Ally McBeal

Ally McBeal
Ally McBeal S1 Opening.jpg
Original title card
Genre Comedy-drama
Created by David E. Kelley
Starring Calista Flockhart
Gil Bellows
Courtney Thorne Smith
Greg Germann
Lisa Nicole Carson
Jane Krakowski
Vonda Shepard
Portia de Rossi
Lucy Liu
Regina Hall
James LeGros
Julianne Nicholson
Peter MacNicol
Theme music composer Vonda Shepard
Opening theme "Searchin' My Soul" performed by Vonda Shepard
Composer(s) Danny Lux
Vonda Shepard
Country of origin United States
Language(s) English
No. of seasons 5
No. of episodes 112 (List of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) David E. Kelley
Bill D'Elia
Producer(s) Kayla Alpert
(2000–2001)
Kim Hamberg
(1998–2002)
Mike Listo
(1997–2000)
Jack Philbrick
(2000–2002)
Steve Robin
(1997–2002)
Pamela J. Wisne
(1997–2002)
Cinematography Thomas F. Denove
Billy Dickson
David A. Harp
Tim Suhrstedt
Camera setup Single-camera
Running time 45–48 minutes
Production company(s) 20th Century Fox Television
David E. Kelley Productions
Broadcast
Original channel Fox
Picture format 4:3 (broadcast)
16:9 (seasons 2–5)
Original run September 8, 1997 (1997-09-08) – May 20, 2002 (2002-05-20)
Status Ended

Ally McBeal is an American comedy-drama series which aired on the Fox network from 1997 to 2002. The series was created by David E. Kelley, who also served as the executive producer, along with Bill D'Elia. The series stars Calista Flockhart in the title role as a young lawyer working in the fictional Boston law firm Cage and Fish with other young lawyers whose lives and loves were eccentric, humorous and dramatic. Reruns can be seen on Reelz Channel weekdays at 3 and 4p.m. et.

Contents

Overview

The show focused on the romantic and personal lives of the main characters, often using legal proceedings as plot devices to contrast or reinforce a character's drama. For example, bitter divorce litigation of a client might provide a backdrop for Ally's decision to break up with a boyfriend. Opposing legal arguments were also frequently used to explore multiple sides of various social issues.

Cage & Fish (which becomes Cage/Fish & McBeal or Cage, Fish, & Associates towards the end of the series), the fictional law firm where most of the characters work, is depicted as a highly sexualized environment, symbolized by its unisex public restroom. Lawyers and secretaries in the firm routinely date, flirt with, or have a romantic history with each other, and frequently run into former or potential romantic interests in the courtroom or on the street outside.

The show had many offbeat and frequently surreal running gags and themes, such as Ally's tendency to immediately fall over whenever she met somebody she found attractive, or Richard Fish's wattle fetish and humorous mottos ("Fishisms"), ran through the series. The show used vivid, dramatic fantasy sequences for Ally's and other characters' wishful thinking; particularly notable is the dancing baby.

The show also featured regular visits to a local bar where singer Vonda Shepard regularly performed (though occasionally handing over the microphone to the characters). The series also took place in the same continuity as David E. Kelley's legal drama The Practice (which aired on ABC), as the two shows crossed over with one another on occasion, a very rare occurrence for two shows which aired on different networks.

Episode list

Main cast

Reception

The show's ratings began to decline in the third season, but stabilized in the fourth season after Robert Downey Jr. joined the regular cast as Ally's boyfriend Larry Paul. However, Downey's character was written out after the end of the season due to the actor's troubles with drug addiction.

The show was canceled after a significant ratings drop during its fifth season, which saw many regular characters disappear from the series without explanation (also a problem with David E. Kelley's shows Boston Public, Chicago Hope, The Practice and Boston Legal [to an extent]), and the novelty of the show wore off.

