Ally McBeal (1997–2002) (1997)

6.1	Rating (883 ratings)
6.8	IMDB rating

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Directed by (View all)

David Semel

Steve Gomer

Starring (View all)

Calista Flockhart
Ally McBeal 112 episodes, 1997-2002

Greg Germann
Richard Fish 112 episodes, 1997-2002

Jane Krakowski
Elaine Vassal 112 episodes, 1997-2002

Vonda Shepard
Vonda Shepard 109 episodes, 1997-2002

Peter MacNicol
John Cage 103 episodes, 1997-2002

Lisa Nicole Carson
Renee Raddick 91 episodes, 1997-2002

Portia de Rossi
Nelle Porter 89 episodes, 1998-2002

Lucy Liu
Ling Woo 74 episodes, 1998-2002

Written by (View all)

David E. Kelley

Roberto Benabib

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Description: Ally McBeal is an American legal dramedy 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. 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 Ally McBeal is an American legal dramedy 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.

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. 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 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" & "Bygones"), or John's gymnastic dismounts out of the office's unisex bathroom stalls, that 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 that aired on different networks.

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Release date: 8 September 1997
UPC: 024543000747

Tags: Comedy (18), Drama (17), Romance (11), Law (8), Fox (7), Boston (7), 1990s (6), Lawyer (6), Sitcom (4), Hallucination (4), 1997 (3), Courtroom (3), Judge (3), Imagination (3), Daydream (3), Law Firm (3), (3), Fantasy (2), Music (2), Psychiatrist (2)

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