BOSTON LEGAL: SCHADENFREUDE (TV)
Summary
One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally-challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, Kelly Nolan's murder trial continues, with the police detective explaining how "cold and detached" she seemed on the night of the murder. Brad argues that she was simply in shock and suggests that her husband may have committed suicide instead, though Judge Cooper is distracted by Denny's belligerent behavior. Malcolm takes Tara to see a client of his, a singer named Johnny Damon, who has been forbidden from singing his uncle Edwin Starr's famous song "War" due to its "anti-American" themes. Tim brings Reverend Donald Diddum to see Denise, explaining that he is also a lawyer and will be handling their divorce. Denise is incredulous when the reverend offers her a "discount" on her outlandish future alimony payments, stating that she will need to continue supporting his budding golf career. She declares that alimony law should be changed, recruiting Garrett and Sara to help her. In court, the Nolans' housekeeper explains that the couple fought over Kelly's affair and that her husband disinherited her, but Alan dramatically accuses her of the murder instead, pointing out that the police did not satisfactorily rule out other killers. Angered, Cooper extends Alan's contempt sentence.
Elsewhere, Bernard and Catherine watch the trial on TV and Bernard admits that killing makes one feel "godlike," and Catherine frets that he may murder again, though Detective Stephenson tells her that there is little he can do based solely on Bernard's comments. Denise secures a judge who has had his own bitter divorce, also learning that the reverend has been accused in the past of sexual harassment, though Shirley strongly advises her to hire another attorney to handle the divorce. In Johnny's case, the nightclub owner declares that he forbids the song because he supports the United States and the war, and the judge decides that Johnny should perform the song in the courtroom. On the stand, Kelly states that her husband combined Viagra and nitroglycerin in order to kill himself and frame her for murder, and Brad later criticizes her for her cool demeanor, saying she is antagonizing the jury. Alan maintains that the case is circumstantial, but Shirley points out that everyone wants to see "the black widow" convicted. The A.D.A. plays Kelly's strangely calm 911 call and points out how un-distressed she sounds, but she maintains her innocence. Denise argues that alimony is a gender-biased concept, but Judge Hober denies her motion and she summons Garrett and Sara to bury Tim and the reverend in a "paper war." Johnny performs "War," cleverly combining it with patriotic songs like "Over There," to make the point, though Alan is disturbed when he sees Tara and Malcolm together. He tells Denny that he will lose both "the girl and the case," but Denny encourages him to "wear 'em down" in his closing.
Sara and Garrett decide to go after the reverend, using Sara as bait to entrap him. The A.D.A. closes by saying that Kelly clearly poisoned her husband and that the suicide theory is outlandish, but Alan delivers a long speech about how a calculating killer would have destroyed the evidence more than Kelly did and reiterates that the police did not investigate any other suspects. At Denny's urging, he adds that she is being persecuted because of schadenfreude, pleasure at others' misfortune, noting how the media and the spectators all just want to see her go to prison regardless of her guilt or innocence. Catherine, still unnerved by Bernard's comments, tells him that she wants "a little break" from their friendship, but he begs her to stay with him, saying that he has shared "certain confidences" with her. The Reverend appears to give in to Sara's charms, and Malcolm argues that free speech is being unfairly restricted in the name of political correctness. Judge Atkinson states that while she thinks the idea of "War" being unpatriotic is moronic and offensive, the club owner has the right to determine what is performed in his establishment. Kelly is declared not guilty, to everyone's shock, and in a private moment, Alan asks for the real truth and she again states her innocence. Bernard wonders if Kelly will kill again, recalling the enjoyable "taste" of murder and infamy, and Catherine abruptly bludgeons him with a frying pan. Alan and Denny discuss Kelly, deciding that murder cases are "fun" and hoping to secure another inscrutable client like her. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: October 4, 2005 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:88216
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Lawyers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - Charles Schwab financial services
- TV - Commercials - Energizer batteries
- TV - Commercials - Fidelity Investments
- TV - Commercials - Head and Shoulders Sensitive Care dandruff shampoo
- TV - Commercials - Healthy Choice dinners
- TV - Commercials - Home Depot stores
- TV - Commercials - IBM Help Desk services
- TV - Commercials - Jeep automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Kohl's stores
- TV - Commercials - Levi's jeans
- TV - Commercials - Lowe's stores
- TV - Commercials - Lunesta sleep medication
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants Monopoly game
- TV - Commercials - National Library of Medicine website
- TV - Commercials - Nexium heartburn medication
- TV - Commercials - Pillsbury biscuits
- TV - Commercials - Prilosec heartburn medication
- TV - Commercials - Sudafed PE medication
- TV - Commercials - T-Mobile cellular services
- TV - Commercials - United States Marines
- TV - PSA - National Television Academy website and student program
- TV - Promos - "Alias"
- TV - Promos - "Desperate Housewives"
- TV - Promos - "George Lopez"
- TV - Promos - "Grey's Anatomy"
- TV - Promos - "Hot Properties"
- TV - Promos - "Invasion"
- TV - Promos - "Lost"
- TV - Promos - "Night Stalker"
- TV - Promos - "Prime" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Two For the Money" motion picture
CREDITS
- Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
- Scott Kaufer … Executive Producer
- David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer
- Peter Ocko … Co-Executive Producer
- Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
- Jonathan Shapiro … Supervising Producer
- Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
- Anne M. Uemura … Associate Producer
- Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
- Sheila Lawrence … Consulting Producer
- Arlene Sanford … Director
- Danny Lux … Music by
- James Spader … Cast, Alan Shore
- Julie Bowen … Cast, Denise Bauer
- Mark Valley … Cast, Brad Chase
- Rene Auberjonois … Cast, Paul Lewiston
- Justin Mentell … Cast, Garrett Wells
- Ryan Michelle Bathe … Cast, Sara Holt
- Candice Bergen … Cast, Shirley Schmidt
- William Shatner … Cast, Denny Crane
- Monica Potter … Cast, Lori Colson
- Rhona Mitra … Cast, Tara Wilson
- Betty White … Cast, Catherine Piper
- Rupert Everett … Cast, Malcolm Holmes
- Heather Locklear … Cast, Kelly Nolan
- Shawn Christian … Cast, Tim Bauer
- Leslie Jordan … Cast, Bernard Ferrion
- Gregory Itzin … Cast, A.D.A. Todd Milken
- Kurt Fuller … Cast, Reverend Donald Diddum
- Francesca P. Roberts … Cast, Judge Jamie Atkinson
- Vic Polizos … Cast, Detective Frank Richmond
- Ellen Crawford … Cast, Frances Stadler
- Paul Perri … Cast, Ronald Emmerich
- Helen Eigenberg … Cast, Atty. Tompkins
- Russell Andrews … Cast, Johnny Damon
- John Thaddeus … Cast, Detective John Stephenson
- Anthony Heald … Cast, Judge Harvey Cooper
- John Berg … Cast, Judge Hober
- Glen Walker … Cast, Anchorman
- Diane Kim … Cast, Reporter
- Michael Brownlee … Cast, Reporter #2
- Hugh Holub … Cast, Foreperson