BOSTON LEGAL: GUISE N' DOLLS (TV)
Summary
One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, Kaye Kent, one of Alan's many exes, requests his help in getting a department store, Fletcher's, to stop carrying "Tarties," a brand of sexually provocative dolls for children. Elsewhere, Shirley is stunned by the news that Denise and Brad intend to marry, and Alan is dismayed to find that Jerry, who represents Fletcher's, intends to assume his belligerent "wooden cigarette" persona for the hearing. He frets to Denny that he has lost a friend, though Denny warns him that Jerry is intentionally playing on his guilt in order to win. Paul nervously instructs Denny to behave himself when he meets with a new potential litigation associate, and when Denise questions Shirley about her reaction to her big news, Shirley suggests that Denise does not love Brad "enough" and is only marrying him because of her pregnancy. Clarence urges Alan not to "feel sorry" for oddball Jerry and to instead soundly defeat him in court, though Alan's problems mount when he finds that the judge on the case is Gloria Weldon, with whom he has also shared intimacies. Jerry immediately guesses at their past together and makes bawdy comments to throw Alan off, though Weldon refuses to recuse herself from the case.
Denny meets with the associate, a young black man named Kevin Givens, who is taken aback when Denny immediately begins asking questions about his political affiliations. In court, Jerry suggests that Kaye thoughtlessly exposes her daughter to various other age-inappropriate content besides the dolls, and though Alan objects to his "mocking tone," Kaye is forced to admit that her child has not been actively "harmed" by the product. Paul and Shirley try to smooth things over with Kevin, but Denny, naturally, makes matter worse when he "praises" Kevin by assuring him that he does not "sound black." Alan compares the Fletcher's manager to a drug dealer, arguing that he peddles harmful products to vulnerable consumers, but the man retorts that the store is merely keeping up with kids' "growing sophistication." Shirley and Paul attempt to explain to Denny why his comment was racist, and the story of the firm's apparent bigotry soon hits the news. Marshall declares that Denny must finally be removed, and Shirley decides to call a speedy press conference to respond.
In his closing arguments, Alan agrees that "sex sells," but states that it is wholly inappropriate to market such items to children and risk setting off a "depressing cycle" of dangerous behavior. Jerry reverts to his usual awkward self and agrees that the Tarties are "despicable," but suggests that banning them would be arbitrary, as there are so many other products and celebrities sending bad messages to kids, and suggests that they are "not doomed just yet," according to the latest statistics about young girls' accomplishments and choices. Denise confesses her doubts to Brad but concludes that she does indeed genuinely love him, and Shirley ignores the board's vote and tells the press that Denny's comments, while crass, accurately reflect the unfortunate attitude of "white corporate America," which demands that black people behave in a more "demure" manner in order to be accepted. Weldon dismisses Kaye's case against Fletcher's, and Alan takes the opportunity to praise the "real" Jerry for his gifts as a lawyer and as a friend. Later, Alan questions Denny about his views on race, and they debate the merits of Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, wondering how the upcoming Presidential election will impact other countries' views of America. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: April 24, 2007 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:09
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:91320
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Lawyers
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - "Lucky You" motion picture
- TV - Commercials - Advantage Multi flea killer
- TV - Commercials - Apple televisions
- TV - Commercials - Archer farms food products
- TV - Commercials - Association of American Publishers for reading
- TV - Commercials - Benadryl allergy medication
- TV - Commercials - Carnival cruise lines
- TV - Commercials - Garnier Nutritioniste skin creams
- TV - Commercials - Hertz rental car services
- TV - Commercials - Hot Pockets snacks
- TV - Commercials - Hyundai automobiles
- TV - Commercials - IBM computers
- TV - Commercials - KY Intrigue personal lubricant
- TV - Commercials - Kellogg's Maple & Brown Sugar Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal
- TV - Commercials - Lunesta sleep aid
- TV - Commercials - Macy's stores
- TV - Commercials - Make-A-Wish foundation
- TV - Commercials - McDonald's restaurants
- TV - Commercials - MiraLax laxative
- TV - Commercials - Olay Age Transform creams
- TV - Commercials - Orville Redenbacher popcorn
- TV - Commercials - The Foundation for a Better Life organization
- TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Weight Watchers weight loss treatment
- TV - Commercials - Will Rogers Institute stress advice
- TV - Promos - "Boston Legal"
- TV - Promos - "Desperate Housewives"
- TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
- TV - Promos - "Grey's Anatomy"
- TV - Promos - "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
- TV - Promos - "Lost"
- TV - Promos - "National Bingo Night"
- TV - Promos - "Notes from the Underbelly"
- TV - Promos - "October Road"
- TV - Promos - "Ugly Betty"
CREDITS
- Janet Leahy … Executive Producer
- Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
- David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer
- Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
- Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
- Craig Turk … Co-Producer
- Anne M. Uemura … Co-Producer
- Michael Reisz … Co-Producer
- Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
- Lawrence Broch … Consulting Producer
- Phoef Sutton … Consulting Producer
- Susan Dickes … Consulting Producer
- John Terlesky … Director
- Sanford Golden … Writer
- Karen Wyscarver … 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
- Constance Zimmer … Cast, Claire Simms
- Gary Anthony Williams … Cast, Clarence Bell
- Candice Bergen … Cast, Shirley Schmidt
- William Shatner … Cast, Denny Crane
- Christian Clemenson … Cast, Jerry Espenson
- Kate Hodge … Cast, Kaye Kent
- Jaleel White … Cast, Kevin Givens
- Michael Bofshever … Cast, Charles Costello
- Jim Jansen … Cast, Marshall Kennedy
- Gail O'Grady … Cast, Judge Gloria Weldon
- Glen Walker … Cast, News Anchor
- Nicole J. Butler … Cast, Clerk