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Halfway through the season (Episode 11), Candice Bergen makes her debut as Shirley Schmidt. Her arrival creates a power struggle within the firm and provides a necessary foil to Denny’s eccentricity and Alan’s lechery. She brings a sense of order to the chaos of Crane, Poole & Schmidt.
Before we dig into episode lists, context is crucial. Boston Legal did not emerge from a vacuum. It was a spin-off of The Practice (Season 8). After ABC canceled The Practice, Kelley pivoted by introducing a explosive character: James Spader’s Alan Shore. The final season of The Practice was essentially a backdoor pilot. When Boston Legal premiered on October 3, 2004, it retained Alan Shore but built a new universe around the high-profile law firm Crane, Poole & Schmidt.
Season 1 is unique for several reasons: