BOSTON LEGAL: CHANGE OF COURSE (TV)
Summary
One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally-challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, Helen Poole frantically explains that Edwin escaped the mental hospital and is now missing. Elsewhere, Edwin barges into a random courtroom and, upon seeing a man, Warren Litch, fire yet another lawyer in an attempt to delay his day in court, volunteers to take his case. The judges allows it, and Edwin learns that Litch is charged with murder. Brad tells a flustered Lori that he must go assist Edwin on the case, and Paul summons Alan, telling him that he must use his "unconventional means" to assist a very important client accused of a minor theft, lest they lose the account. The judge refuses to let Litch's case be delayed again, and Litch explains how he "panicked" and shot a police officer upon realizing that he was facing a life sentence for drugs. He admits that he confessed, though there is no other evidence, and Edwin states that he can get him off. Lori tells Paul that Edwin seems reasonably competent, saying that he should sit first chair and she will assist. In court, Alan learns that the store clerk, Miles, was the only witness to his client's thieving, and he convinces Sally to go "undercover." She follows the shy man to a bar, where he mistakes her for a prostitute, surprised that a beautiful woman has sought him out.
During his trial, Litch attempts to fire Lori, telling her privately that he knows that he is going to jail and simply wants to delay the inevitable. He then reveals that he confessed only after being told that he was dying, having been shot by police, and spoke to a policeman pretending to be a chaplain. Sally spends time with the dorky Miles, who admits, among other things, that he takes beta blockers for anxiety, and she seems uncomfortable when he genuinely seems grateful for her friendship. The A.D.A. questions the cop who took Litch's confession, and Litch is frustrated when, during her cross, Lori merely points out their less-than-honest methods. Alan meets Miles and, using Denny's presence to intimidate him, essentially blackmails the man and threatens to eviscerate him on the stand using his embarrassing private information as reported by Sally, and Sally is clearly ashamed of her actions. Edwin questions the doctor who heard Litch's confession, suggesting that he was "delusional" from his injuries and was possibly protecting the real killer in a moment of stress. Litch is upset when Lori does not call him to the stand, but she says that she cannot knowingly allow him to lie and did not take the case "for him." She offers to let Edwin close, noting that he has done well, inspired by his idol, Perry Mason.
Sally confronts Alan, saying that Miles is a good man and that he, Alan, took advantage of her. He claims to care about her and suggests that she is not cut out for the ruthless business of law, and she accuses him of lying when he says that his acts of gray morality do not bother him. During closing arguments, the A.D.A. points out the simplicity of Litch's obvious guilt, and when Edwin realizes that he forgot to prepare a statement, Lori jumps in and improvises, saying that the confession was coerced and that there is no other hard evidence. Despite this, Litch is found guilty, but he thanks Lori for her "honorable" actions in defending him well. Edwin then decides to head back to the hospital for a "tune-up." Paul informs Alan that Miles recanted his testimony, thus saving the client, but he scolds him for acting without integrity. Alan apologizes to Sally, but she notes that he was really warning her to stay away from him, despite his being secretly "decent underneath," and she decides to "move forward" without him. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 24, 2004 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:85208
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Lawyers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - 1-800-Flowers.com website
- TV - Commercials - Ben-Gay pain relief heat patches
- TV - Commercials - Campbell's soups
- TV - Commercials - CitiBusiness credit cards
- TV - Commercials - Clorox disinfecting wipes
- TV - Commercials - DeBeers diamonds
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Habitat For Humanity
- TV - Commercials - Honda automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Iams cat food
- TV - Commercials - Lance Armstrong Foundation
- TV - Commercials - Lubriderm lotion
- TV - Commercials - March of Dimes association
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants Monopoly game
- TV - Commercials - Natural Citrus Listerine mouthwash
- TV - Commercials - Oral-B Rembrandt whitening strips
- TV - Commercials - Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo birth control medication
- TV - Commercials - Swiffer Sweep'n'Vac mop
- TV - Commercials - United States Marines
- TV - Commercials - Verizon Wireless cellular services
- TV - Commercials - Wal-Mart stores
- TV - PSA - World Vision HIV/AIDS charity
- TV - Promos - "According to Jim"
- TV - Promos - "Alfie" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Boston Legal" upcoming episode
- TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
- TV - Promos - "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"
- TV - Promos - "Lost"
- TV - Promos - "Mulan" home video
- TV - Promos - "NYPD Blue"
- TV - Promos - "Rodney"
- TV - Promos - "The Bachelor"
- TV - Promos - "The George Lopez Show"
- TV - Promos - "The Polar Express" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Wife Swap"
CREDITS
- Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
- Scott Kaufer … Executive Producer
- Jeff Rake … Executive Producer
- David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer
- Peter Ocko … Co-Executive Producer
- Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
- Lukas Reiter … Supervising Producer
- Jonathan Shapiro … Supervising Producer, Writer
- Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
- Anne M. Uemura … Associate Producer
- Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
- Kerry Ehrin … Consulting Producer
- Ron Underwood … Director
- Danny Lux … Music by
- James Spader … Cast, Alan Shore
- Monica Potter … Cast, Lori Colson
- Rhona Mitra … Cast, Tara Wilson
- Lake Bell … Cast, Sally Heep
- Mark Valley … Cast, Brad Chase
- William Shatner … Cast, Denny Crane
- Larry Miller … Cast, Edwin Poole
- Jeremiah Birkett … Cast, Warren Litch
- Robert Joy … Cast, A.D.A. William Preston
- Richard Portnow … Cast, Judge Peter Harding
- David Norona … Cast, A.D.A. Harris
- Will Radford … Cast, Miles Tibbet
- David Kaufman … Cast, Dr. Sam Karp
- Anita Finlay … Cast, Helen Poole
- Thomas Kopache … Cast, Judge Dale Wallace
- Rene Auberjonois … Cast, Paul Lewiston
- Dennis Cockrum … Cast, Officer James Jacobs
- Charles Currie … Cast, Bennett Lyne
- Louise Claps … Cast, Criminal Court Foreperson
- Kevin R. Kelly … Cast, Foreman #2