【法规】BostonLegal

　　I admit I didnt watch The Practice as a regular show, but I saw enough to see that it was a dark, clever series examining the everyday work of a small Boston firm who primarily defended criminals. Boston Legal is a much different show. Centered around a civil and corporate firm that only occasionally deals in criminal cases. The place is a circus, its David E. Kelleys hybrid of The Practice and Ally McBeal, although the latter included hallucinations and bizarre love lifes.Emmywinner James Spader, the ever shameless and subtly selfdestructive Alan Shore is the slimy playboy who, like it or not, is a fantastic attorney. Denny Crane fellow Emmywinner William Shatner seems like the perfect match for Shores unpredictable fashion. Both men are unorthodox, and Denny is slipping. Hes also a great attorney, but he doesnt know it half the time. The two are the perfect team, each willing to forgive the other for their shortcomings in the area of law, and cover each other as such. Paul Lewiston Rene Aberjonois is the figurehead of everything they are not. He is respectable, bythebook, and without conscience. The embodiment of the sleazy corporate attorney, and more concerned with keeping a client than with admitting a falacy on their part. Brad Chase Mark Valley is in the same boat insofar as playing by the rules, but hes Dennys man, and it pisses him off that Alan gets all the attention for his crimes. Laurie Colson Monica Potter is the idealistic attorney who has dabbled in Alan Shores method of practicing law with disastrous consequences. Tara Wilson Rhona Mitra is finally sleeping with Alan, and happily playing along in his little game. And Sally Heep Lake Bell has all but disappeared since she broke up with Alan, so that she is little more than an errand boy girl.And most recently Candice Bergen has joined the cast at Crane, Poole, and Schmidt, as Shirley Schmidt Edwin Poole has gone off the deep end after showing up at work, having only dressed the top half of his body. and she appears to be Alan Shore in reverse. Shes manipulative, wisecracking, and short with answers, but she seems to appeal to the ethical way of practicing law. Now back from New York and busting balls due to a law suit filed by one of their employees, she seems a welcome edition to the show.Perfect followup to Desperate Housewives, and just as funny. Its proof that David E. Kelley still has a few tricks up his sleeve.