Now and Then.

Who the...?

Harendra Kapur.
Kyra Mathews.
Tejas Menon.


Ello all,

Over the last few days, I have started to re-ignite certain fires I once had which had somewhat subsided. Conspiracy theories, ethics, and the long winded thoroughly idealistic pursuit of truth.

As such, seemingly unintentionally, I watched three films which have me in a 'mad' stir. The first one is Zeitgeist Addendum, the much improved follow up to Peter Joseph's first documentary. While most of what is suggested and proposed throughout the film is not entirely sound the facts and information put forth are at the absolute least overwhelming.

So I watched Good Night and Good Luck. A stunning, beautiful movie about some of the greatest journalism in modern times with just phenomenal lucidity.

Which led to the third film. I've been aching to watch it since the first Zeitgeist where we were shown clips from it and sure enough, it did not disappoint. Network, the edgy, gutsy painfully truthful film surrounding one Howard Beale. (What surprised me most, is that a film so ideological, could feature such beautiful thoughts on love.)

But what do any of these films have to do with Boston Legal?

Let me put it this way- All three films have had great critical acclaim and relatively less public appeal, therefore reinforcing that old idea that being idealistic and honest and making money do not go hand in hand.

In fact to many, me included, it always seemed like the gulf between hard hitting truth and good entertainment was too wide to bridge. So why should a television channel air facts about how horrid our world is today when they could just show you an episode of Desperate Housewives?
The people want it, they'll say. At 9 pm after a long day of work people want escapism and underwear not morality and debate.

And then Boston legal came along with the perfect balance. A quirky, funny show about lawyers and courtroom dramas that forces you to hear facts and question things. As fun and light as Ally Mcbeal and as gut wrenching as The Practise. No surprise it took the same man, David E Kelley to find the thing that'd join them so perfectly.

All three films I mentioned earlier raise the question about the responsibility of the Mass Media. About WHAT it should do WITH it's power and not how it should extend it.

And yet none of them quite utilised it's power fully. This playful drama has taken every single factor that makes television viewing exciting and used it responsibly like no other show I can think of, to get some kind of ideas out there.

I don't know statistically or otherwise what Boston Legal has achieved and I don't know whether or not it's just disguised itself intelligently. What I do know is, from the chair I'm sitting in, someone is trying and someone has found a way to make being articulate and intelligent cool again.

And even if you take away this seemingly bigger picture, the show features some of the freshest comedy on offer and has broken the fourth wall in some rather spectacular ways. Denny Crane going "Is the show over already?" Genius.

I miss the likes of George C Scott and Peter Finch. Intense, articulate actors who could shake you with a monologue.

I take great comfort in knowing the likes of James Spader are hear to lead a new line of awesome.

3 responses to "Boston Legal: Clever Clever"

  1. Also, Carl Sack saying onscreen that 'this show' was the only one that featured 'old people', in court.

    I really miss that show!

    Unknown

  2. YOU, my fraand Harendra, are awesome.
    That's all I gotta say.
    Oh, and that the post is brilliant and EXTREMELY well written and that I love it.

    Mehvash

  3. Incredible post, one of your best. David E Kelley is most awesomeness.

    Kyra

The All of us.

The All of us.