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Ally McBeal - Season 1 (Box Set 2) (DVD)
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Sandy Smolan, Mel Damski, Elodie Keene, Jeremy Paul Kagan, Dennie Gordon, Jonathan Pontell, Thomas Schlamme, Michael Schultz, Dennis Dugan - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Calista Flockhart, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Greg Germann, Lisa Nicole Carson, Jane Krakowski, Peter MacNicol, Gil Bellows, Vonda Shepard more
The series tells of the professional and personal lives of a group of people who work for a law firm in America. Ally, as the central character adds to the events with her... more
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legal dramaLA Law, andThe Practice, the slick thirtysomething seriesAlly McBealhas never been out-and-out comedy but it spikes its exploration of emotional territory with sharp funny lines. Ally (Calista Flockhart) is a kookie cutie, a ditzy, skinny, single lawyer and we are privy to scenes from her overactive imagination (courtesy of CGI), surrounded by larger-than-life peripheral characters--almost grotesques--like outspoken boss Richard Fish (Greg Germann), nervy courtroom wizz John "The Biscuit" Cage (Peter MacNicol) and nosy secretary Elaine Vassal (Jane Krakowski). In later series these characters (including popular newcomers Lucy Lui and Portia de Rossi as frosty law babes Ling and Nelle) would edge towards one-dimensional caricatures as the same ground was retrodden relentlessly, but in this first series there is something compelling about the intrusive dynamics of this group of oddballs. The point is you don't have to like them to find them entertaining. Ally herself can be extremely irritating in a love-to-hate-her kind of a way. She is a curious dichotomy, a 1990s woman witha go-getting career and a penchant for her own way and yet with the romantic ideals of someone from another generation. Basically still hung up on ex-boyfriend Billy (Gil Bellows) who works for same Boston practice, alongside wife Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), Ally is on the look out for her Prince Charming. The first series and its lead both garnered Golden Globes, a lot of gossip and a healthy audience for the Fox television network in America. Channel 4 snapped it up for British audiences who were intrigued, not least by the unisex toilets and sophisticated afterwork bar soirées where chanteuse Vonda Shepherd was always to be found crooning away in the corner. All in all,Ally McBealleaves you with the conundrum of wanting more but not being able to say why. --Emma Perry
of becoming emotionally neurotic. Sounds annoying? It can be. Sounds so-American? It can be. Sounds addictive? It will be... They are young successful lawyers some of them could even be called beautiful a lot of them could be called eccentric and they all work and play together. In this first season we are introduced to the Unisex (the bathroom they all share). Ally is living with Renee still trying to deal with Billy's marriage to someone who is not her and is forced to come to terms with working with his new wife Georgia. Richard and Whipper are still together Elaine establishes herself as the resident know-it-all tart and John Cage is well warming up to being John Cage. It is this season we all have to hold to our hearts as the first time we were introduced to Ally McBeal the quirky original and (yet again) brilliance of a David E. Kelly creation. Contains the entire first season. Features the episodes: 1. Pilot 2. Compromising Positions 3. The Kiss 4. The Affair 5. One Hundred Tears Away 6. The Promise 7. The Attitude 8. Drawing The Lines 9. The Dirty Joke 10. Boy To The World 11. Silver Bells 12. Cro-Magnon 13. The Blame Game 14. Body Language 15. Once In A Lifetime 16. Forbidden Fruits 17. Theme Of Life 18. The Playing Field 19. Happy Birthday Baby 20. The Inmates 21. Being There 22. Alone Again 23. These Are The Days
legal dramaLA Law, andThe Practice, the slick thirtysomething seriesAlly McBealhas never been out-and-out comedy but it spikes its exploration of emotional territory with sharp funny lines. Ally (Calista Flockhart) is a kookie cutie, a ditzy, skinny, single lawyer and we are privy to scenes from her overactive imagination (courtesy of CGI), surrounded by larger-than-life peripheral characters--almost grotesques--like outspoken boss Richard Fish (Greg Germann), nervy courtroom wizz John "The Biscuit" Cage (Peter MacNicol) and nosy secretary Elaine Vassal (Jane Krakowski). In later series these characters (including popular newcomers Lucy Lui and Portia de Rossi as frosty law babes Ling and Nelle) would edge towards one-dimensional caricatures as the same ground was retrodden relentlessly, but in this first series there is something compelling about the intrusive dynamics of this group of oddballs. The point is you don't have to like them to find them entertaining. Ally herself can be extremely irritating in a love-to-hate-her kind of a way. She is a curious dichotomy, a 1990s