Ally McBeal

One is confused, stuttering, with a nose that whistles, one growls and bites unpleasantly at everyone around, one seems to seduce any guy who passes by, and one concentrates on lobes, fossae, and above all money. And one is sad, still a child at heart, playing with her childhood sweetheart – and that someone is Ally McBeal. It's the best show from a legal background, precisely because it's only about the courts as secondary action. When I was a good few years younger, I wanted to be a lawyer and thought there was no better show. A second viewing years later has opened my eyes a bit, and I can see that the pacing gets tired at times, but the best episodes still have no competition, and I marvel at the amazing characters and plots that can be devised. And even today, I'd give anything to have this bunch as friends or colleagues. It's just that everything I write here has a few "buts". Because after one very good and three amazing seasons comes an awkward and spastic fifth season full of casting changes, and which in many ways brings the overall impression down heavily. Ally McBeal is pure mediocrity in that blow, but nobody can take away the first four awesome years. And after the very last scene, that longing for a repeat viewing kicks in anyway. (11/01/2006)

One of the famous pop culture series of the 90s that was exceptionally popular, especially among female viewers. I'm not sure what to do with it - I don't deny its good craftsmanship, solid acting, and functional humor in many cases, but on the other hand, I found it extremely unsympathetic due to its content, lifestyle, and professional experiences of its characters. On one hand, it shows the bizarre world of the formalistic American judicial system, where lawyers enjoy manipulating the lay jury, and despite a certain screenwriting exaggeration, unfortunately, it hits the mark. This is often how things work in America, and a clever lawyer can, in many cases, make a lot of money for his client and, of course, for himself in completely obscure court cases. The lawyers who were the heroes of the series, in many cases, turned the concept of justice upside down, and I secretly cheered for their opponents. At the same time, I disliked the series for its hyper-correctness, the gender and feminist nonsense, and, last but not least, for its portrayal of the consumerist life of the American upper-middle class. The protagonist of the series is a walking advertisement for bulimia, and the female characters are the embodiment of ideals of the female body; it's just carefree and indulgent. Children don't appear much in the series. When one of the couples had to deal with the question of motherhood, both lawyers, who undoubtedly belonged to the top 10% of highest-paid Americans, concluded that they simply couldn't afford it - the poor baby wouldn't have what it needed. Overall impression: 40%. It's characteristic how the characters of the series dream about having a family, but due to their high demands on a partner and their inability to adapt and give, they are condemned to a constant succession of short-term relationships. (12/01/2009)

I only discovered the Ally McBeal series once upon a time because of Courtney Thorne-Smith's departure from Melrose Place. Over time, it has found a permanent place in my heart and is one of those that I regularly dust off. (04/02/2009)