BOSTON LEGAL: WITCHES OF MASS DESTRUCTION (TV)
Summary
One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally-challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, Shirley is baffled when Denise requests her assistance on a case in which two sets of parents – one Christian and one Wiccan – are seeking to stop the Halloween pageant at their kids' school, for decidedly different reasons. At the same time, Garrett introduces paralegal Cassie to Alan, explaining that Cassie wishes to sue the U.S. government for her brother Jeffrey's wrongful death in the war, despite the fact that the military is generally immune from such suits. Alan agrees to take the "unconventional" case, and though the notoriously conservative Judge Brown declares that the suit "nauseates" him, he agrees to hear the case when Alan makes an argument for fraud, explaining that he was stop-lossed after serving his required tour and was improperly trained for the duties that led to his death. Brad, a Gulf War veteran, strongly disapproves of Alan's actions, as does Denny, who instructs Alan to drop the case, though he refuses.
In Shirley and Denise's case, the school principal demonstrates her "stereotypical" witch costume that she models annually for the children's amusement, and the Christian father declares it to be inappropriate Satanic. Cassie takes the stand and states that her brother was promised free tuition and the relatively safe assignment of cannon loader when he enlisted, but was then reassigned after his tour was up and was killed when he attempted to disarm a homemade bomb without training. The Wiccan couple visits Denise and, after pointing out that Wicca actually does not recognize Satan, tells her that she is displaying a "quiet screaming disharmony" in the wake of her divorce. Cassie ends things with Garrett, as he is forbidden from sleeping with a client, and Denny continues to rebuff Alan, feeling that his best friend is being unacceptably unpatriotic. Jeffrey's fellow soldier Corporal Webb testifies that his understaffed platoon was not given proper armor and that he too was reassigned from his intended position of medical officer, leading to his being shot. U.S. Attorney Randolph, however, points out that the military did indeed keep its promises to Webb, as he is now receiving an education. Alan is shocked to find that Denny, rather than joining him in dressing as a flamingo for Halloween, has pointedly chosen to dress as a hunter, feeling that Alan is either "with us or against us" in supporting the war.
The Wiccan mother explains that her religion promotes only goodwill and positivity, stating that her daughter is unfairly bullied because of the negative stereotypes promoted by the pageant. When she points out that so-called witches have long been persecuted by Christians, the two couples begin to brawl, much to Shirley and Denise's frustration. Alan questions the recruiter, revealing that he used a young plant to prove that the military routinely deceives would-be soldiers into believing that they will not see combat, and reveals that far from sticking to the "Try One" single-year plan, Jeffrey was duped into serving until 2031. Attorney Morrison argues that the parents are wrong to argue persecution over a harmless matter like Halloween, but Shirley pulls out the famous "first, they came for the Socialists" quote in describing why all religions should be safe from mockery and intolerance. In closing, the government lawyer declares that all war has casualties, but Alan angrily counters that young Americans are being needlessly killed because of a lack of backup, training and equipment, wondering why there is not a Vietnam-like level of outrage in American society over their deaths. Judge Resnick finds in favor of the school, telling the parents to "lighten up" about the harmless, secular holiday, and Denise is again frustrated when the Wiccan parents offer their help with her "lack of harmony." Judge Brown agrees that the war is a "disaster," but admits that the military runs on a strict hierarchy and dismisses Cassie's case against the government. Cassie, glad to have had a chance to speak out for her brother's memory, reunites with Garrett as Alan tells Denny of the loss and firmly defends every American's right to a "differing opinion." At the firm's Halloween party, Alan is touched when Denny appears as a "pretty in pink" flamingo, as planned, and back on his balcony, Denny declares that he himself could solve the problem of the war if placed in a position of power. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: November 1, 2005 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:37
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:88251
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Lawyers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Jarhead" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - "Madagascar" home video
- TV - Commercials - "Shopgirl" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - Chili's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Cingular wireless networks
- TV - Commercials - Fidelity Investments services
- TV - Commercials - Flonase allergy medication
- TV - Commercials - Folgers HomeCafe cappuccino
- TV - Commercials - Glade scented oil candles
- TV - Commercials - Habitat for Humanity organization
- TV - Commercials - IBM iSeries System computers
- TV - Commercials - Jeep automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Lincoln automobiles
- TV - Commercials - National Television Academy website contest
- TV - Commercials - Olay Daily Facials Night cleansing cloths
- TV - Commercials - Olay Quench body lotion
- TV - Commercials - Olive Garden restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Orbit chewing gum
- TV - Commercials - Philips Norelco electric razors
- TV - Commercials - Pier 1 Imports stores
- TV - Commercials - ReMax realtors
- TV - Commercials - Requip restless leg syndrome medication
- TV - Commercials - Save the Children charity services
- TV - Commercials - Sprint cellular services
- TV - Commercials - T-Mobile wireless networks
- TV - Commercials - Ziploc Big Bags
- TV - Promos - "20/20"
- TV - Promos - "Boston Legal" upcoming episode
- TV - Promos - "Desperate Housewives"
- TV - Promos - "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
- TV - Promos - "Freddie"
- TV - Promos - "George Lopez"
- TV - Promos - "Hope & Faith"
- TV - Promos - "Hot Properties"
- TV - Promos - American Music Awards
CREDITS
- Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
- David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by
- Peter Ocko … Co-Executive Producer
- Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer
- Janet Leahy … Co-Executive Producer
- Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
- Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
- Andrew Kreisberg … Producer, Writer
- Anne M. Uemura … Associate Producer
- Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
- Phoef Sutton … Consulting Producer
- Lawrence Broch … Consulting Producer, Writer
- James Bagdonas … Director
- Michael Reisz … Writer
- 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
- Henry Gibson … Cast, Judge Clark Brown
- Tamara Feldman … Cast, Cassie Elliot
- Andy Umberger … Cast, Attorney Morrison
- Zach Grenier … Cast, U.S. Attorney Chris Randolph
- Johnny Sneed … Cast, Sam Sawtelle
- Stephanie Venditto … Cast, Evelyn Sawtelle
- Matt Champagne … Cast, Bob Mathias
- Marietta DePrima … Cast, Grace Mathias
- Derrex Brady … Cast, Corporal Brian Webb
- Michael Ensign … Cast, Judge Paul Resnick
- David Lee Russek … Cast, Sergeant Jason Hendler
- Jayne Taini … Cast, Principal Berleth