There was a time when David E. Kelley ruled ABC’s legal drama roost like the Russos ran the MCU. The shift from The Practice to its spin-off Boston Legal was proof of that glorious era, with James Spader and William Shatner holding court as its leads. While the show ended in 2008, I recently found myself taking its status as one of TV Squad’s best dramas streaming on Hulu to heart through a recent rewatch. That fact leads me to the bad news I’ve come here to deliver.
If you’re trying to watch Alan Shore and Denny Crane pal around through streaming, you’ve got 13 days to get it done. Logging on this morning, I noticed that Hulu has marked the entire five season run for removal. All 101 episodes will be zapped from the digital library, and where they’ll go next – I have no clue.
So returning Boston Legal fans should take note, and potentially skip around to their old favorites ASAP. But in the tradition of the unconventional hot shots at Crane, Poole, and Schmidt, I want to take some time to do something unorthodox. If it pleases the court of newcomers, I’d like to make the following pitch to those of you just learning of this series’ existence.
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Boston Legal Is Totally Worth Binging In 13 Days
You should definitely be binging Boston Legal, or as much of it as you can, in the time you have left. Like any good old timer will tell you, they really don’t make ‘em like this anymore. That label especially applies to William Shatner’s Denny Crane, who doesn’t just flirt with political incorrectness – he consistently renews his vows.
Paired with James Spader’s more Liberal Alan Shore (his character from the tail end of The Practice), the two womanizers are loose canons who do what it takes to get things done. While there isn’t necessarily an overarching story per se, the major arc of Boston Legal is the relationship between these two men.
The antics of themselves, as well as their co-workers, make for sticky, and sometimes ribald situations – but there’s often a lot of heart involved as well. You know, whenever Betty White’s Catherine Piper isn’t on trial for allegedly shooting a man.
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The Early Aughts Charm Of Boston Legal Is A Feature, Not A Bug
Boston Legal is a time capsule of early aughts mores and political values on trial, but that fact doesn’t age the show beyond enjoyment. Rather, it’s a reminder of another time, when the great political division in the United States wasn’t as fractured as it is today. Also, at this point in our current timeline, it’s a throwback to arguments that feel positively quaint.
If Alan Shore and Denny Crane could retire to a balcony every night for scotch and cigars, and still disagree on gun rights, then what is it that the rest of us are doing wrong? There are plenty of those disagreements too, as Boston Legal tackles the social hot button issues of 2004-2008 with the right mix of stoicism and awkward comedy that doesn’t punch down. (You can explain a lot away just by saying “Denny Crane.”)
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One final note I’ll put in to sweeten the deal: Boston Legal has an impressive cast roster of notables like Lake Bell, Julie Bowen, Candace Bergen, and John Larroquette. Now be warned, this is a David E. Kelley series – so those parties may disappear with no rhyme or reason. But there are a ton of guest stars and recurring cast members (like a pre Scandal Kerry Washington) you’ll be picking out of the crowd in delight – even if they eventually make an abrupt exit.
That having been said, you should definitely be watching Boston Legal, through the magic of a Hulu subscription. If you’re reading this after it’s disappeared…the DVD sets are still pretty affordable on Amazon. As for James Spader, the man will be making his streaming and MCU return in 2026, as Ultron itself in Disney+’s upcoming series VisionQuest.
Related: Is Jeremy Allen White’s The Bear Ending with Season 5?
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