List of Ally McBeal episodes

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The following is a list of episodes from the American television program Ally McBeal. The show ran on the FOX network from 1997 to 2002, and was one of the best-known comedy-drama television series of the 1990s. All episodes are available on Region 2 DVD but only selected episodes are available on Region 1 DVD.

Contents

[edit] Season 1

# Episode Title Air Date
1 Pilot September 8, 1997
We are introduced to Ally, and see flashbacks of her past with ex-boyfriend, Billy Thomas. After filing a sexual harassment claim against a colleague at her law firm, Ally ends up losing her job. A chance meeting with ex-classmate Richard Fish results in Ally being offered a job at his new law firm. To Ally's shock, Billy is also working at the firm, and has married an attractive lawyer named Georgia. After losing her first case, and having a confrontation with Georgia, Ally wonders if she'd made the right decision working there.

This episode introduces many of the major characters in the series, but not John Cage. Included on Disc 1 of the Region 1 release Ally McBeal: Ally on Sex and the Single Life.
2 Compromising Positions September 15, 1997
Richard's business partner, John Cage is arrested for allegedly hiring a prostitute. When Ally and Billy are assigned to deal with the case, Ally discovers an unsavoury fact about Billy's past. Meanwhile, Richard invites Ally for a meal with him, his girlfriend Whipper, and a potential client, Ronald Cheanie. Ally is annoyed that Richard has tried to pair her up with Ronald, but soon ends up having feelings towards Ronald anyway.
3 The Kiss September 22, 1997
When Ronald doesn't kiss Ally goodnight after their first date, she wonders if he is holding back. Georgia asks Ally to help her work on an age discrimination case, and Ally is shocked to see that their opposing litigator is the ex-colleague she sued at her previous law firm.
4 The Affair September 29, 1997
When one of Ally's old college professors dies, she is asked to give a eulogy. She is reluctant to do this, as the professor's wife is unaware that Ally was having an affair with her husband years ago. When Billy agrees to attend the funeral with Ally, Georgia and Ronald feel threatened.
5 One Hundred Tears Away October 20, 1997
During a dispute in a supermarket, Ally attacks another shopper. In the chaos, she forgets to pay for an item of her shopping, which she had hidden because she was embarrassed to be seen buying it. As a result, Ally is charged with both assault and shoplifting. Her best friend Renee, a district attorney, helps her get out of the charge, but rumours of the incident have spread, and Ally gets called before the State Bar Review, where her eccentric behaviour catches up with her. Episode entitled from Vonda Shepard's song "100 Tears Away".
6 The Promise October 27, 1997
Ally teams up with John for the first time, to defend Whipper's friend on a solicitation charge. While working with John, Ally starts to notice his unique and mystifying approach to his work. During another case, Ally gives mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to an overweight lawyer working with the opposition after he suffers a near heart attack. Upon his recovery, he becomes attracted to Ally.
7 The Attitude November 3, 1997
Ally takes the case of a Jewish lady who wants her rabbi to grant her a spiritual release from her marriage, because her husband is comatose. When Ally visits the rabbi to discover why he is being so rigid about the situation, the two immediately seem to dislike each other, which makes Ally all the more surprised when she later receives an unexpected offer from him. Meanwhile, Georgia is asked to leave her law firm, because her boss' wife is uncomfortable with her husband working with an attractive woman. Richard offers her a job at Cage and Fish.

Included on Disc 1 of the Region 1 release Ally McBeal: Ally on Sex and the Single Life.
8 Drawing The Lines November 10, 1997
After Billy reveals to Ally that he still has feelings for her, he and Georgia experience difficulties with their marriage. Meanwhile, Ally and Georgia try to help a client get around her prenuptial agreement when her husband leaves her for another woman. Elaine threatens to sue the firm for sexual harassment on behalf of the office's women, when the men of the office start to ogle the post-deliverer. She hires a lawyer named Caroline Poop, who uses aggressive tactics.
9 The Dirty Joke November 17, 1997
After Renee makes fun of Ally for being a prude "Julie Andrews type", they agree to each tell their best dirty joke in front of everyone at the bar, to see who can get the best reaction from the crowd. Meanwhile, Caroline Poop returns - this time representing the post-deliverer whom Elaine previously filed a suit about - bringing with her a sexual harassment claim against Cage and Fish.
10 Boy To The World December 1, 1997
Whipper asks Ally to take the case of a young transvestite prostitute, Stephanie, who is being charged for solicitation for the third time. Ally is so moved by Stephanie's situation, that she goes out of her way to help her, even getting her a job at Cage and Fish, and the two soon become friends. Ally is devastated when the situation ends in tragedy. Meanwhile, Richard's eccentric uncle dies, and his minister refuses to let anyone mention the man's bigotry towards short people during his funeral service. Renee expresses an interest in John, and asks Ally to take her on a double date with him and Ally's current date.
11 Silver Bells December 15, 1997
Richard asks Ally and John to represent three people requesting the right to legally have a three-way marriage. Ally is disgusted by the idea, until Georgia points out the similarities between the case and the triangle they are in with Billy. Georgia then feels upset that Billy has been acting differently since Ally came back into his life. Richard feels forced into proposing to Whipper, even though they both know he doesn't want to get married. Meanwhile, the annual Christmas party is held, with Renee singing to the whole bar.

Included on Disc 1 of the Region 1 release Ally McBeal: Ally on Sex and the Single Life.
12 Cro-Magnon January 5, 1998
In this controversial episode, Ally, Renee, and Georgia take an art class, and are all drawn to one of the male nude models after noticing he is extremely well-endowed. While Billy is jealous of Georgia's interest in the model, Ally finds herself dating him. Ally is assigned the case of a 19-year-old who has been charged with assault, after punching the ex-boyfriend of his date when he verbally abused her. Ally is disturbed that she finds herself so attracted to her client, despite his young age.