woman witha go-getting career and a penchant for her own way and yet with the romantic ideals of someone from another generation. Basically still hung up on ex-boyfriend Billy (Gil Bellows) who works for same Boston practice, alongside wife Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), Ally is on the look out for her Prince Charming. The first series and its lead both garnered Golden Globes, a lot of gossip and a healthy audience for the Fox television network in America. Channel 4 snapped it up for British audiences who were intrigued, not least by the unisex toilets and sophisticated afterwork bar soirées where chanteuse Vonda Shepherd was always to be found crooning away in the corner. All in all,Ally McBealleaves you with the conundrum of wanting more but not being able to say why. --Emma Perry
one Ally has been waiting for from day one: "Ally will you... move in with me?". As always Ally's romantic dreams never quite become a reality and the series continues within the Grimm Fairy Tale world of Ally's love (and quirky work) life. The most important twist this season occurs in the first episode "Sex, Lies and Second Thoughts"--the departure of Tracy Ullman and Ally's current beau, Brian, to be replaced by the series' new heart-throb Larry (Robert Downey Jr). Initially dating both father and son ("Two's a Crowd") Ally cannot help but become besotted by Larry's charisma; he being a fellow lawyer further seals their bond, that is until Larry's past comes back to haunt him.Other highlights include a quirky romance for John ("Reason to Belive"), a charity auction leading to an all male fan-club for John ("Love on Holiday") and a romantic connection for Mark--though the recipient of his affection may have hidden more than he bargained for. Unfortunately the series was outshone by the real-life drama of Calista Flockhart's and Downey's rocky relationship along with Downey's drugs convictions. Even though he won a Golden Globe for his performance, he ultimately had to be dropped from the series.On the DVD:Not much on offer here for Ally's début into the DVD market. The individual episode menu does offer a language selection of French and English and the subtitles for the Netherlands and French. You also have the option to select chapters from the specific episodes, along with a "previously onAlly McBeal..." for that little reminder of whom Ally is dating now. Although standard for a TV DVD release, the 1.33:1 aspect ratio and 2.0 Dolby sound is disappointing for a television series which offers ground-breaking use of special effects. --Nikki Disney
always inextricably linked. Nobody does anything in the "Cage and Fish" firm without their colleagues knowing about it, including going to the toilet. Kelley is as willing as always to embrace implausible coincidence in his storylines for the pay-off of maintaining the high pace and dramatic neatness.Our anti-heroine Ally McBeal starts her third season with a wet, wordless fling in a car wash with Jason Gedrick, and it's no surprise that Ally ends up facing Gedrick at the altar when a client asks her to be bridesmaid. With the entire firm invited along as guests, can she keep quiet about the groom? Well, you know Ally--she may not have any lasting success in the romance department but it's a subject she feels very strongly about. The third season sees fewer CGI expressions of Ally's thoughts and imagination, but the drama is just as colourful. Billy's increasing concerns over the balance of male and female power manifests itself in his newly dyed blond hair and his hiring of six PVC-clad women to follow him around boosting his testosterone. Other highlights include Ally exploring her lesbian side with Ling, Elaine posing as John's "fluffer" to banish his sexual insecurities and an explosive Thanksgiving party at Ally's. There are plotlines within Series 3 which stretch plausibility, such as finding out that Ally's dad is the man Georgia's been snogging to forget her husband's metamorphosis into a blonde-haired, sexist egomaniac.Ally McBealdoes have the tendency to descend into sickening sentimental tosh, like all the "child inside" nonsense in Episode 11, but that aside, it continues to provide escapist entertainment of the first order. --Emma Perry
Richard Fish's rather kooky establishment. Ally (Calista Flockhart) was still a skinny, whimsical woman-child looking for Mr Right. Billy (Gil Bellows) was still married to Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), John Cage (Peter McNicol) was still too eccentric to be considered for romantic involvement, Elaine (Jane Krakowski) was still a nosey meddler and Fish (Greg Germann) himself was still looking for ways to make money. Lots of it. Greed prompts him to hire new litigator Nelle (Portia DiRossi), a tall, blonde power-dresser who leaves the other women bristling in her wake. But their antipathy towards their new colleague is nothing compared to the forces of hatred spiky Ling (Lucy Liu) inspires. Before long John (The Biscuit) and Nelle are embarking on a tempestuous romance, Ally