BOSTON LEGAL: INDECENT PROPOSALS (TV)

Summary

One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally-challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, attractive cattle rancher Sunny Fields arrives at the office and hires Denny to help her challenge the Food and Drug Administration's approval of cloned meat, and Shirley asks for Alan's help in stopping her own nephew, 22-year-old Mitchy, who is a Massachusetts delegate and intends to vote for Barack Obama in the primary despite the fact that his state supports Hillary Clinton. Elderly Judge Robert Sanders takes a liking to Sunny and allows her case to proceed, and Alan files a motion against the Democratic National Convention, aware that the media will soon catch wind of the potentially landmark case. On the stand, Sunny describes the many dangers of using cloned livestock for meat, including the threat of animal abuse and the health risks posed to the public, though the FDA lawyer guesses that she is merely worried about competition.

Alan argues that the delegates' ability to override their voters' choices nullifies the rule of "one man, one vote," and Sunny ends up in bed with "city slicker" Denny, who declares his passionate affection for her. Alan, bewildered by his friend's rapid romance, suggests that he may be too "roly-poly" for farm life, and when Shirley takes the stand and stresses that they must "give the primary some meaning" by obeying the voters' wishes, Alan "politicizes" the argument by making it clear that he supports Obama, and the two friends get into a heated bickering match. Denny visits Sunny's ranch and is "shunned" by her herd, and he frantically tells an exasperated Alan that the animals must have sensed his "mad cow disease." Mitchy explains that he must "vote his conscience," defending his right to usher in "a new America" by supporting the charismatic young Illinois senator over the former First Lady. On the stand, the FDA representative argues that cloned meat is entirely safe, though admits that they opt not to label it as such because of "the yuck factor" with consumers. Carl angrily highlights the many examples of dangerous products erroneously approved by the FDA, declaring that they simply "bend to the will of the pharmaceutical companies" for financial gain.

Attorney Deprey points out that "one man, one vote" is not a valid argument, as it has never truly been law in America, and Alan goes on one of his classic tirades about the injustice of the two-party system and the dangers of having no real choice between war-mongering, corporate-backed politicians. Brown uncharacteristically agrees with Alan but adds that the DNC is a private organization that can set its own rules, and he rules against Shirley, grimly noting that "everybody loses." Elsewhere, Denny impulsively proposes to Sunny, and Judge Sanders leaves everyone confused with a decided unclear ruling. Sunny tells Denny that she intends to move her ranch to Montana and invites him to "go to pasture" with her, but Denny regretfully admits that he cannot leave Alan's side despite his strong feelings for her. Touched by his gesture, Alan ponders the meaning of love and the importance of appreciating "the joy of now." Includes commercials and promos.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: April 30, 2008 10:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 0:58:38
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: 115539
• GENRE: Comedy
• SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Lawyers
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
• COMMERCIALS:
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  • TV - Commercials - Charles Schwab investment firm
  • TV - Commercials - Citi credit cards
  • TV - Commercials - DirecTV satellite television
  • TV - Commercials - Enterprise Rent-a-Car services
  • TV - Commercials - Federal Student Aid financial services
  • TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - G2 Gatorade sports drinks
  • TV - Commercials - Jared Galleria of Jewelry
  • TV - Commercials - K9 Advantix dog bug repellant
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  • TV - Commercials - Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Kohl's stores
  • TV - Commercials - Lincoln automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Macy's stores
  • TV - Commercials - Mercedes-Benz automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Olive Garden restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - Outback Steakhouse restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - RE/MAX real estate
  • TV - Commercials - Sony camcorders
  • TV - Commercials - Sprint communications
  • TV - Commercials - Target stores
  • TV - Commercials - The Home Depot stores
  • TV - Commercials - USO organization
  • TV - Commercials - Vagisil screening kit
  • TV - Commercials - Verizon Wireless cellular services
  • TV - Commercials - Visa check cards
  • TV - PSA - TV Boss censoring device
  • TV - Promos - "Audition: Barbara Walters' Journey"
  • TV - Promos - "Boston Legal" upcoming episode
  • TV - Promos - "Brothers & Sisters"
  • TV - Promos - "Dancing With the Stars"
  • TV - Promos - "Desperate Housewives"
  • TV - Promos - "Grey's Anatomy"
  • TV - Promos - "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
  • TV - Promos - "Lost"
  • TV - Promos - "TV's All-Time Funniest"
  • TV - Promos - "The Mole"

CREDITS

• Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
• David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
• Lawrence Broch … Co-Executive Producer
• Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer, Director
• Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
• Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
• Craig Turk … Producer, Writer
• Anne M. Uemura … Co-Producer
• Phoef Sutton … Consulting Producer
• Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
• Susan Dickes … Consulting Producer
• Jill Goldsmith … Writer
• Danny Lux … Music by
• James Spader … Cast, Alan Shore
• John Larroquette … Cast, Carl Sack
• Christian Clemenson … Cast, Jerry Espenson
• Gary Anthony Williams … Cast, Clarence Bell
• Tara Summers … Cast, Katie Lloyd
• Saffron Burrows … Cast, Lorraine Weller
• Taraji P. Henson … Cast, Whitney Rome
• Candice Bergen … Cast, Shirley Schmidt
• William Shatner … Cast, Denny Crane
• Joe Morton … Cast, Attorney Steve Duprey
• Henry Gibson … Cast, Judge Clark Brown
• Shelley Berman … Cast, Judge Robert Sanders
• Timothy Omundson … Cast, Attorney Bill Withers
• Jason Earles … Cast, Mitchy Weston
• Aaron Lustig … Cast, Wolfgang Blitzkrieg
• Cornell Womack … Cast, Dr. Darryl Grant
• Christine Ebersole … Cast, Sunny Fields