Included on Disc 1 of the Region 1 release Ally McBeal: Ally on Sex and the Single Life.
13 The Blame Game January 19, 1998
Ally bumps into the male model again in Starbucks, and confronts him for the way he treated her. John is assigned a case to help to siblings sue an airline, after their father died in a plane crash.
14 Body Language February 2, 1998
After being bridesmaids at a friend's wedding, Renee and Ally vow never to do so again. Ally and Georgia represent a woman wishing to marry an inmate on death row, resulting in Ally having to go back on her vow. While trying to entice a new client, Richard asks Ally to flirt with him, something which Ally is uncomfortable with. Meanwhile, Whipper catches Richard touching Janet Reno's neck (something which he has a fetish for).
15 Once In A Lifetime February 23, 1998
Ally and Billy represent an elderly artist, who is fighting to keep control of his estate after his son decides he is becoming too senile to stay in charge. After spending a great deal of time together for the case, they both end up thinking about their own relationship. Meanwhile, Ally has agreed to go on a date with John, but when she decides she would feel uncomfortable, she tries to get him to cancel it. John realises that Ally still loves Billy.
16 Forbidden Fruits March 2, 1998
The firm takes on a high-profile case of a US Senator being sued for "interfering with marital relations", and when the case starts to become disturbingly similar to the situation between Ally, Billy, and Georgia, Georgia decides she can't work on the case any more. Renee starts to worry about Ally when she starts to see the dancing baby more frequently.
17 Theme Of Life March 9, 1998
Ally, Georgia, and Renee join a kickboxing class, and Ally and Georgia are scheduled to fight together, as they are both beginning. As the time for the fight draws nearer, the two women become less and less civil towards each other. Ally defends a surgeon, Greg, charged with performing a controversial operation, and finds herself attracted to him. John suggests that Ally visit his therapist, which she does, only to be surprised by how unorthodox her practices are. Meanwhile, Whipper discovers that Richard has been touching Janet Reno's neck again.

Included on Disc 2 of the Region 1 release Ally McBeal: Ally on Sex and the Single Life.
18 The Playing Field March 16, 1998
Ally and Greg are involved in a car accident. Later, Ally discovers that her latest opposing council is a 10-year-old genius - but only after she has kicked him believing him to be the dancing baby. Ally's therapist meets Ally's friends at the bar. Richard represents a woman suing for sexual harassment after being passed over for promotion for refusing to sleep with her boss.

Included on Disc 2 of the Region 1 release Ally McBeal: Ally on Sex and the Single Life.
19 Happy Birthday Baby April 6, 1998
Ally is upset about her impending birthday, but her friends and co-workers arrange a surprise party at the bar for her anyway. Greg sings her a romantic song, but Renee jumps up on stage and joins in, the two performing a seductive duet which leads to tension between them and Ally. Ally and Renee's conflict is furthered by the fact that they have to oppose each other in court - Ally defending a man who broke into his date's house to touch her feet.
20 The Inmates April 27, 1998
Billy is eager to take on the case of a woman charged with murdering her husband, delighted at the chance of moving on to a different area of law. Ally, however, is terrified by the whole situation. Georgia represents a man fired from his job for being heterosexual. Meanwhile, Renee is arrested for assault and battery after attacking her date when he tried to pressure her into sex. Ally agrees to take on her case. This episode was part 1 of a crossover with The Practice. Part 2 was the episode "Axe Murderer" on that series.
21 Being There May 4, 1998
As Renee's trial continues, she becomes worried by John's unusual tactics in court. Ally has to confront Renee about her sexual aggressiveness, which offends her at first, but eventually cements their friendship further. Meanwhile, Georgia takes a pregnancy test, which comes up positive - shocking both Billy and Ally.
22 Alone Again May 11, 1998
John finds himself opposing a woman he was in love with at law school, and after some encouragement by Ally, tells her how he feels. Georgia and Richard take on the case of a jilted bride, but feel that they are being subjected to bias when Whipper is assigned as the judge. Richard apologises to Whipper and tells her he misses her.
23 These Are The Days May 18, 1998
John represents his cousin, who feels a strange compulsion to hit people over the head to get them to realise they are in love. After he hits Ally and her co-counsel Bobby Donnell, Ally considers the possibility of dating Bobby. Ally represents two men who want to swap hearts - one wants to give his healthy heart to his sick friend - but Ally is forced into making the final decision in the case herself. Meanwhile, Georgia and Billy decide to be more spontaneous and risky with their love-making, in order to spice up their marriage, resulting in a very embarrassing situation between them and Ally.