is stealing Elaine's new boyfriend before going out with one of Georgia's exes and Billy begins to show the signs of instability which lead to him to bleach his hair blonde in the following season. Ally's outspoken flatmate Renee (Lisa Nicole Carson) got a welcome increase in her time on screen in this second season. Despite the sheer number of episodes David E Kelley and his team turn around each year, this second series consistently provided entertaining viewing to the last, despite--or perhaps because of--some of the characters being so unlikable. The inter-office banter reached new heights ofinventive bitchiness, the comic CGI illustrations of Ally's imagination still felt reasonably fresh and the court cases managed to combine oddity with emotional involvement. All in all this group of dysfunctional and rather incestuous workaholics proved curiously engaging yet again. --Emma Perry
Production Year: 2001 - Drama - Director: Brian Henson - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Matthew Modine, Vanessa Redgrave, Mia Sara, Daryl Hannah, Jon Voight, Richard Attenborough
Production Year: 1997 - Drama - Director: Ronan O'Leary - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: James Spader, Anne Brochet, Barry McGovern, Anna Massey
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Featured: Camryn Manheim, Isaiah Washington, Dylan McDermott, Tracey Ullman, Dina Meyer, Richard Schiff
Languages
Main Language: English
Hearing Impaired Language: English
DVD Description
The series tells of the professional and personal lives of a group of people who work for a law firm in America. Ally, as the central character adds to the events with her sometimes vivid daydreams... The episodes are: 'The Blame Game', 'Body Language', 'Once In A Lifetime', 'Forbidden Fruits', 'Theme Of Life', 'The Playing Field', 'Happy Birthday Baby', 'The Inmates', 'Being There' 'Alone Again' and 'These Are The Days'.
Technical information
Special Features: Scene Selection, Interactive Menus
Advantages: Rob Downey Jnr, Funny Scenes. Disadvantages: Rob Downey Jnr getting kicked off the show.
...This is the best AllyMcBealseason by far, I think the actors and the crew have finally worked out what goes, and how far they can push things. They're made Ally more naurotic in this season, and her 'fantasies' are much more funnier.
But the thing for me that makes this season what it is, is the gorgeous bad boy Robert Downey Jnr. His portrayale as Larry Paul, a person Ally mistakes for a therapist even though he's a lawyer and then falls deeply in love with is fantastic. In every role I've ever seen him in, he's so smart and this shines through in AllyMcBeal.
He becomes a proper regular in episode 4 of the season, where he takes Ally's case when she's been sued. She's in the middle of dating two men, who are father and son (only AllyMcBeal could pull that off) and he's dating her co-worker Nelle.
My favourite episodes...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: The early days are the best Disadvantages: There are only 24 episodes!
...By now it should be clear to regular readers of my ops that Friends is one of the things that rocks my world. Im going to write a detailed overview of all the episodes in series 2 and give some details about the boxset.
The boxset I have consists of three discs, the older series' have different styles to the newer ones. Seasons1-6 are available for around £15 now in shops and on the internet. The newer seaons cost much more, unless of course you know about the wonder of play.com and cdwow. Newer boxsets cost arounf £80 in HMV and MVC but they can be had for around £40 on the internet, and thats even before you check out Ebay!
The reason websites such as play can offer better prices is that they import region 4 dvds which are good on region 2DVD players and PS2's.
Series 2 is a certificate 12 which means that parental...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: sexy, sassy, absolutely crazy and shows that normal people don't really exist Disadvantages: addictive, you might abandon your idea of a stable world where everyone acts entirely reasonable
...After having watched all episodes of Sex and the City and Friends at least twice I had to find a new "addiction". I had watched a few random episodes from AllyMcBeal on TV before and quite enjoyed it so when I saw the HMV offer for the complete first season of AllyMcBeal for 9.99 I thought it was time to give it a go.
The first season has 22 episodes plus the trailer, all of which you will find on the 6 discs that make up the boxset.
*DISC 1*
0. Pilot
1. Compromising positions
2. The kiss
3. The affair
*DISC 2*
4. One hundred tears away
5. The promise
6. The attitude
7. Drawing the lines
*DISC 3*
8. The dirty joke
9. Boy to the world
10. Silver bells
11. Cro-Magnon
*DISC 4*
12. The blame game
13. Body language
14. Once in a lifetime
15. Forbidden fruits
*DISC 5*
16. Theme of life
17. The playing...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
helpful 14.11.2006
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