US ratings

Season U.S. ratings Network Rank
1 1997–98 11.4 million Fox #59[1]
2 1998–99 13.8 million Fox #20 [2]
3 1999–2000 12.4 million Fox #35[3]
4 2000–01 12.0 million Fox #40[4]
5 2001–02 9.4 million Fox #65[5]

Criticism

Despite its success, Ally McBeal did receive some negative criticism from TV critics and feminists who found the title character annoying and demeaning to women, and specifically professional women,[6] because of her perceived flightiness, lack of demonstrated legal knowledge, short skirts,[7] and extreme emotional instability. Perhaps the most notorious example of the debate sparked by the show was the June 25, 1998 cover story of Time magazine, which juxtaposed McBeal with three pioneering feminists (Susan B. Anthony, Betty Friedan, Gloria Steinem) and asked "Is Feminism Dead?".[8] In episode 12 of the second season of the show, Ally talks to her co-worker John Cage about a dream she had, saying "You know, I had a dream that they put my face on the cover of Time magazine as 'the face of feminism'."[9]

Music

Ally McBeal was a heavily music-oriented show. Vonda Shepard, a virtually unknown artist at the time, was featured continually on the show. Her song "Searchin' My Soul" became the show's theme song. Many of the songs Vonda recorded for the show were covers of old songs with lyrics that paralleled what was happening in the title character's life onscreen. Old songs recorded for the show include "Both Sides Now", "Hooked on a Feeling", and "Tell Him". Besides recording background music for the show, Vonda would also appear in the show (usually near the end of the episode). Vonda would be seen playing at the local bar in which Ally and her fellow workmates regularly visited after work and would even have dialogue in some episodes. Due to the popularity of the show and Vonda's music, a soundtrack titled Songs from Ally McBeal was released in 1998, as well as a successor soundtrack titled Heart and Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal in 1999. Two compilation albums from the show featuring Vonda were also released in 2000 and 2001. Other artists featured on the show include Barry White, Al Green, and Tina Turner. Josh Groban played the role of Malcolm Wyatt in the May 2001 season finale, performing "You're Still You." The series creator, David E. Kelley, was impressed with Groban's performance at The Family Celebration event, and based on the audience reaction to Groban's singing, Kelley created a character for Groban in this finale. The background score for the show was composed by Danny Lux.

Soundtrack name Tk# Release date
Songs from Ally McBeal 14 May 5, 1998
Heart and Soul: New Songs from Ally McBeal 14 November 9, 1999
Ally McBeal: A Very Ally Christmas 14 November 7, 2000
Ally McBeal: For Once in My Life 14 April 24, 2001
The Best of Ally McBeal 12 October 6, 2009

DVD releases

Due to music licensing issues, none of the seasons of Ally McBeal were available on DVD in the United States (only 6 random episodes can be found on the R1 edition) until 2009, though it has been available in Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Japan, Hong Kong, Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, the UK, Mexico, Taiwan, Australia, Brazil, and the Czech Republic with all the show's music intact since 2005. In the UK, Ireland and Spain all seasons are available in a complete boxset.

20th Century Fox released the complete first season on DVD in Region 1 on October 6, 2009. They also released a special complete series edition on the same day.[10] Season 1 does not contain any special features, the complete series set however does contain several bonus features including featurettes, an all-new retrospective, the episode of The Practice that Calista Flockhart guest starred in and a bonus disc entitled "The Best of Ally McBeal Soundtrack". In addition, both releases contain all of the original music.[11] Season 2 was released on April 6, 2010. Seasons 3, 4 and 5 will all be released on October 5, 2010.[12] Season 1 and 2 are also available on the U.S Itunes Store.

DVD name Ep# Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
The Complete First Season 23 October 6, 2009 February 21, 2005 April 26, 2006
The Complete Second Season 23 April 6, 2010 February 21, 2005 April 26, 2006
The Complete Third Season 21 October 5, 2010 February 21, 2005 April 26, 2006
The Complete Fourth Season 23 October 5, 2010 May 9, 2005 April 26, 2006
The Complete Fifth Season 22 October 5, 2010 May 9, 2005 April 26, 2006
The Complete Series 112 October 6, 2009 October 30, 2006 TBA

Ally the sitcom

In 1999, at the height of the show's popularity, a half-hour version entitled Ally[13] began airing in parallel to the main program. This version, designed in a sitcom format, used re-edited scenes from the main program, as well as previously unseen footage. The intention was to further develop the plots in the comedy-drama in a sitcom style. It also focused only on Ally's personal life, cutting all the courtroom plots. The repackaged show did not catch on and was canceled partway through its initial run. While 13 episodes of Ally were created, only 10 of those thirteen were actually broadcast.

