Ally McBeal

Name: Ally McBeal
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: September 8, 1997
Rating: 73
Cast: Peter MacNicol, Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann, Jane Krakowski, Vonda Shepard

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Generally favorable reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 4 Ratings

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8.5

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Ally Mcbeal

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Series Details & Credits

FOX | Release Date: September 8, 1997

Starring: Peter MacNicol, Calista Flockhart, Greg Germann, Jane Krakowski, Vonda Shepard, Portia de Rossi, Lucy Liu, Regina Hall, Hayden Panettiere, Josh Hopkins, Julianne Nicholson, James Marsden

Summary: FOX's hit dramatic and humorous show tells the story of the trials and tribulations of a 28-year-old lawyer by the name of Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart), who is just fresh out of Harvard Law School. Ally was harassed at the firm where she was originally working, and when she told the firm's partners, she ended up losing her job. However,FOX's hit dramatic and humorous show tells the story of the trials and tribulations of a 28-year-old lawyer by the name of Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart), who is just fresh out of Harvard Law School. Ally was harassed at the firm where she was originally working, and when she told the firm's partners, she ended up losing her job. However, she then runs into an old friend and he offers her a new job at his brand new firm where she meets tons of new people and her old boyfriend, Billy with who she'll lead her new life full of cases and Ally's fantasies.Once the darling of the network, rumors of anorexia plagued star Calista Flockhart. The second and third seasons, therefore, introduced more and more eccentric characters who were given essentially "nothing" to do, and original seriesa regulars Gil Bellows and Courtney Thorne-Smith both left to pursue other projects.Ally McBeal was revitalized in its fourth season with the addition of Robert Downey Jr. as the lead character's love interest, Larry Paul. However, Downey's personal problems and numerous arrests, eventually wore out Kelley's patience and he was dropped. Lisa Nicole Carson, who played Ally's roommate, also left at the end of the fourth season following a brief stint in an institution and admitted problems with substance abuse.Without Downey, the fifth season had floundered more than ever; bringing in Jon Bon Jovi as a love interest, and giving Ally a daughter played by Hayden Panettiere) hadn't helped. Lucy Liu's character was dropped to a recurring role, while James LeGros left. James Marsden and Julianne Nicholson were added to the cast, only to be dropped a few weeks later. David E. Kelley decided then to cancel the show instead of having FOX executives do it for him.Awards/Nominations:EMMY AWARDS:> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series [David E. Kelley; for episode "Theme Of Life"]
> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series [Tom Moore; for episode "Cro-Magnon"]
> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series [Calista Flockhart]
> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series [Allan Arkush; for episode "Cro-Magnon"]
> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series [James Frawley; for episode 1]
> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Costuming for a Series [for episode "Cro-magnon"]
> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Comedy Series
> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Casting for a Series
> 1998 - Nominated - Outstanding Art Direction for a Series (for episode "Boy to the World")
> 1998 - Won! - Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special (for episode "Boy to the World")
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series [David E. Kelley; for episode "Sideshow"]
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series [Lucy Liu]
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series [Peter MacNicol]
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series [Philip Carr Neel]
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series [Calista Flockhart]
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series [John Ritter; for episodes "George Madison"; "It's My Party" & "Story of Love"]
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series [Arlene Sanford; for episode "Those Lips, That Hand"]
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Costume Design for a Series [Rachael Stanley; for episode "Making Spirits Bright"]
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Casting for a Series
> 1999 - Nominated - Outstanding Art Direction for a Series [for episode "Making Spirits Bright"]
> 1999 - Won! - Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series [Tracey Ullman; for episodes "Tracy Clark" & "Sideshow"]
> 1999 - Won! - Outstanding Comedy Series
> 1999 - Won! - Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special [for episode "Love's Illusion"]
> 2000 - Nominated - Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series [Bill D'Elia; for episode "Ally McBeal: The Musical"]
> 2000 - Nominated - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series [Peter Macnicol]
> 2000 - Won! - Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special [for episode "Car Wash"]
> 2001 - Nominated - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series [Robert Downey Jr.]
> 2001 - Nominated - Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series [Calista Flockhart]
> 2001 - Nominated - Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series [Bernadette Peters; for episode "Cassandra Lewis"]
> 2001 - Nominated - Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series [jami gertz; for episode "Kimmy Bishop"]
> 2001 - Nominated - Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series [Billy Dickinson; for episode "Cloudy Skies, Chance Of Parade"]
> 2001 - Won! - Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series [Peter MacNicol]
> 2001 - Won! - Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
> 2002 - Nominated - Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series [Billy Dickinson; for episode "Reality Bites"]GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS:> 1998 - Won! - Best TV-Series - Comedy/Musical
> 1998 - Won! - Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical [Calista Flockhart]
> 1999 - Nominated - Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical [Calista Flockhart]
> 1999 - Nominated - Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture [jane Krakowski]
> 1999 - Won! - Best TV-Series - Comedy/Musical
> 2000 - Nominated - Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical [Calista Flockhart]
> 2000 - Nominated - Best TV-Series - Comedy/Musical
> 2001 - Nominated - Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series - Comedy/Musical [Calista Flockhart]
> 2001 - Nominated - Best TV-Series - Comedy/Musical
> 2000 - Won! - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV [Robert Downey Jr.]
> 2002 - Nominated - Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy [Calista Flockhart]
> 2002 - Nominated - Best Television Series - Musical or ComedyTheme Song: "Searching My Soul" by Vonda ShepardFOX Broadcast History
September 1997 - May 2002 -- Mondays 9:00 PM… Expand

