Boston Legal: Season 2 (DVD)
The second season of "Boston Legal" begins in a slightly odd manner with a montage of first season exploits, which is fine, but it is in quite the dramatic flair. "Boston Legal" is so much more than a drama and I can't even call it a comedy... maybe the best way to describe it is controlled sarcasm, at least the first season was. The second season seems to be losing focus, or should I say focusing on the wrong things for too long. Of course the show has always been about the friendship of Alan Shore (Spader) and Denny Crane (Shatner), but in the first season it seemed like this was an added bonus while the second season seems to be forcing the issue. It really becomes evident and rather quickly on episode three, "Finding Nimmo," when Denny and Alan head up to British Columbia for a little fishing and after Alan catches several fish and Denny catches none, in a rage of jealousy Denny pulls out a shotgun and proceeds to shoot a fish, his first "catch" of the day. This begins our reoccurring storyline in which Denny shoots a myriad of people and fights for gun control. Granted Denny going around shooting homeless people with paintballs, pedophiles in the knee caps and random ceiling tiles is funny, but only for so long.
This brings me to the writers, a group of people who are obviously not happy with our current government. At every possible moment a comment is injected into the dialogue to express their dissatisfaction with the administration and this is the story of the second season... repetition. I don't mind if you make comments on our current administration, as a matter of fact I agree with all the negative speak, but let's keep it in moderation.
The second season sees Denny Crane get married and Shirley Schmidt (Bergen) have a little fling with ex-husband Ivan Tiggs played by Tom Select, neither relationship is as interesting as season one's Alan Shore escapades with Tara, Sally and the crazy, yet hot, Christine. Granted, the law firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt is a dysfunctional family like we have never seen, but to think of the now extremely fat William Shatner having sex in the coat room is not sexy and not really all that funny.
However, there are things that are good about this season and it begins with the addition of Julie Bowen as Denise Bauer and the exit of Monica Potter. Potter's character was a little too whiny and annoying while Bowen brings a certain level of control and stability and in early episodes of season two her interaction with her associates is fun, too bad they abandon that after about four episodes. Then, of course, despite all my complaining, Alan Shore and Denny Crane are always fun to watch, especially as they battle it out in the courtroom. Who would have ever thought a character could be created and played by William Shatner in which all he has to do is say his name and it is considered a classic line? "Denny Crane." Although when Candice Bergen says it it makes me shiver in disgust.
On a special feature front disc seven holds our only two features, but they are a couple of good ones. Watching this show you can't help but notice how cool everything looks and how much you want to move to Boston. Well, the feature "Exhibit A: The Look of Boston Legal" gives you the scoop on how they do what they do. It reminds me a lot of a similar feature on the first season of "Without a Trace" and it is always so hard to believe that those are paintings and not real cityscapes when Alan and Denny are out on the balcony. Of course we all know it is, but damn if it doesn't look good and add a lot to the scene. The only other feature focuses on the writers, a feature I would have had more interest in a season ago. Maybe season three will change my mind.
As hard as I am being on this season it is still good. This is a fantastic show and inside of these 27 episodes there are some classic moments, you might have to withstand a little bit of slop to get to it, but it is there.