Broadcasters

Country TV network
Arab League Arab World MBC4
Argentina Argentina Fox
Australia Australia Seven Network, FX (Now W. Channel) and 111 Hits
Austria Austria ORF1
Belarus Belarus Belsat
Belgium Belgium Kanaal Twee, Plug tv (French), La Deux (French)
Brazil Brazil Fox Life (cable)
Bulgaria Bulgaria BTV and Fox Life
Canada Canada CTV (English), ARTV (French), TVA (French)
Chile Chile Canal 13 , Fox Life (cable)
Colombia Colombia RCN, Citytv Bogotá, Fox Life (cable)
Croatia Croatia Nova TV, HRT
Czech Republic Czech Republic Česká televize
Denmark Denmark TV2
Estonia Estonia TV3
Finland Finland MTV3
France France Téva, M6, Série Club
Germany Germany VOX, Comedy Central, EinsFestival
Guatemala Guatemala Fox Life
Hong Kong Hong Kong aTV world
Hungary Hungary Viasat 3
India India STAR World, Zee Cafe
Indonesia Indonesia RCTI
Republic of Ireland Ireland originally screened on RTÉ Two, repeats air on TV3
Israel Israel Channel 2, Channel 3
Italy Italy Canale 5, Italia 1, Fox Life, Mya, Iris
Japan Japan NHK
Kenya Kenya Kenya Television Network
Latvia Latvia LNT
Lebanon Lebanon LBCI
Lithuania Lithuania TV3
Malaysia Malaysia NTV7
Mexico Mexico Canal 5, Fox & repeats air on Fox Life
Morocco Morocco 2M
Netherlands Netherlands RTL 8
New Zealand New Zealand TV2, Prime (New Zealand)
Norway Norway TV 2
Pakistan Pakistan STAR World
Philippines Philippines RPN-9 (1998–2001), 2nd Avenue (2009)
Poland Poland Polsat, TV4, Fox Life
Portugal Portugal TVI, Fox Life
Romania Romania PRO TV, Pro Cinema
Russia Russia Ren-TV
Serbia Serbia RTS, RTV BK Telecom, Fox Life (cable)
Slovakia Slovakia TV Markiza, Doma
Slovenia Slovenia POP TV, Kanal A, TV Pika
Singapore Singapore MediaCorp TV Channel 5
South Africa South Africa SABC 3
South Korea South Korea Home CGV
Spain Spain Telecinco (former broadcaster), Cuatro, Fox
Sweden Sweden TV4
Switzerland Switzerland TSR1 (French area), SF zwei (German area), TSI1 (Italian area)
Republic of China Taiwan Eracom
Thailand Thailand True Series
Turkey Turkey CNBC-E and Fox Life
United Kingdom United Kingdom Channel 4, Paramount Comedy 1, Paramount Comedy 2, TMF, Zone Romantica
United States United States FX
Venezuela Venezuela Televen

Awards and Nominations

Primetime Emmy Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Screen Actors Guild Awards

