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BOSTON LEGAL: HOPE AND GORY (TV)

Summary

One in this darkly comic series focusing on a firm of brilliant but emotionally-challenged attorneys in Boston. In this episode, Patrice Kelly seeks out Alan and matter-of-factly states that she would like to kill her daughter's murderer and get off on temporary insanity, as he did. Alan refuses to help, pointing out that she is clearly not insane, and debates whether or not to report her to the police, mystified by her cool demeanor. Jerry and Katie find their wrongly-accused former client Joseph Washington in jail, having been arrested for driving a car, which is newly illegal for registered sex offenders in his town. Katie points out the unfairness of his situation to Shirley, who allows them to handle his arraignment, and in court, Katie argues that the law was created mere hours before he was arrested. The judge dismisses the charges but refuses to rescind the rule, agreeing that Joseph would do best to move away. Alan is stunned to learn that Patrice has already executed her daughter's killer, feeling that he could've prevented it. Patrice then calls him to defend her, and when he says that the killing was clearly premeditated revenge, she points out that he deserved it, and he takes the case, with Denny eagerly joining as second chair. Alan then has drinks with Lorraine and discusses his adolescent sexual assault by his mother's friend, who resembled Lorraine, and admits that his "word salad" in her presence is likely caused by his Freudian issues with his mother.

Katie and Jerry tell Shirley that they "sort of won" Joseph's case but intend to keep defending him and combat Megan's Law, and Carl firmly forbids them to do so. Nevertheless, Jerry tells the court that the law is unconstitutional and prevents ex-cons from holding jobs and homes even after serving their time, adding that Joseph was unfairly accused by a girlfriend and is not a danger. However, Judge Donahue refuses to overturn the law, and an angry Carl points out that they need to track down Joseph's ex-girlfriend and get her to recant, thus negating his registered sex offender status. Patrice lays out her detailed defense plan for Alan, again proving that she is far from insane, and in court, Alan makes a dramatic speech about her grief and anger over her daughter's murder and her killer's total lack of punishment, and the judge agrees to his temporary insanity plea. Patrice then requests a black attorney and ousts Denny, wanting to win favor with the jury and stir up "public outrage." Katie and Jerry find Joseph's ex-girlfriend Gwen and urge her to recant her story, and she eventually agrees, admitting to the court that she lied about being raped to avoid her father's anger. The judge scolds her for allowing Joseph to serve six years for nothing and has her arrested for perjury, and Joseph is removed from the sex offenders' list. Despite this, a townswoman and a local priest ask him to leave anyway, saying that the conservative community feels unsafe with him there.

Alan recruits Whitney to defend Patrice, and both lawyers are angry when Patrice gives a seemingly flippant interview to the press, reminding her of the importance of the jury's impression of her as a person. She tells them that she intends to state that God spoke to her and urged her to kill the man, and they are doubtful about such a defense. Katie and Jerry go out for a drink, and are then shocked to learn that Joseph is dead, presumably murdered. Katie, heartbroken, identifies his body, and Carl praises her compassion and her hard work for the man's rights. Lorraine attempts an unorthodox method of relieving Alan's mother issues, and a flustered Alan tells Whitney that they will build Patrice's unconvincing insanity plea "from scratch." Katie goes to Joseph's town's church and speaks up about his death, saying that ostracizing ex-convicts only makes matters worse, and the congregation prays for Joseph along with her. Later, Denny expresses doubts about Patrice's holy defense, and Alan admits that he is "excited" about attempting to defend her. Denny suggests that he is secretly in favor of the death penalty, but Alan points out the injustice of Joseph's death, wonder if hope really does "spring eternal" for everyone equally. Includes commercials and promos.

Details

  • NETWORK: ABC
  • DATE: October 30, 2007 10:00 PM
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
  • COLOR/B&W: Color
  • CATALOG ID: B:93255
  • GENRE: Comedy
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy; Drama; Lawyers
  • SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2004-2008
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • TV - Commercials - Byetta diabetes medication
    • TV - Commercials - Canine Companions for Independence program
    • TV - Commercials - Charles Schwab banks
    • TV - Commercials - Chevrolet automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - CitiCard credit cards
    • TV - Commercials - Clorox bleach
    • TV - Commercials - Domino's Pizza restaurants
    • TV - Commercials - Excedrin Back & Body painkillers
    • TV - Commercials - Fidelity Investments services
    • TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - Girls and Boys Town National Hotline
    • TV - Commercials - LensCrafters stores
    • TV - Commercials - Macy's stores
    • TV - Commercials - Make-A-Wish Foundation
    • TV - Commercials - Mercedes automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - Microsoft Sync technology
    • TV - Commercials - Olay skin cream
    • TV - Commercials - Toyota automobiles
    • TV - Commercials - Travelers insurance
    • TV - Commercials - Trident chewing gum
    • TV - PSA - ABC A Better Community volunteering
    • TV - Promos - "20/20"
    • TV - Promos - "August Rush" motion picture
    • TV - Promos - "Bee Movie" motion picture
    • TV - Promos - "Boston Legal" upcoming episode
    • TV - Promos - "Dirty Sexy Money"
    • TV - Promos - "Grey's Anatomy"
    • TV - Promos - "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
    • TV - Promos - "Private Practice"
    • TV - Promos - "Pushing Daisies"
    • TV - Promos - "Shrek the Third" home video
    • TV - Promos - "Ugly Betty"

CREDITS

  • Bill D'Elia … Executive Producer
  • David E. Kelly … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
  • Mike Listo … Co-Executive Producer
  • Lawrence Broch … Co-Executive Producer
  • Steve Robin … Supervising Producer
  • Janet Knutsen McCann … Producer
  • Craig Turk … Producer
  • Anne M. Uemura … Associate Producer
  • Phoef Sutton … Consulting Producer
  • Susan Dickes … Consulting Producer
  • Robert Breech … Consulting Producer
  • Robert Yannetti … Director
  • Danny Lux … Music by
  • James Spader … Cast, Alan Shore
  • John Larroquette … Cast, Carl Sack
  • Christian Clemenson … Cast, Jerry Espenson
  • Gary Anthony Williams … Cast, Clarence / Clarice 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
  • Craig "muMs" Grant … Cast, Joseph Washington
  • Paul Dooley … Cast, Judge Wendel Donahue
  • Mark Moses … Cast, A.D.A. George McDougal
  • Betsy Brandt … Cast, Gwen Richards
  • Peter Onorati … Cast, A.D.A. Stewart Betts
  • Frank Birney … Cast, Judge William Howe
  • Chuck McCann … Cast, Judge Byron Fudd
  • Michael Wiseman … Cast, D.A. Bret Haber
  • Mare Winningham … Cast, Patrice Kelly
  • Jenjer Vick Robin … Cast, Annie
  • Glen Walker … Cast, Reporter
  • Eric Christie … Cast, Sergeant
  • Tom Virtue … Cast, Father Tulley
  • Bonnie Burroughs … Cast, Lauren Delhorn
  • Craig Barnett … Cast, M.E. Simmons
  • Michael Cutt … Cast, Officer Blanchard
  • Laura Henry … Cast, Clerk #1
  • Karen Lew … Cast, Clerk #2