In Spaders

The southpaw blogs were singing the praises of James Spader's speech to the jury towards the end of Tuesday's episode of Boston Legal. He was defending his secretary against aggressive political prosecution for tax evasion; she was making an awkward political protest. Alan Shore, the attorney Spader plays, made an impassioned speech about American apathy in the face of so much that's happened, from no WMDs to torture and wiretapping, and the control of protest to the point that the wrong t-shirt can get you barred from a Bushite rally. (You can see it at Crooks & Liars.)

I've said it here before but it bears repeating: Boston Legal is my favorite show, and James Spader's Alan Shore is my hero. This summation to the jury is only one of many that have been more eloquent and incisive on issues of the day than anything out of politicians or media windbags. Apparently David E. Kelly, the series producer, writes these---at least that's what one of the actors, Rene Auberjonois told an interview, when he confessed that when he gets a new script he goes right to the back to read Spader's speech.

But it's Spader's delivery as well as the words that makes him my hero. Now that our president is in office for only five more episodes (on The West Wing) , we'll have to make do with a crusading lawyer. That species has been largely extinct on TV since I cut my rhetorical teeth on The Defenders and The Law and Mr. Jones in the early 60s.

Those were earnest shows, and what makes Boston Legal perfect for this time is that Spader delivers these broadsides amidst the most surreal and outrageous but smart comedy on any TV show I've seen in a long time, maybe ever. I didn't watch The Practice, the series that birthed this one, except for a few episodes, which seemed deadly serious, and very cutthroat chic. I'm only guessing, but it may have been William Shatner's guest appearances, and certainly his incredible chemistry with Spader (and both with Candace Bergen) that turned this show into what it's become.