Legal, the client in question has an outrageous legal case:  Judge Cooper represents the people of Concord, MA who want to secede from the Union.  Yes, secede.  As in drop out.  This rivals the episode where Nantucket wants to acquire nuclear weaponry. 

Creator David E Kelly's shows have always been infused with a sense of the whimsical and absurd, and the cases on Boston Legal always seem more like legal fables rather than realistic courtroom stories.  Particularly in this season, the cases have been forums for Kelly's political views, and tonight was no exception. 

Despite Alan's loathing of Cooper, he agrees to take the case even though he knows they'll ultimately lose.  Denny Crane is so offended by the idea of Concord seceding that he agrees to represent the government, and so these longtime friends are pitted against each other.  Will the case tear Denny and Alan apart?

No, silly!  OK, I hope I'm not blowing the ending for you or anything, but the case does strain but not break their friendship, and this episode ends with the traditional balcony drink-and-smoke that we've come to expect.

The best moment for me was not in the courtroom, but the scene where Alan and Denny find out that they've been accepted into the Coast Guard Auxiliary and cackle and dance with glee like little boys.  It was just so... Boston Legaly. 

The show has really been built around the friendship between Denny and Alan, so it was nice to see this acknowledged on the last episode of the season.  If this were the series finale, it would have been a nice way to wrap things up.  But fortunately ABC has picked up the show for next season.

--Dave Campbell

Comments

[Gloria]

Can someone please tell me who is the artist in the court room? I am a big fan of the show, keep up the good work Mr.Kelly...actually love alot of your other shows too

[BL Fan]

Am I going crazy? Wasn't the show last night a repeat? I recall seeing both the Concord case and Denny and Alan getting in the Coast Guard in an episode months ago! How could this have been the finale?

[Sunnyewriter]

That episode last night was HORRIBLY flawed. Whoever wrote that analysis of the Patriot Act simply had not read it. I was so disgusted that I turned off the TV and got read a book -- on constitutional law, by the way.

[FanofCrane]

Denny should Adopt Alan!!!

[James]

I have loved this show since it started but the series finale sucked.

[Susan]

I am so relieved to hear ABC has picked Boston Legal up for next year.
The way it ended last night I was afraid it the end.
Thanks for a great season. Boston Legal is the best show on TV.

[Susan]

Does anyone know the name of the band that does the theme song?

[Lauren]

I'm a huge fan of the show but missed the final last night. I am looking for the recap but feel I am losing my mind! I too thought that Alan and Denny has already been accepted into the CG! My husband tells me that Shirley kissed Denny but didn't see enough to know why! Can anyone fill me in????? My favorite scenes are the end balcony scenes....I'm checking youtube...
I'm so excited the guys will be back next year!

[sue]

can somebody tell me wht the song was at the end of the episode

[sue]

can somebody tell me wht the song was at the end of the episode

[sue]

Can somebody tell me what the song was at the end of the episode.

[lalg]

Love, love, love Boston Legal. Please don't let it end next year!!

[gf]

I've loved this show from the get-go. Spader and Shatner are incredible, but it's Kelley's writing that amazes me.

The ending scene was great, but does anyone know who sang the background song, "In My Life"?

[elizabeth burns]

That episode played a snippet of the most beautiful Ray Charles rendition of "America the Beautiful" that I've ever heard. . . with that blues guitar. . . where is that recorded? Who is on guitar? I must have it.

[denise]

My husband called me on his way to go fishing. I was sure he wasn't thinking of Boston Legal when he said, "if I don't come back, call in the Coast Guard." I replied, "I'll just call Denny Crane and Alan Shore." He loved that one!!!

[Steve Micke]

I just watched the season finale. I loved it. I agree that their view of the Patriot act was a little skewed but in general Mr. Kelley made great points and I love the relationship with Alan and Denny.

[Monte Lyons]

I have loved Boston Legal since it came on. In fact own three seasons on dvd's. Shatner-Spader-Bergman are a perfect one-two-three punch and with Kelly's writing and Henry Gibson (I keep thinking he's going to do some stupid poem from Rowen & Martins Laugh In) as a judge, this show has the balance of laughes-crying and anger to hook anyone who see's it. Thank's ABC for renewing for next year.

[mad in olalla]

how come boston legal is not available to view in "full episode" mode...i hated missing the last show of the season...abc is archaic.

[jac]

i am a swedish lawyer and Boston Legal is the only series I can watch because of its political views points. It's so great that an american show is political and doesn't fall into the stupid crap-topics as the other shows do. At least the speak up for the weak and poor! Keep up the good work Boston Legal!! All the ensemble are heroes!

[James Wilson McKinstry]

I repeat I enjoy Boston Legal as I did Archie Bunker & Edith many years ago. As it is in real life we all have different agendas, personalities and quirks!

The writers have the characters on Boston Legal looking beyond the quirks, personalities and agendas maintaining friendships. Not found often in real life. Can you imagine all of these characters being treated the same in real life?

In short keep up with the controversial subjects that play in the courtrooms. I hope to see unbiased of liberal & conservative views and actually the humor of politics. "Political Correctness" in my opinion is not possible if one is to communicate.

Thank you

[legalFan]

This is the best show on television. Thank goodness that ABC is aware of this. Hopefully they will keep the show going for years to come, so that our daughter can grow up with them!

[Lissa C]

I have watched BL since I accidentally stumbled upon The Cancer Man Can during season 2. I now own the first 3 seasons and they have borne up to repeated viewings. It is the most politically insightful (over the top oft times, yes)mainstream show on television and I applaud ABC as a whole, the writing staff, Mr. Kelley, and the cast and crew of Boston Legal for helping spread the radical idea of critical thinking.

[Michael G.]

OK, here is a Boston Legal I’d like to see. Alan represents a U.S. taxpayer who refuses to pay her taxes on the portion of her money collected which is used to fund the war in Iraq. Now, according to past and recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court, basically, taxpayer suits fail and will be dismissed unless they are based on some express prohibition or an exceeding of Congressional authority under the Constitution to use the taxes dollars collected in the manner used. For example, Congress could not vote to use taxpayer dollars for the purpose of organizing some new religion as that would violate the 1ST Amendment with respect to the Establishment Clause. And likewise, Congress cannot fund other things undertaken for purely religious purposes.

Others have already put forth the idea that the President started the war in Iraq for the purpose of making sure the prophecies in the Bible can come about or that the war is part of a religious crusade. The reality is that most of us, have no way of really knowing just what was the purpose the President started the war. WMDs? Dunno. Oil?. Dunno. Regime Change?. Dunno.

The question is of course what if the war was really started for religious purposes. In that event Congress it seems would exceed the power granted to it in the Constitution if it voted to fund a war purely religious in nature. As such, the taxpayer suit in this case might survive dismissal provided there was a chance the taxpayer could actually prove the Iraq war was purely a religious one. In order to do the discovery to find out the real reason for the war and to meet the burden of proof to win the suit, there would of course be documents you simply would be denied from ever getting. WHY? “FOR NATIONAL SECURITY REASONS ”, of course.

End of case? Dunno. Stay tuned in next season to find out.

[lite4me]

Who sang the version of "In My Life" in the last episode? (It was not the Beatles version.)

[gf]

Reply to lite4me - I asked the same question on May 22 (and I think several others did as well), but haven't seen any response yet. I tried to find it on iTunes, and found one version that sounded close to the one that aired. But it wasn't the one I was looking for. So, like you and the others, I wait for an answer.