Tonight at 9p on ABC we will be saying goodbye to Boston Legal. But before the final credits roll at 10:59p one of the guys in those guys in the credits took the time answer my questions about this fabulous show. Bill D’Elia, who is an Executive Producer and Director on the show, was kind enough to tell me about his experiences on the multiple Emmy winning show. D’Elia has directed on such shows like David E Kelley’s Picket Fences, Ally McBeal and The Practice, and The West Wing and he also co-created and wrote for Judging Amy before becoming the Executive Producer on Boston Legal.
Here what he told me about the show:
Seriously? OMG! WTF: How did you get started with David E Kelley? Bill D’Elia: I first worked as a director on “Picket Fencesâ€Â. Then I directed a couole of episodes of “Chicago Hope†before David asked me to come on that show as an Executive Producer/Director.
SOW: You have worked on a lot of legal dramas, did you want to be a lawyer? BD: I had no ambition to enter the practice of law, but love to argue a point. My brother is an attorney so maybe there is something there in the bloodline.
SOW: What is your fondest memory from Boston Legal? BD: My fondest memory will always be that first balcony scene. I built that set simply because I thought Denny should have a balcony. I never imagined that it would turn out to be the iconic image for the show. Craziest? The first time we broke the fourth wall I remember thinking “How are we going to get away with this?â€Â
BD: SOW: What was it like directing the cast of characters that made up Boston Legal? BD: It was simply terrific.
SOW: The chemistry between William Shatner and James Spader is some of the best ever in TV history, what were they like when the camera wasn’t rolling? BD: They got along quite well and became friends. Their conversations in between takes on the balcony were sometimes as interesting as what we aired. It was a privilege to direct them.
SOW: What was the craziest thing you had to direct on the show? Because there have been some way out there antics on the show like Denny and his gun!!! BD: Frankly the craziest thing I had to direct on the show was the scene where Denny and Alan first express their love for each other. Bill and James were so amazing in their approach to the material that a scene that could have been quite strange became extremely touching.
SOW: Will viewers be satisfied with the finale? BD: I certainly hope so and think so. I was!!
SOW: What was the set like on the last few days of taping? BD: Bittersweet.
SOW: What and/or who will you miss most from the show? BD: The daily problems and figuring them out. I will miss the little things.
SOW: What are going to do now that your days at The Practice and Boston Legal are over? BD: Take a long nap, and figure it out when I wake up. I have several TV and film projects in the works.
SOW: Do you think will be the last we will see from the Crane, Poole and Schmidt offices?
I’m afraid so. Thankfully there will be DVD’s of all 5 seasons.
Thank you so much to Bill D’Elia for taking the time to answer my questions about his show that I will fondly remember! Also thanks to Lisa for setting up the interview!!!
Please tune into Boston Legal on ABC tonight at 9p for the two hour sendoff, if the show goes out with a big bang it is big old FU to ABC! And ABC needs as many FUs as possible!!!
Tonight at 9p, Boston Legal will be saying goodbye by airing its series finale with a 2 hour send off on ABC.
For 5 years we laughed along with William Shatner, James Spader, Candice Bergen, John Larroquette and so many more. Boston Legal had some of the best chemistry, writing, moments and timing on television, so it is really sad to see it go. But it will live on in syndication, so for those of you who missed out on it the first time you can enjoy over and over again that way!
The video above is one of the best 10 minutes of TV ever, so I had to share with you what an amazing show it was! I wanted to include a clip from tonight’s finale, but stupid ABC didn’t post anything to promote the show as stated in last week’s episode.
Tonight’s finale will be satisfying to us fans, all of our questions will be answered as Denny and Alan go to the Supreme Court again and Shirley and Carl get married are just a few of the things they will wrap up on ABC in the two hour finale at 9p!
Kudos to ABC for letting them have the finale they so richly deserved, but f*ck you for ending the show so early. It is one less hour I will be watching on your network because you are replacing it with sh!t.
Sadly there are only 3 episodes (dang you ABC) of Boston Legal left, but before the show says goodbye we get a Thanksgiving episode. And what an episode it looks like it going to be where they all go over to Shirley’s to show their thanks! So tune into a Boston Legal tonight for a show that has some of the best chemistry and writing in television history on ABC at 10p.
Thank you to all of those who made Boston Legal the show it is. And no thank yous to ABC and Stephen McPherson for ending a great show that actually got you Emmys. UPDATE: ABC just released the details for the two hour finale for Boston Legal on December 8th.
“Made in Chinaâ€Â/â€ÂLast Call†– “Boston Legal†ends its five-season run in a two-hour finale that finds Crane Poole & Schmidt in dire financial straits – possibly forcing the firm to find a buyer. And Alan Shore heads to the Supreme Court to persuade them to let Denny Crane have access to a non-FDA approved drug that could slow down his rapidly progressing Alzheimer’s. Meanwhile, Shirley Schmidt and Carl Sack plan their wedding, and Denny poses an important question to Alan, on the series finale of “Boston Legal,†MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
“Boston Legal†stars James Spader as Alan Shore, John Larroquette as Carl Sack, Christian Clemenson as Jerry Espenson, Tara Summers as Katie Lloyd, with Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt and William Shatner as Denny Crane.
David E Kelley has such a brilliant show with Boston Legal, that is so sad to think it is going to end in a few episodes and shows that are declining by the episode like Grey’s Anatomy, Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives are going to survive. It is moments like the above one that I am so going to miss. What other shows can do what they just did! I still chuckle everytime the painball fight starts about 1:10 in. The chemistry between James Spader and William Shather was some of the best ever on TV, that I hope someone can pair them up again after ABC says goodbye to one of the few shows that constantly got them Emmy noms.
Thanks to Boston Legal for all the laughs!
Michael Ausiello confirms that everyone in the above picture will be back for the final episodes of Boston Legal!!! Mark Valley and Julie Bowen had already been confirmed to appear in at least one of the final episodes of Boston Legal, today comes words that René Auberjonois will also be reprising his role. Knowing that they will all be back eases the fact that ABC is killing the show. Now if only they would bring back Craig Bierko for one more Buzz Lightyear duel, I would accept the cancellation even more.