[edit] Season 2

# Episode Title Original airdate
1 The Real World September 14, 1998
Richard Fish and John Cage decide to hire a new associate to help the firm to make more money, and bring in Nelle "sub-zero" Porter. Nelle makes a good impression on John and Richard, but manages to irritate Ally, Georgia, and Elaine on her first day. John confides to Ally that he is attracted to Nelle. Meanwhile, Ally and John defend a woman in her late 30s who had an affair with a 16-year-old boy.
2 They Eat Horses, Don't They? September 21, 1998
Nelle's friend and client, Ling Woo sues a radio DJ for making sexually explicit comments on air, and to the disgust of Ally, drops the case as a legal tactic. Ally later ends up as a guest on the same radio DJ's show. Meanwhile, Georgia and John defend a restaurant owner who has been sued by two customers after they were served horsemeat.
3 Fool's Night Out September 28, 1998
Ling brings the firm another case, this time suing a plastic surgeon who passed off his nurse's natural breasts as some of his implant work. Ling, impressed by them, purchased some implants for her sister, who was less than impressed with the results. Georgia is upset by Billy's involvement in the trial, particularly when he compares the breasts, but she can't drop the case. Ally represents a minister who broke off a relationship with his choir director, Lisa, after she begins singing aggressive songs aimed at him. Nelle lets John know that she wouldn't be against a relationship with him.
4 It's My Party October 19, 1998
Ally defends George Madison, an editor of a feminist magazine who was fired for his religious views on women. Ally finds herself attracted to George, but Elaine implies that she and George are an item, so Ally tries to forget about him. During the trial, Ally is told to stop wearing miniskirts in court, and when she refuses, she is held in contempt, and taken into custody. The whole firm rallies round to defend her. Ally throws a dinner party for her friends and colleagues, and Elaine turns up with George as her date. The carefully planned party descends into anarchy when it turns into an argument over women's rights.
5 The Story Of Love October 26, 1998
Ally is arrested after a fight with a young woman who is angry with her best friend for stealing her boyfriend. After Ally agrees to represent her in court, she discovers that the woman has a tendency to fire her lawyers. George, meanwhile, starts to show an interest in Ally, and Elaine begs her not to take him from her. Meanwhile, John brings in his pet tree frog, Stefan, whom he is training for a competition, but ends up in an awkward moment with Nelle after she admits she hates frogs.
6 Worlds Without Love November 2, 1998
Renee bumps into Matt, an old flame from her past, whom she admits to Ally is her "Billy". He is married, but Renee can't help but feel some of her old emotions returning. Ally represents a nun who is forced to leave her order after breaking her vow of celibacy. John loses Stefan, who makes a reappearance in a toilet bowl, but a panicked Georgia and Nelle manage to injure him, leaving him comatose. Meanwhile, Ally gives Whipper the wrong idea about Richard, leading to an embarrassing moment between her and Richard's new partner, Ling.
7 Happy Trails November 9 1998
After a bad date, Ally spends days trying to avoid her suitor, who won't take the hint that she is not interested. John and Richard are both nervous about having the first kiss in their respective relationships. Stefan recovers, and is rescued by Ling after he jumps out of a window. However, during a mix-up in a Chinese restaurant, John, Ling, and their friends unknowingly eat Stefan. The lawyers are saddened by the sudden death of Judge Happy Boyle.
8 Just Looking November 16, 1998
Ling is sued by a group of local mothers, who protest that her mud-wrestling club is pornographic, and Nelle, Ally, and Georgia defend her. John and Richard go undercover at the club as research. Meanwhile, Ally is talked into going on a date with their opposing council, Ray, who happens to be an old friend of Georgia's, only to discover she is genuinely interested in him.
9 You Never Can Tell November 23, 1998
Ling sues one of her male employees because she claims he has sexual thoughts about her. Renee sets Ally up on a blind date, with a man who seems far more interested in Ally than she is in him, but their date is a disaster when Ally gets her finger stuck in a bowling ball. Nelle asks John out on a, similarly disastrous, date.
10 Making Spirits Bright December 14, 1998
Richard has to defend one of his biggest clients after he is fired from his job for claiming to see a unicorn. Ally finds a bond with him, as she too sees things other people don't, and also saw a unicorn in her youth. Renee and Matt take their relationship to the next level, only for Renee to find out that Matt is not only still with his wife, but that his wife is pregnant. John tries to build up the courage to kiss Nelle, with the help of some mistletoe.
11 In Dreams January 11, 1999
Ally's favourite teacher from school is terminally ill, and asks Ally to help her win the right to live out the remainder of her life in a drug induced coma, where she can stay in her fantasy world. While at the hospital, Ally meets up with Greg once again. Nelle breaks up with John, after telling Richard she thinks John is gay because he hasn't slept with her.
12 Love Unlimited January 18, 1999
Ally defends a woman whose husband of 9 years tries to get the marriage annulled on the grounds that he was insane when he married her. Meanwhile, she goes on another date with Greg, despite the case shaking her faith in men. John and Ally attend therapy together, after both of their love lives seem to be failures.
13 Angels And Blimps February 8, 1999
During a trip to the hospital to visit Greg, Ally meets a little boy with leukaemia. He asks Ally to help him sue God, but when Ally tells him it's not possible, Ling reveals that she is a lawyer, and tells the boy that she will help him. John and Richard represent a man who attempted to murder his wife and her lover.
14 Pyramids On The Nile February 15, 1999
Richard agrees to hire Ling, much to the annoyance of everyone except Nelle. Ally and Billy help defend a couple who were fired because they were dating. After the trial, Billy admits he still has feelings for Ally, and that he is jealous of Greg. Ally and Billy kiss each other.
15 Sideshow February 22, 1999
Ally finds herself distraught over this kiss with Billy, and not sure how to deal with it. Billy agrees to accompany Ally to a therapy session, but this only serves to make Ally feel more confused.
16 Sex, Lies, And Politics March 1, 1999
John and Ling help a bookstore owner sue a Senator, after he falsely accused her of selling pornography and caused her to lose her business. Ally obsesses over the kiss with Billy, and starts to imagine that everyone knows about it. She also struggles with the urge to tell Georgia.
17 Civil Wars April 5, 1999
Georgia finds out about the kiss between Billy and Ally, and rumours spread through the office that the two were involved in an affair. Ally and John find themselves opposing Richard and Georgia in court over a date rape case. As tension increases between Georgia and Ally, the two get into a fight in the bathroom, which also involves Ling and Nelle.
18 Those Lips, That Hand April 19, 1999
Ally and John represent a man who cut off his dead wife's hand as a memento, but who is being accused of causing her death. They also get depressed over the fact that they've never loved anyone enough to act in that way. Richard decides to break up with Ling because she refuses to sleep with him. Meanwhile, Billy and Georgia try to repair their marriage, and also defend a man who was fired for having a bad comb over.
19 Let's Dance April 26, 1999
Elaine is upset when her dance partner gets injured right before a competition, until Ling offers to step in and dance with her. John, Richard, and Nelle defend a woman who was discriminated against after taking maternity leave. Meanwhile, Ally agrees to go to Bill and Georgia's marriage therapy session, during which she gets angry and accidentally breaks the therapist's toe.
20 Only The Lonely May 3, 1999
Elaine starts to sell one of her inventions - a face-bra - over infomercials, only to be sued by her aunt, who claims Elaine stole the idea from her cousin Martha. Georgia suggests Elaine settle, and nobody seems to believe her, until she remembers she has a video tape of a conversation where the two of them discuss the invention. John decides that he should be bold now he has turned 35, so he asks Nelle out on a date. Ally decides to do the same and ask Greg out, but when she goes to his apartment, she finds him with another woman.
21 The Green Monster May 10, 1999
Richard and John defend a woman who dropped a grand piano on her husband’s Porsche. Ally becomes jealous that Greg is frequently seen with attractive women, so she hires a male escort from Ling to try and make Greg feel jealous too. Georgia starts wearing revealing outfits to work, getting lots of attention from other men, which makes Billy jealous.
22 Love’s Illusions May 17, 1999
Ally starts having bizarre dreams about her childhood, which leads her to wonder if anyone can ever find true love. Meanwhile, she works on a case where a man sues his wife for fraud after finding out that she writes love letters to an imaginary man. Ling and Richard take their relationship to the next level, and Billy and Georgia try to spice up their sex life, leading to an awkward moment between them and Ally.
23 I Know Him By Heart May 24, 1999
Ally becomes increasingly depressed about her love life, until Richard brings her round with a pep talk. Ally and Renee then decide to go on as many dates as possible, until they find the right man. John starts irritating Nelle, particularly because he gets on so well with Ally, which makes her insecure.

