Fighting both sides of the fight...

Boston Legal is still a terrific show. They frequently address the most pertinent issues going through society - so quickly in fact it's as if David E. Kelly waits to see Monday's news before writing Tuesday's show. However, the genius of this show is that before he tackled big issues, he first created really big characters to handle both sides of the issue with equanimity. James Spader and William Shatner can argue anything, from the right to bear arms anywhere and everywhere to the elimination of Barbies for sexualizing tweens. Their characters (more Shatner than Spader) hold ideas very strongly, but are able to argue them from whatever side will win their point. It's not that their ideas are firm and rigid, but that they have enough passion about them to attempt to persuade others to their point of view. Shatner's character tends to fall on the un-PC side of every issue, but rather than pat him on the head and tut-tut, they explain to him the fault of his logic, which inevitably leads them to realize there is merit or at least historical precedent to his beliefs and he might have a point in his lunacy. Thus, the show doesn't always explain away bad behavior, but rather examines it in a greater context. I highly recommend this show - particularly the Halloween episodes - Shatner and Spader as flamingos or the Pointer sisters shouldn't be missed.