BOSTON LEGAL: DUCK AND COVER (TV)

Summary

The third season premiere in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally-challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, Denny somehow gets a hold of the Stanley Cup trophy and attempts to engrave his name onto it. Everyone heads for Brad and Denise's wedding, but the ceremony is interrupted by the arrival of the FBI. Before being arrested, Father Nicholas McClinton quickly explains to Alan that he has been harboring illegal aliens, a Mexican woman and her son, and Alan agrees to defend him. Denise then goes into labor, and Brad panics that their child will be a bastard if they are not wed before the birth. Jerry is affronted when he is assigned a "colorful" client, a woman suing her landlord for evicting her because of her "service duck," but Shirley sternly orders him to handle the case. The woman, Allison, explains that she suffers from anxiety problems and that the harmless duck eases her fears, and Jerry is swayed. Per Alan's request, Father Nick is released on his own recognizance and given an immediate trial, and Brad frantically tries to track down a suitable chaplain as Denise struggles through her labor.

On the stand, ICE Agent Foster describes the expenses and dangers of undocumented workers, though Alan calls him out on his racism and points out that not only is the woman, Maria, a law-abiding would-be citizen, but her young son Alberto was in fact born in America and has the right to stay under the Fourteenth Amendment. Jerry argues with Allison's landlord, Mr. Picker, about the Fair Housing Act, but Picker declares that pets are forbidden and that her claim of debilitating anxiety, much like Jerry's odd mannerisms, is just an excuse to be "coddled." Denny then exacerbates the tension by pretending to shoot the duck with his conveniently-available shotgun. Father Nick expresses his support of Maria's decision to testify against him in exchange for a green card, but tells Alan that he wants to continue fighting against the unfair charge. Jerry sternly informs Picker of the many illegal code violations at his various properties, and he is forced to allow Allison her duck. At the hospital, Brad and Denise are married by a gout-stricken judge mere moments before the birth of their daughter.

Maria states that she came to America for a job, and Alan points out the arbitrary nature of the laws that would award her a green card for testifying but not for her hard work. Father Nick then testifies that he broke the law because the government does not sufficiently assist undocumented workers, wryly pointing out that other well-meaning figures have committed similar "crimes." In closing arguments, the prosecutor states that America is being robbed by illegal aliens and that the government cannot possibly help everyone, but Alan points out that immigrants are actually essential to America's economy and founded the country in the first place. Allison's duck dies of shock from Denny's "attack," and Shirley confronts him about his recent embarrassing antics, firmly stating that she will fire him if he continues. He explains that he is feeling old and cannot bring himself to "act his age," pointing out that she too is getting on in years. Father Nick is found guilty and Alan urges him to appeal, though he seems at peace with his fate. Brad celebrates his daughter's birth with the others, and Shirley is exasperated when Denny pranks him with a trick cigar. Alan tells Denny about losing his case, and Denny wonders how the young manage to rule over the old. They decide to drink their evening scotch from the Stanley Cup, though Denny naturally ends up sending it over his balcony. Includes commercials and promos.

Details

• NETWORK: ABC
• DATE: May 15, 2007 10:00 PM
• RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: B:92972
• GENRE: Comedy
• SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Lawyers; Drama
• SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
• COMMERCIALS:
  • TV - Commercials - AT&T cellular services
  • TV - Commercials - Apple iPods and iTunes
  • TV - Commercials - Association of American Publishers
  • TV - Commercials - Behr Premium Plus paint
  • TV - Commercials - Century 21 real estate
  • TV - Commercials - Chili's restaurants
  • TV - Commercials - DirecTV services
  • TV - Commercials - Enterprise Rent-a-Car services
  • TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Frontline Plus tick pet medication
  • TV - Commercials - Hertz navigational systems
  • TV - Commercials - Lunesta sleep medication
  • TV - Commercials - M&M's candies
  • TV - Commercials - Make-A-Wish foundation
  • TV - Commercials - MasterCard credit cards
  • TV - Commercials - Mercury automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Nissan automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Staples stores
  • TV - Commercials - Sun Chips
  • TV - Commercials - Target stores
  • TV - Commercials - The Foundation for a Better Life
  • TV - Commercials - The Home Depot stores
  • TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
  • TV - Commercials - Verizon Wireless cellular services
  • TV - Commercials - Will Rogers Institute
  • TV - Promos - "20/20"
  • TV - Promos - "Boston Legal" upcoming episode
  • TV - Promos - "Desperate Housewives"
  • TV - Promos - "Grey's Anatomy"
  • TV - Promos - "Lost"
  • TV - Promos - "National Bingo Night"
  • TV - Promos - "The Pacifer"
  • TV - Promos - "Ugly Betty"

CREDITS

• Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
• Janet Leahy … Executive Producer
• David E. Kelley … Executive Producer, Created by
• Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer, Director
• Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
• Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
• Craig Turk … Co-Producer
• Anne M. Uemura … Co-Producer
• Michael Reisz … Co-Producer, Writer
• Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
• Lawrence Broch … Consulting Producer
• Phoef Sutton … Consulting Producer
• Susan Dickes … Consulting Producer, 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
• Ray Abruzzo … Cast, John Sciarra
• Shelley Berman … Cast, Judge Robert Sanders
• Cecilia Suarez … Cast, Maria Delgadillo
• Veanne Cox … Cast, Dr. Kathleen Ryan
• Kali Rocha … Cast, Allison Lovejoy
• Robert Costanzo … Cast, Wayne Picker
• Chuck McCann … Cast, Judge Byron Fudd
• Jim Holmes … Cast, ICE Agent Daniel Foster
• Christian Clemenson … Cast, Jerry Espenson
• Michael Gross … Cast, Father Nicholas McClinton
• Wayne Mitchell … Cast, FBI Agent
• Cade Olivas … Cast, Alberto Lopez
• Forrest Landis … Cast, Altar Boy
• Randall Rapstine … Cast, Foreman
• Mary Elizabeth Barrett … Cast, Clerk