[edit] Season 3

# Episode Title Original airdate
1 Car Wash 25 October 1999
Ally has random sex with a man she has never spoken to or seen before at a car wash, only to realize that it is the fiance of one of her clients to which she has agreed to be bridesmaid for at the wedding.
2 Buried Pleasures 1 November 1999
Ling and Ally kiss, then establish there is a missing ingredient, the penis, and decide to never kiss another woman again.
3 Seeing Green 8 November 1999
Ally's hallucinations get worse and she falls in love with her imaginary Al Green. Billy joins a self-help-group of men who want to work on their chauvinism.
4 Heat Wave 15 November 1999
Ally gets sued by Risa, the woman who's wedding she destroyed in the season opener. Meanwhile Billy decides to get his hair colored and hire a new and beautiful assistant.
5 Troubled Water 22 November 1999
The day before Thanksgiving, Billy goes completely crazy, driving Georgia to kiss "George" in the bar. Ally invites everyone over to her place for a holiday dinner that proves to be explosive, at the very least. Ally cannot take any more of this chaos and makes an emergency appointment with Tracey. Ally's other guests exit her apartment to finish dinner at Fish's place.
6 Changes 29 November 1999
Billy and Cage represent sexy, middle-aged women who are suing her employees for sexual harassment. The woman, Robin Jones, claims that the staff of her magazine held a "sick out" and delayed the May publication because they didn't want to work for a "nymph". She was subsequently fired. Cage becomes a bad lawyer and Billy ends up taking him off the case. Meanwhile Richard and Ling officially break up. As they lose their case Billy and Robin argue over his chauvinistic principles, but settle it with a kiss - as Georgia walks in on them.
7 Saving Santa 13 December 1999
The first case Georgia brings to Renee's new firm pits them against Cage and Fish. Georgia defends Newman's, an upscale department store against Steve Mallory, who worked as the store's Santa for seventeen years. Cage represents Mallory, who claims that he was wrongfully fired because Newman wants to hire a younger, thinner Santa. Meanwhile, Ally is haunted by visions of herself as a little girl. Ally manages to bring Georgia and Billy together to talk, and Billy sees that he wants Georgia back. But Georgia is not as eager to work things out yet.
8 Blue Christmas 20 December 1999
Elaine finds a baby in a nativity scene and wants to keep him, so she gets Cage and Ally represent her in a custody battle. Billy tries to iron things out with Georgia. Ally, who isn't a big singer, bets Renee $1000 that she can "out-sex" her at the bar, followed by a memorable performance of "Santa Baby" at the Christmas party.
9 Out in the Cold 10 January 2000
Ally befriends a homeless man who turns out to be a writer doing research on homelessness. They hit it off and just when Ally starts to think the man could be Mr. Right, she is stunned by what she finds about him. Meanwhile, Ling is arrested for running a brothel when one of her escorts has sex with a high school boy. Billy, still on his pro-testosterone kick, hires six of Ling's escorts to follow him around and be his assistant. to add to the office disruption, Cage and Nelle have a post break-up argument.
10 Just Friends 17 January 2000
Ally has a romantic dream about Cage and wakes up thinking that he may be the one for her. When she finally gets up the courage to tell him, he admits that he often thought she might be the one for him also. Meanwhile, Elaine goes on a date with a great guy only to learn that he asked her out because his friend said she was easy.
11 Over the Rainbow 7 February 2000
Georgia sues Cage, Fish and the firm for the destruction of her marriage. She cites many issues as leading to Billy's breakdown and the ultimate dissolution of their marriage.
12 In Search of Pygmies 14 February 2000
Ling defends a dear old friend who is asked to leave his retirement home because the director finds his exuberant imagination disruptive for other residents. While Ling tries to decide whether her friend truly believes in his make-believe world or just pretends to, he suffers from a hallucination that has fatal results. Meanwhile, Ally spots a potential cute guy and proceeds to go after him.
13 Pursuit of Loneliness 21 February 2000
Ally is pursued by Hammond, the server at her usual coffee shop, but is turned off by his forwardness. When pressed, she admits that a coffee server is not necessarily that attractive to her. She also learns he owns a chain of coffee joints. Still not impressed, Ally continues to snub Hammond, only to walk into an appeals court and find he is also a presiding judge in her case. When Ally is rude to him in court, Hammond throws her in jail for contempt. When she gets out of jail the two of them get together and kiss. Meanwhile, John begins to worry that Nelle is a snob and Billy finally kisses his assistant Sandy.
14 The Oddball Parade 28 February 2000
Cage and Fish represent a group of oddballs who have been fired from their jobs. One client is a transvestite, one has an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and one is obese. Cage begins to take the case personally, considering himself an oddball. Meanwhile, Ally and Elaine enter a dance contest in which the winner gets to perform as one of Tina Turner's back-up singers at the bar. Elaine is devastated because Ally wins the contest. Billy and Ally agree to rekindle their relationship.
15 Prime Suspect 20 March 2000
Cage's 'oddball' client is accused of murdering his old boss and the firm gets involved in their first murder trial. Ally plays detective and goes snooping when things in the case turn dismal.
16 Boy Next Door 27 March 2000
Billy represents a woman in an annulment action case, who's deeply religious husband wants out of the marriage. However, the case gets sidetracked when Billy reveals the truth about his health. Meanwhile, John gets trapped in an elevator and must do his work while his legs dangle.
17 I Will Survive 17 April 2000
Gloria Gaynor stalks Ally around singing I Will Survive. Meanwhile, Ally and Ling team up to represent a woman who beat her cheating husband to death with his prosthetic leg. Fish brings in a new lawyer and assigns him to Ally's case.
18 Turning Thirty 1 May 2000
The firm defends a woman accused of murdering her eighty-nine-year-old husband by suffocating him...with her breasts. Meanwhile, Ally struggles with turning thirty. She goes to church to find God, but instead finds an angry Reverend Newman who has a pet peeve about women who only need God between relationships. Ally's next stop at a plastic surgeon has even more devastating results.
19 Do You Wanna Dance? 8 May 2000
Ally engages in a little virtual sex, with a guy she’s been writing to online for the past few months. At Renee’s prompting, Ally tries to arrange a meeting. Eventually, she does. By this time, Ally, or “Lover Lips” as she calls herself, thinks she’s found her “Thunder Thighs”. Upon seeing Brian, the opposing counsel in a case she and Mark are trying, she immediately is drawn to him. Later, Ally is in hot water when she realizes she's been chatting with underage kid.
20 Hope and Glory 15 May 2000
Nelle schemes to leave Cage & Fish in order to start her own firm and it leaves both Richard and John furious. Elaine accepts Nelle's offer to leave the firm and go with her. Ally dates Brian Selig.
21 Ally McBeal: The Musical, Almost 22 May 2000
Brian and Ally go to dinner with her parents. A nervous Ally and her hostile father make the dinner dreadful. Not even the entire restaurant engaged in a musical number can help the situation. Elsewhere, Nelle tells her lawyer, Hope, that she thinks she made a mistake leaving the firm and wants to go back. Renee sings the blues at the bar, and all join in. Meanwhile, Hope talks to Fish about Nelle coming back to the firm. He discusses it with John who nixes the idea. Next day, Ally's father visits and tells her she hurt her mother's feelings at the abysmal dinner the night before. Ally blames the situation on her father. They argue and Ally admits she's upset that her father didn't attend Billy's funeral. Ally heads home to meet Brian...

[edit] Season 4

# Episode Title Original airdate
1 Sex, Lies and Second Thoughts 23 October 2000
Brian wants Ally to move in with him, but she has her reservations. Looking for advice, she searches out Dr. Tracy and finds a new "therapist" has taken her office. The firm represents a woman wishing to annul her six-year-marriage as she feels that her husband married her only for her money.
2 Girls' Night Out 30 October 2000
Richard and Ling take Cindy McCauliff's case, meanwhile, Ally organizes a models night at the club to attract men. John and Nelle handle a case about a woman being sued for sexually harassing a man. They're up against Georgia and Renee.
3 Two's a Crowd 6 November 2000
Mark's girlfriend finally reveals "her" secret; Ling and Nelle represent a woman suing a relationship guru whose advice ruined the woman's marriage; Ally is dating two different men who end up being related.
4 Without a Net 13 November 2000
Ally runs into Kimmie Bishop, an old friend of hers from college. Ally makes fun of her in front of her fellow puritan friends, and Kimmie is so outraged she decides to sue Ally for defamation. Instead of having someone from the office to defend her, Ally hires therapist/lawyer Larry Paul.
5 The Last Virgin 20 November 2000
Kimmie comes to Cage & Fish looking to hire Ally. She's suing her old firm for wrongful termination. They fired her for being too puritan, and the opposite lawyer is Larry. Now Ally and Larry have to face each other in court. Meanwhile, Ally is nervous about her first kiss with Larry and seeks for advice with Ling, who demonstrate on John how a good kiss should go. This makes Richard insecure of himself, and Nelle tells him to find a theme song for himself.
6 'Tis the Season 27 November 2000
The Christmas season is approaching, and while Ally is thrilled about it, Larry has nothing to celebrate. He confesses to her that he has a 7 year-old son who lives in Detroit with his mother, and ever since they split Larry finds Christmas sad and lonely.
7 Love on Holiday 4 December 2000
Elaine gets sued by a former office clerk because she called him "peanut" due his size. John thinks Larry was ridiculing him by making fun of his relationship with Kimmy and her mother. Nelle and Ling compete about who will have the most bids from the charity auction dinner date and Cindy (Mark's ex-girlfriend the transvestite) has plans for Richard for charity auction.
8 The Man with the Bag 11 December 2000
John and Nelle defend her father who was fired from his job as a teacher because he claims he's Santa Claus; Ally feels threatened when Larry's ex comes to town; Richard and Ling lip sync at the office Christmas party
9 Reasons to Believe 8 January 2001
"The" Nicholas Engbloom comes to Cage & Fish looking for John to help him with a murder case. Melanie West suffers with Tourette's syndrome and ran over her boyfriend. Meanwhile, Richard teaches Mark how to use a "sex song" in order to please Elaine in bed
10 The Ex-Files 15 January 2001
Larry's ex-wife asks him for his permission to take their son to Canada, where she is moving. They argue over why can't one of them move closer to the other so their son can grow with his two parents around. Melanie is fired from her job for scaring the children and John takes it to court.
11 Mr. Bo 22 January 2001
Melanie takes John to her tiny apartment (actually it's an old service elevator) and introduces him to Mr. Bo, a homeless man Melanie cares deeply for. Mr. Bo starts to stalk John around and he files a complaint against him. Richard organizes a twist contest at the bar and while Elaine freaks with the possibility of losing to the babe lawyers, Nelle only enters the contest after Ling introduces her to a very hot twist instructor. And Ally takes a case of a woman who fired her secretary because she was slightly overweight and is shocked when she discovers that Cage & Fish only hire hot female lawyers.
12 Hats Off to Larry 5 February 2001
Larry's son flies in from Detroit and goes to Cage & Fish looking for Ally. He wants to sue his parents for emotional damage. Meanwhile, Nelle is representing her dance instructor/lover Sam Adams in court. He's suing his ex-partner for stealing his dance moves. Cindy McCauliff returns to the office looking for Richard. (S)He wants to marry a man.
13 Reach Out And Touch 12 February 2001
Ally has hallucinations with Barry Manilow. Richard assigns Ling to work with Jackson Duper, the firm's newest lawyer. When they meet, Ling discovers that Jackson slept with her in the past under a fake name. They have to handle a double case of a man who wants his marriage annulled because his wife is a nymphomaniac and cheated on him 106 times and is suing the minister for having a torrid affair with her. Between the unisex bathroom, Elaine's vibra and Melanie's Tourette, Jackson is going crazy with his new job and questions his future in the firm. Meanwhile, John proposes to Melanie. But Melanie doesn't want to be institutionalized (even if that institution is marriage)...
14 Boys Town 19 February 2001
Richard and John's relationship grows more tense than ever and so they attend couples therapy; Jackson's presence has a profound impact on Elaine; Jackson represent a woman being sued for firing all her male employees.
15 Falling Up 26 February 2001
Jackson and Renee's one night stand turns into something more; Ally visits several therapists to get over her hallucinations of Larry, who eventually appears in the flesh; John represents a man who wants to annul his marriage after his wife decides she doesn't want to have kids, a case that carries over into John's relationship with Melanie.
16 The Getaway 19 March 2001
To escape their ruined love lives, Richard and John go for a vacation to Los Angeles. It turns into a working vacation however when John not only must get Richard out of legal trouble but also helps a woman divorcing her wealthy husband who paid someone to seduce her. Meanwhile Richard helps a struggling actress leave her agent who is in fact using her to run an escort service.
17 The Pursuit of Unhappiness 26 March 2001
Elaine cheated on Mark and now she's trying by all means to find a way for him to forgive her. She even takes advice from Richard! But in the end she has a serious talk with Mark and she tells him she cheated because he never fully trusted her. They break up. Meanwhile, Jackson is assigned to do the pre-nup for a rich, fat and bald man. Ally puts Larry to defend to soon-to-be wife's interests, which leads into a more personal dissension between Larry and Jackson. And Ling takes the case of a man who's being sued by his own son because a blood clot has left him perpetually happy which is ruining the family business.
18 The Obstacle Course 15 April 2001
Cassandra surprises John when she suddenly shows up at the office. She wants to continue the relationship they started in LA, but John doesn't want to go on seeing her, because they're 3.000 miles away and he's not completely over Melanie yet. Ally takes the case of a man who's being sued because he didn't reveal to his internet date that he was a dwarf. Larry is representing the woman suing, and the case ends up reflecting on their own relationship as Ally questions Larry if they would be together if she was 3 feet tall. Ling and Jackson take a case of a woman who's suing her old boyfriend for interrupting her wedding ceremony. Jackson reveals his true feelings towards Ling, who is confused and torn between him and Richard. Caught in the middle of this is Renee, who feels used by Jackson.
19 In Search of Barry White 23 April 2001
John loses his ability to channel Barry White while going up against Larry in a case involving a man who wants to clone his late wife; Nelle hooks Elaine into on-line romance; Ling's feelings for Jackson grow more intense.
20 Cloudy Skies, Chance of Parade 30 April 2001
Larry defends Sting when a man sues him for breaking up his marriage; a Streisand impersonator sues over his nose job; Richard flirts with Cindy Margolis to make Ling jealous.
21 Queen Bee 7 May 2001
Sydney Gale hires Cage & Fish to represent her in court. She's been sued for wrongful termination, and Richard and John take the case. An employee is suing Sydney because he doesn't want to 'serve' her anymore. In her firm, she only hires men who desire her, and thus make the company a lot like a beehive and Sydney their queen. John and Richard are driven crazy with lust, but they win the case. Meanwhile, Reverend Mark Newman is once again having problems concerning Lisa Knowles's performance at church. Now she's musically attacking Rev. Mark's new girlfriend, who's also a member of the choir. After Jackson's strategy fails, it's in Nelle's hand to fix the situation.
22 Home Again 14 May 2001
When Larry's surprise engagement plan goes awry he's convinced it's an omen and reassurance from his ex-wie doesn't help, especially when Ally sees them together. Fish flies to LA. to help the aspiring actress, Jane, stop a man's magazine from publishing nude pictures of her.
23 The Wedding 21 May 2001
Malcolm Wyatt hires Ally to take his case. He's suing a girl for not going to the prom with him after she said yes in fall. The opposing lawyer is Larry Paul, and Ally is nervous about meeting him in court. But he never shows up, and his partner Coretta tells Ally he left for Detroit. Richard hires Jane Wilco as the office's new secretary, but after she gets the cold shoulder from some people, Richard wonders what ever happened to the friendly workplace he once built. Ally talks to Billy's ghost and decides to go to Malcolm's prom as his date and convinces him to sing solo and never stop believing in love.

