I’m a big fan of television, and I don’t hide it. However, I won’t watch just any show. I have a particular affinity for shows with inspiring and funny role models, as you might notice from my past features on Scandal, Friends and How I Met Your Mother. I’ll admit it – my tastes aren’t exactly unique. Still, I don’t endorse a program lightly.
This past summer, I discovered a new Netflix indulgence: Ally McBeal. This late ‘90’s/early 2000’s dramady centers on a group of lawyers at a Boston firm, and gives equal focus to their careers and personal lives.
Trying to quell a lingering crush on her ex-boyfriend, Billy (Gil Bellows), who’s now married to Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), Ally (Calista Flockhart) manages to simultaneously thrive and spiral while winning serious-to-absurd cases alongside John Cage (Peter Macnicol) and Richard Fish (Greg Germann) at the fir.
From witty banter with Ally’s roommate and best friend Renee (Lisa Nicole Carson), to hilarious interactions with her nosy assistant Elaine (Jane Krakowski), to great music by Vonda Shepherd, there are a lot of reasons to fall in love with Ally McBeal – both the show and the character herself.
Ally’s an excellent lawyer, has a great sense of style, and is extremely intelligent, but she’s also quirky and flawed. She’s a role model you’ll find yourself laughing and crying with most of the time. She’s a mess, but she’s not afraid to show it – something that as an often-dysfunctional college student, I find quite admirable.
The show’s got everyone’s favorite sitcom staples – a cool bar where the characters hang out after work, a series of attractive but forgettable love interests, plenty of cheesy moments of friendship, and a totally-on-point opening sequence – while also having the fun of being slightly dated. Ally may not own a cellphone, but she’s a totally relatable twenty-something hoping to find success, both in her career and in matters of the heart.
Beyond Ally herself, the other characters on the show all have something to offer – everything from John’s strange but unfailingly successful approach to litigation; to Richard’s consistent catchphrase, “bygones;” to Elaine’s increasingly obvious calls for attention – and they’re lovable enough to hold your interest for the 45-minute runtime.
There are a number of celebrity guest stars, all 10 years younger than you’ll remember them: think Robert Downey Jr., Portia De Rossi and Hayden Panettiere.
Since the show technically takes place in Boston, there are also shots of the city skyline and plenty of Red Sox references. If you enjoy a little over-the-top drama and a lot of silliness – and I do – there’s really nothing not to like about this show.
If you do nothing else, at least give the theme song a listen. If you find yourself humming along, it might be time to give the pilot a try!