Satellite Awards

References

  1. ↑ "The Final Countdown". ew.com. 1998-05-29. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,283382,00.html. 
  2. ↑ "Final ratings for the 1998–1999 TV season". Archived from the original on 2009-10-23. http://www.webcitation.org/query?id=1256269806923508. 
  3. ↑ "TV Ratings 1999–2000". fbibler.chez.com. http://fbibler.chez.com/tvstats/by_5_yr_period/1999-00.html. 
  4. ↑ "The Bitter End". ew.com. 2001-06-01. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,256435,00.html. 
  5. ↑ "How Did Your Favorite Show Rate?". usatoday.com. 2002-05-28. http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/2002/2002-05-28-year-end-chart.htm. 
  6. ↑ Michelle L. Hammers, "Cautionary Tales of Liberation and Female Professionalism: The Case Against Ally McBeal" Western Journal of Communication 69 2, April (2005): 168. "The ease with which McBeals depictions of women are reincorporated into dominant masculinist discourses ... is particularly problematic for professional women. The increased danger that co-optation poses for professional women is due to the complex ways in which the discursive sedimentation that surrounds the female body, particularly as it has been traditionally sexualized and linked to emotionality, operates as a barrier to women's full and effective participation in professional spheres. Thus, McBeal operates as a cautionary tale about the dangers presented by the co-optation of postfeminist and third-wave feminist discourses as they relate to current professional discourses surrounding the female body.
  7. ↑ "Is Feminism Dead? (Chat Transcript – Phyllis Chesler)". Time Magazine. June 25, 1998. http://www.time.com/time/community/transcripts/chattr062598.html. 
  8. ↑ "Is Feminism Dead? (Chat Transcript)". Time Magazine. June 25, 1998. http://www.time.com/time/community/transcripts/chattr062598.html. 
  9. ↑ "Ally McBeal, episode 12, season 2". 20th Century Fox. August 22, 2009. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdHSOF6gVwo. 
  10. ↑ "Amazon Posts Date for Season 1 & Complete Series". TVShowsonDVD. July 3, 2009. http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Ally-McBeal-Season-1-Complete-Series-Dates/12247. 
  11. ↑ "Fox's Press Release for The Complete Series Confirms ALL ORIGINAL MUSIC!". TVShowsonDVD. August 7, 2009. http://tvshowsondvd.com/news/Ally-McBeal-Press-Release/12444. 
  12. ↑ "Ally McBeal DVD news: Release Date and More for Individual Sets of Seasons 3, 4 and 5". TVShowsOnDVD.com. http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Ally-McBeal-Seasons-3-4-5/14076. Retrieved 2010-07-14. 
  13. ↑ "Ally" (1999)

External links

Ally McBeal
Episodes • Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5 • Awards
Main crew
Creator: David E. Kelley • Executive producers: David E. Kelley • Bill D'Elia
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series

The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1976) · The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1977) · All in the Family (1978) · Taxi (1979) · Taxi (1980) · Taxi (1981) · Barney Miller (1982) · Cheers (1983) · Cheers (1984) · The Cosby Show (1985) · The Golden Girls (1986) · The Golden Girls (1987) · The Wonder Years (1988) · Cheers (1989) · Murphy Brown (1990) · Cheers (1991) · Murphy Brown (1992) · Seinfeld (1993) · Frasier (1994) · Frasier (1995) · Frasier (1996) · Frasier (1997) · Frasier (1998) · Ally McBeal (1999) · Will & Grace (2000)
(1952–1975) · (1976–2000) · (2001–present)
Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy

Cheers (1990) · Brooklyn Bridge (1991) · Roseanne (1992) · Seinfeld (1993) · Frasier & Mad About You (1994) · Cybill (1995) · 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996) · Ally McBeal (1997) · Ally McBeal (1998) · Sex and the City (1999) · Sex and the City (2000) · Sex and the City (2001) · Curb Your Enthusiasm (2002) · The Office (UK) (2003) · Desperate Housewives (2004) · Desperate Housewives (2005) · Ugly Betty (2006) · Extras (2007) · 30 Rock (2008) · Glee (2009)

 · (1969-1989) · (1990-2009)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series

Seinfeld (1994) · Friends (1995) · Seinfeld (1996) · Seinfeld (1997) · Ally McBeal (1998) · Frasier (1999) · Will & Grace (2000) · Sex and the City (2001) · Everybody Loves Raymond (2002) · Sex and the City (2003) · Desperate Housewives (2004) · Desperate Housewives (2005) · The Office (2006) · The Office (2007) · 30 Rock (2008) · Glee (2009)
TV series created or produced by David E. Kelley
1980s
Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989–1993) • L.A. Law (1986–1994)
1990s
Picket Fences (1992–1996) • Snoops (1999–2000) • Chicago Hope (1994–2000) • Ally McBeal (1997–2002) • The Practice (1997–2004) • Ally (1999)
2000s
girls club (2002) • The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire (2003) • Boston Public (2000–2004) • The Wedding Bells (2007) • Boston Legal (2004–2008)
2010s
Harry's Law (2010)