[edit] Season 5

# Episode Title Original airdate
1 Friends and Lovers 29 October 2001
On the season premiere of Ally McBeal, Ally finds herself the mentor for young lawyer Jenny, whom she runs into on the street and immediately hires as an associate at Cage and Fish. Neurotic Jenny, fresh from being fired by her old firm, and from heartbreak over a failed relationship, comes face to face with both her firm when she opposes its lawyers in court, and her old boyfriend, when it turns out that he is the other new associate at Cage and Fish. Meanwhile, John Cage misunderstands Ally when he overhears her say she loves him, and sets out to win her heart. He seeks advice from Richard, waxes poetic to Ally, and after those and other attempts backfire, ends the hour with the realization that she does not love him in the way that he had hoped.
2 Judge Ling 5 November 2001
Jenny insists that Ally should go out with Glenn, and Ally insists she doesn't have a crush on him. The three are assigned to chair the telemarketing case. They have a very hard time with the main plaintiff, Claire Otoms, a purple-haired, flashy-looking lady who lives in a 'colonial house'. Raymond, knowing that if the judge listens to her he'll rule in his favor, takes the deposition to the court. Claire keeps drifting from the questions, for Ally's desperation. But what appeared to have gone so bad turned out good. Coretta convinces John that he must look good to cause a good impression, and John ends up dressing a fake muscle suit to try to get rid of his weird-women magnetism. Ling and Nelle 'compliment' twin babies on the street. The mother of the babies - the Massachusetts governor - is so flattered by the compliments that she offers Ling a judge position. Overwhelmed, Ling makes a purple robe and starts to give more-than-quick sentences.
3 Neutral Corners 12 November 2001
Ally has a dream about Raymond and Glenn. She thinks it's a sign they'll lose the phone company case, and Glenn sees it as a secret attraction of Ally for him. After Raymond makes a 125,000 dollars offer for the phone company case, Ally decides to make an infomercial using Ling's TV show crew and Claire Otoms as the announcer. They threat to run the infomercial nationwide on primetime, and the threat of losing hundreds of millions of dollars scares Raymond's client. Cage & Fish settle for 15 million dollars, the biggest settlement ever, which makes Richard cry of happiness. Meanwhile, Ally is still divided with her feelings for Glenn and if she should date him or not. Glenn says he's not interested in her, and Raymond asks Glenn if he should date Ally. To make things even better, John decides to confess his feelings for Ally and is very disappointed when she says they will never be more than just very good friends.
4 Fear of Flirting 19 November 2001
Ally and Glenn continue their flirtation, which leads to their conscious avoidance of each other, which does not go unnoticed by the others at Cage and Fish. She insists he’s too much of a “boy” for her, but continues to be attracted to him. He’s drawn to her because she’s a little older. Both use Jenny’s feelings as an excuse to not date as well. John takes off for parts unknown, which worries the ladies of the firm, especially Nelle. Richard takes it in stride, and takes over John’s abandoned hole off of the unisex. Raymond is sued by a former coworker for sexual harassment, and asks Jenny to represent him...
5 I Want Love 26 November 2001
Jenny's mother comes to hire the firm to take her wrongful termination case. She's being fired from her job for dating a 20 year-old. Jenny wants Ally to purposely lose the case but Ally can't do that. The case ends up serving as a mirror to Ally and Glenn's relationship. Ally's closing makes Jenny change her mind and she accepts her soon-to-be step-father. Glenn tries to reach Ally, but Ally, as always, is afraid she's going to end up broken hearted. Meanwhile, Ling looks for more exciting cases for her show and brings an entire orchestra to her court. Richard obsesses with Ms. Shaw's waddle, but Francis shows him he's way out of her league.
6 Lost and Found 3 December 2001
John makes a surprise return and is shocked after hearing from Raymond that Richard threw a party in his "hole". After confronting Richard, John gives the office a speech, in which he reveals the reason why and where he left to. Raymond gets Glenn and Ally to double date with him and Jenny. It's Jenny's birthday, and everyone forgets it. Glenn is the only one who didn't get her a present, so he sings a very romantic Elvis song at the bar for her. He asks her back, and she accepts. Ally wonders if she should hook up with John, but the ghost of Larry is still present in her thoughts. Meanwhile, Ling poses nude to boost her TV character; Corretta and Richard find themselves involved in a police investigation on a woman who used to marry rich old men for the money.
7 Nine One One 10 December 2001
Ally helps a minister who was fired from his church for not believing in God. Ever since his wife was brutally murdered, he has been questioning his beliefs and he asks Ally to talk to his son. Ally is surprised to see Malcolm again and encourages him to sing at his father's service after he is hired back. Meanwhile, John takes a case opposite a mayor who cancelled the Christmas parade of his town due to a disaster in which people died. Very moved, John proves that Christmas is what they need the most in this time of deep grief. Back in the office, Jenny and Elaine confront each other about Elaine's performance with Glenn in the office's Christmas party.
8 Playing with Matches 7 January 2002
Jenny's mom's wedding is approaching, and Ally is shocked when Tim gives her a certain look that suggests a move. She talks to Jenny, and they decide to test him. Ally makes a move on him, and he offers her to have an affair. Surprisingly, Jenny's mom is ok with that, which only confuses Ally more. She's been hallucinating with a 7-year-old boy who keeps saying she's killing him. The boy is a version of Ally from when she believed in love (a conclusion made by Richard), before Billy died and Larry left. Meanwhile, John and Coretta help Kimmie Bishop, who's back suing a matchmaker for saying she's "unmatchable".