Genre(s): Comedy, Drama

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Recent Episodes

tbd
S5:E22. Bygones
Air Date: May 20, 2002
tbd
S5:E21. All of Me
Air Date: May 13, 2002
tbd
S5:E20. What I'll Never Do for Love Again
Air Date: May 6, 2002

See all Seasons and Episodes

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Eric Mink

Jul 24, 2013

Season 2 Review: The question, of course, is whether the show can sustain its heat and, more importantly, its unique character and remarkable quality in its sophomore season. Tonight's season premiere suggests the answer is yes. [14 Sep 1998]

John Levesque

Jul 24, 2013

Season 1 Review: In the wrong hands, it would be hopelessly hokey. In Kelley's hands, it's hokey and somehow meaningful, thanks mainly to his deft writing touch. [8 Sep 1997]

Lon Grahnke

Jul 24, 2013

Season 1 Review: An instantly engaging show that seamlessly delivers stimulating dramatic situations and juicy romantic comedy. [8 Sep 1997]

Ray Richmond

Jul 24, 2013

Season 1 Review: Offbeat, engaging and smartly written ... "Ally McBeal" is the rare example of a broadcast network premiering a series that feels fresh and different, if occasionally contrived. [8 Sep 1997]

Ed Bark

Jul 24, 2013

Season 1 Review: Mr. Kelley otherwise fills too much time with extraneous law cases and Ally's narrative meanderings and fantasies. ... There are sparks, though. Ms. Flockhart is an actress of considerable promise, and some of the dialogue zings home while Mr. Kelley walks his latest high wire. [7 Sep 1997]

Scott Powers

Jul 24, 2013

Season 1 Review: Like Mary Tyler Moore and even the master, Bob Newhart, [Flockhart is] great at reacting to what happens around her. But right now, the characters around her aren't very interesting. [8 Sep 1997]

Tom Shales

Jul 24, 2013

Season 1 Review: Silly McDumb. [14 Sep 1997]

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Seasons & Episodes

73

Series Overview
Season 5

tbd
- Season 5 Overview
  Air Date: October 29, 2001
- tbd
  S5:E22. Bygones
  Air Date: May 20, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E21. All of Me
  Air Date: May 13, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E20. What I'll Never Do for Love Again
  Air Date: May 6, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E19. Another One Bites The Dust
  Air Date: April 29, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E18. Tom Dooley
  Air Date: April 22, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E17. Love Is All Around (2)
  Air Date: April 15, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E16. Love Is All Around (1)
  Air Date: April 15, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E15. Heart and Soul
  Air Date: March 4, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E14. Homecoming
  Air Date: February 25, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E13. Woman
  Air Date: February 18, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E12. The New Day
  Air Date: February 11, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E11. A Kick in the Head
  Air Date: February 4, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E10. One Hundred Tears
  Air Date: January 21, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E9. Blowin' in the Wind
  Air Date: January 14, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E8. Playing with Matches
  Air Date: January 7, 2002
- tbd
  S5:E7. Nine One One
  Air Date: December 10, 2001
- tbd
  S5:E6. Lost and Found
  Air Date: December 3, 2001
- tbd
  S5:E5. I Want Love
  Air Date: November 26, 2001
- tbd
  S5:E4. Fear of Flirting
  Air Date: November 19, 2001
- tbd
  S5:E3. Neutral Corners
  Air Date: November 12, 2001
- tbd
  S5:E2. Judge Ling
  Air Date: November 5, 2001
- tbd
  S5:E1. Friends and Lovers
  Air Date: October 29, 2001
Season 4

tbd
- Season 4 Overview
  Air Date: October 23, 2000
Season 3

tbd
- Season 3 Overview
  Air Date: October 25, 1999
Season 2

76
- Season 2 Overview
  Air Date: September 14, 1998
Season 1

73
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: September 8, 1997