Boston Legal Fodder

Boston Legal: Selling Sickness

At a glance, "Selling Sickness" isn't all that good. The problem begins with the perv sex historian of a season back rears his hand with case - one of his family has been molested by a naked rabbi and wants to take a special kind of "morning after" pill - one which will wipe out all memory of a sweaty and ugly defrocked rabbi. The problem isn't the pitch, but the problem itself - the case, helmed by Shirley, is implemented with such wackiness and qurkiness that all question of sexual assualt seems far from the point. In fact, the girl discusses her own experience with all the annoyance of taking an accidental swig of sour milk and none of the pathos we'd expect from the situation. Of course, Shirley is able to get a court order preventing the drug's administration as well as the Brave New ramifications. Judge "Poppy Cock" Robert Sanders (Shelley Berman).

Despite this odd and problematic plot, every other subplot is right on cue.

Judge Clark Brown (Henry Gibson) has a problem requiring the combined talents of Bethany, Denny and Alan - a company promised to cure him of an ailment failed to live up to its promise. Unfortunately, the aforementioned ailment is homosexuality. Of course, the three savvy lawyers make short work of the case - the only real roadbock is the sheer number of testimonials the defense calls to the stands. And, of course, Alan has a strong connection with the sexy blonde judge trying the case. Bethany badgers the defense, despite an ill-placed objection from the bumbling Denny (who forgot whose side he was on). But this isn't all the typical Mad Cow-inflicted Denny we're used to, as Denny provides a bold strategy which ultimately win the case - try the case in the intolerant and bigoted America instead of vice versa in order to cement Alan's dynamite closing.

This episode also sees more solid development in Jeffrey Coho than the whole first half of the season. Denise is pregnant, and in Jeffrey Coho we see someone who oddly enough wants to take responsibility. Something about Craig Bierko's performance just screams impending fatherhood in a few short scenes. Too bad the baby is Brad's. And unfortunately, Brad's Ivy League approach to parenting looks like Donny Crane waiting to happen all over again. Brad pressues Denise so much that their entire relationship collaspes in five minutes, with Denise threatening a restraining order on her thick-skulled lover.

And once again, Clarence is awesome. Not only does he directly confront Jeffrey Coho, spurning more character development on that front, but he also resigns from his position as Claire's secretary once their relationship becomes exclusive. The result is what I've been asking for for the last three weeks - Clarence becomes Alan's secretary (filling the Mellisa-void) and seems to enjoy some more character development with the rest of the cast. And though it seems Clarence won't have to fend off Alan's intentions as his successor did, he just might have to ward off Denny - who seems somewhat enamored by his Oprah personality. "If he can pretend for a day," Denny says. "I can buy it for two minutes."

Overall, a good linking episode despite the botched plot. But everything set up this episode makes up for the memory pill storyline by a long-shot. Denise and Brad's ideological differences are lining their relationships while Clarence and Coho both move to center stage in the correct light. The sweeps details revealed about the next episode, "Fat Burner", promise an interesting episode at the very least.

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Posted by Richard on February 6, 2007 11:20 PM
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