9 Blowin' in the Wind 14 January 2002
Ally impulsively buys a house, to which Dr. Milter concludes is a way of her to take care of herself, since Ally sees herself as a 'work in progress'. Richard gets the others to help paint the house as a surprise for Ally, who hires the handyman Victor to fix the house for her. Meanwhile, Ally handles a case of a man who spent too much money buying gifts for his wife until they went bankrupt. And Jenny has some back problems, to which Coretta recommends a chiropractor who has a special chair. Glenn gets extremely jealous that a chair is giving Jenny more pleasure than him, while Nelle tests the chair.
10 One Hundred Tears 21 January 2002
Ally defends a man who broke into his old house to jump out of his old bedroom window. Harvey Hall believes he can fly using wings he made himself. The house owner allows him to jump from the roof, and Harvey accomplishes his life long dream of flying, at the cost of his own life. Meanwhile, Harriet Pumple tries to find a match for Elaine, Coretta, Richard and John. She matches Elaine with Victor, who would have dumped her if it wasn't for Ally asking him not to. But Harriet can't find a match for John, so the entire office sings "we have to get you a woman" for him. John is profoundly insulted.
11 A Kick in the Head 4 February 2002
10 year-old Maddie Harrington shows up on Ally's door saying she's her daughter. She's the result of a mixup on the egg bank Ally deposited her eggs ten years ago. Since Maddie's father died six months ago, she's been living with her aunt, who sings TV themes on nightclubs for a living. After a lot of talking, Maddie decides to stay in Boston with Ally on a trial basis until they resolve where she will stay. Meanwhile, Richard takes the case of a man who killed his wife after kicking her in the head when he mistook her for a soccer ball. John doesn't think he'll be able to win the case because he can't litigate, but Richard surprises him when he wins.
12 The New Day 11 February 2002
Maddie keeps testing Ally for her patience and love, something that doesn't go through Ally's mind until Victor points it out. Ally, on the other hand, is being way too protective on Maddie, confronting her school principal, teacher and classmates. She decides to hire a nanny, but can't find one that is fits her standards (liking Moulin Rouge, for example), so she ends up hiring Victor, who has developed a very good bond with Maddie. As if she didn't have enough going on in her life, Ally is offered partnership on the firm now that John is gone. After a lot of consideration, Richard decided to ask her and change the firm's name from Cage & Fish to Fish & McBeal, which upsets Nelle, who thinks she should be the next partner, not Ally. After going through the firm's books, Ally discovers that they're losing money and have to fire someone to avoid problems. Since neither Richard nor John had the guts to fire anyone, Ally decides to do so. Meanwhile, Coretta and Raymond face each other in court on a case about a lawyer who was fired because she was dying from AIDS. The case deepens when her employee reveals that his own son died of AIDS and he's only trying to avoid the other partners from further suffering since two of his lawyers died on September 11th.
13 Woman 18 February 2002
Ally decided that in order for the firm to get out of the financial crisis it's going through, someone will have to be let go. She chooses Jenny, who between all the lawyers of the firm had the least number of clients and experience. Glenn takes Jenny's dismissal offensively and decides to quit, taking all his clients with him. Ally accepts his resignation, but Victor convinces her to hire him back since the firm can't afford to lose any clients. Glenn and Jenny decide to start a new firm together and leave Cage, Fish & McBeal once and for all. Now the other lawyers will have to do extra work to make up for the loss. Among the changes Ally is making on the firm, she wants Nelle to be nicer and asks her to perform at the bar, something she has never done before. Afraid of embarrassing herself, Nelle goes to Ling for help. They decide to have backing vocals, a plan that backfires when the singer who was going to dub Nelle suddenly loses her voice and Elaine has Claire Otoms to replace her. That's right. Claire Otoms is back. This time she wants legal representation because she was fired for sexual harassment from her firm. As the case goes on, Richard starts to see the inner beauty of Claire and decides to hire her as an office assistant. Meanwhile, Ally also has problems at home when Maddie starts asking questions about sex and insists she and Victor demonstrate her what a french kiss is.
14 Homecoming 25 February 2002
Ally decides to take the DNA test after having recurring dreams where Maddie's real parents show up claiming her. Maddie doesn't take that well and escapes to NY to see her aunt Bonnie. Maddie thinks the test is just Ally's way of having an excuse not to love her, but Ally only wants a proof that Maddie is her daughter so no one can take her away from her. The test comes out positive, and they both cry. Meanwhile, a demented woman shows up at Ally's door looking for Vincent, the love of her life who owned the house before Ally bought it. She thinks Victor is Vincent, and he plays along. She has a stroke and dies, and Victor suffers from it even though he only met her for less than a day. Ally also offers Raymond a job at the firm, which he takes. And Claire decides to help Richard reunite with his high school crush, but she had a sex change operation and is now a man, something that shocks Richard deeply.
15 Heart and Soul 4 March 2002
Richard and Raymond are hired to represent Serena Feldman, a 16 year-old girl who will die unless Judge Hall consents her a heart transplant from her convicted father, who is the her only match. Serena's aunt is against the transplant because Serena's dad murdered her mother , and Claire interferes with both her and the judge in order to help save Serena. The case is tough, and afraid his daughter will die after Judge Hall denies the transplant, Serena's father escapes and kills himself. Meanwhile, Maddie is caught smoking and reveals to Victor that she wanted to be suspended to avoid father-daughter day at school. She questions Ally why she and Victor can't be together, and Victor overhears Ally telling Maddie that they come from different worlds. Angry at Ally for being elitist, Victor quits, but Ally goes after him to ask him on a date. In the last minute she freaks out, and Victor is called in for help. Ally is still in love with Larry and thus can't date Victor.
16 Love Is All Around (1) 15 March 2002
Ally is about to go on her 3rd date, a.k.a. the "sex date", with Victor. Everybody knows about it, but Ally is nervous because on the 2nd date the tension was so high they couldn't even kiss. Meanwhile, Ally is interviewing for new hires, and meets with big shot attorney Todd Merrick, who gets on her nerves. Ally questions if she's dating Victor to fit hers or Maddie's demands. They finally go out, and when they come home they find Maddie's nanny dead in front of the TV, ruining the rest of the date. At the firm, Richard assigns Nelle to a very important case opposite court devil Liza "Lolita" Bump, a bitchy, young and feared attorney. So feared that Richard has to get John Cage for the case. He's been working at a Mexican restaurant as a mariachi player, and is quickly intimidated by Lisa's actions on and off court. She keeps trying to seduce John in order to settle the wrongful dismissal case, and John feels he must bring "The Biscuit" back to defeat her once and for all. Meanwhile, Claire announces she's getting married, and Coretta suggests she signs a pre-nup. Lisa meets her fiancée and decides to represent him in court.
17 Love Is All Around (2) 15 April 2002
The judge forbids the lawyers to interfere on Claire's engagement, and her fiancée decides to call the wedding off. Devastated, Claire goes to Ally for help. Ally is still shaken with the memory of Larry, and isn't sure of her feelings for Victor anymore. In the middle of that there's Todd, whom Ally turned down as an attorney, but who asked her out on a date. He gets on her nerves and they fight a lot. On their date, Ally confronts Victor and tries to pick a fight with him. John and Nelle try to settle upon their imminent lost in court, but Liza has now lowered her offer. John is furious and decides to take her down.
18 Tom Dooley 22 April 2002
Ally is going to the Bermudas with Victor, and welcomes Liza as the firm's newest attorney. Nelle doesn't like that or the fact that she took John's office. Despite being her first day, Liza hires another lawyer, Wilson Jade, whom she was going to partner with on her own practice, hadn't she joined Cage, Fish & McBeal. Nelle and Wilson represent a woman who's suing her husband for sexual harassment, while John and Liza represent Nicole Naples, a woman who's legally married to two different men. Liza and John develop a great chemistry in court, and save Nicole from going to jail. John almost falls in love with Nicole, who's also interested in singing the mariachi with him. And back at the office, Claire is hot for Wilson, who makes an excellent settlement on the case with the help of Nelle (or should we call her Morgan, her real name, which was discovered by Liza – who's actually Debbie!)
19 Another One Bites The Dust 29 April 2002
Ally and Victor return from their Bermuda trip. Ally feels their relationship is in crisis because they weren't able to connect without Maddie around. Victor is being sued by his former girlfriend for breach of contract. Ally discovers that Victor is a painter and never told her. She's angry, but not as angry as when she sees his painting of her with cellulite. Nelle and Wilson team up against a woman who was blackmailing their client in order not to come public with a tape of their lovemaking. Richard obsesses over Liza and has Claire do the talking for him through a hearing device, afraid she's going to turn him down – and even more afraid she'll say yes to him.
20 What I'll Never Do for Love Again 6 May 2002
Elaine auditions for "A Chorus Line", but doesn't get a call back. She accidentally bumps into the casting director, whom she finds attractive and nice. They go out for dinner and end up having sex. The next morning at work Elaine feels horrible for not giving her full self at the audition and Nelle tries to comfort her. Richard's father seeks for his help. He's being sued by his former secretary for sexual harassment. He fired her because he was falling in love with her, which damages his 40 yearlong marriage.
21 All of Me 13 May 2002
The lawyers at Cage, Fish & McBeal split when both personalities of the same woman hires them to represent each in court. One of her personalities is a strong, decided and bitchy woman that goes by Helena Green. She wants to divorce her husband, who years ago married sweet, warm hearted but weak Helen Green. Helena has Liza and Richard on her side – a couple who is struggling with the imminent commitment – while Helen hires Ally and John – who but those two could represent a suppressed personality of a woman who has love as her life incentive?
22 Bygones 20 May 2002
After Maddie passes out, Ally finds out she is suffering from a nervous reaction to all the changes in her life, so Ally decides that the only way she can help her daughter is to move back to New York. While the news come as a big shock to the firm, Richard anticipates his wedding with Liza so Ally can attend the ceremony. While spending her last hours in the town, Ally gets a visit from Renee, Georgia and afterwards, Billy as a ghost.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links