I have never seen an episode of Boston Legal but James Spader in this role is absolutely incredible. Might have to start watching the show now that I've watched a dozen clips of his rants hah
Alan is the life in this show as well, and if it wasn’t for both Denny and Alan this show would be unwatchable for me in my opinion. Denny is amazing, but not enough to carry the show on his own shoulders. Their friendship is one of the biggest things I love about the show, as well as Denny’s antics, Alan’s closings, the realism in the cases, and how Denny and Alan just chill on the balcony and their hilarious demeanours towards the rest.
Great argument from Texas man, he appealed to judges emotion not his logic. Appealed to the judges ego of not being embarassed. Plus made it seem like Alan WANTED to be at court, meaning that letting him GO was the best thing the judge could do to make Alan suffer. Super smart argument pivot. There's multiple ways to persuade people
Yep. Alan almost certainly knows he would lose in that judge's court. But once they escaped that hellscape, they would face real people who would see exactly what was going on and it would be the spectacle he loves to create.
@Griffin: Thank you for explaining the bleeding obvious. I really hope nobody who watched this scene has so few brain cells that they needed it explained.
Just imagine the audacity. Judge, it is in your best interest to let the criminal go. And not because he has a gun or anything. Matter of fact, he only got his mouth...
The lesson here: When your fiercest adversaries admire and talk about you like this, then you know that "you really are something". Knowing how combative and hugely condescending Melvin Palmer (played by Chris Rich) was to Alan Shore and Melissa Hughes and Jerry Espenson in earlier episodes, this small speech here is a clear testimony of the adulation that he has for Alan Shore!
What's laughable is the judge has zero authority to keep someone from representing themselves, its your right, zero authority to tell a defendant he has no right to talk, and has ZERO authority to ban someone from a town, let alone a state.
@paulie-g he has to have a legitimate reason to find you in contempt of court. Just speaking is not justification. 1. You have the freedom of speech, yes, even in a courtroom. 2, as Alan Shore stated, you have the constitutional right to confront your accuser, which again, means that a judge CANNOT gag you in court. 3rd and final, no judge has the authority to deny you the right to represent yourself and use an outside attorney. They can advise you against it, since if you represent yourself, it can go badly for you
@@nathankindle282 You've clearly had zero experience with the US legal system. Nor a real understanding of its system of laws. In practical terms, speaking when you're not supposed to and ignoring instructions from the judge will absolutely get you a contempt of court charge. Confronting your accuser just means that an accusation can not be anonymous or secret, it's a reaction to an imperfection in previous ancient legal systems. In many countries this is even abridged in 'vulnerable victims' cases. What you do have a guarantee on is being able to cross-examine witnesses. This is a highly regulated and regimented process and your freedom of speech absolutely does not apply. There are things you can not say, things you can not ask, and times when you can and can not do so. A judge has a wide variety of tools to enforce those rules from striking things from the record, to removing the jury, to finding you in contempt, to declaring a mistrial. This is a show. Real litigation is mostly boring and has nothing to do with justice. A lot of the time it doesn't even have to do with the law, because in the US, no one knows what the law is between the size of the US code and precedent. If you're an adult, you ought to be able to tell the difference between a soap opera set in an ER or a court room, ie a work of fiction, and reality.
Alan Shore would have loved to go toe-to-toe with Melvin again, go after Utah for polygamy, and keep vacationing there. Melvin denied him all of that in a way that helped him. What a legendary adversary.
If I went up against the SC and won my case to boot, I wouldn't feel the least bit intimidated by a gavel wacking judge who thinks I don't have a constitutional right to represent myself.
It took this episode of Boston Legal to find out the outcome of the 1st Supreme Court appearance when Alan Shore lit those judges up. I'm glad he won that case.
Just came from watching all of Blacklist to see JS in something else. Happened upon this and the “you look like loogie hacker from way back” line just about made me fall out of my chair! 🤣 Spader is priceless!
The insane amounts of dialogue that Spader had to memorize! I remember Cybill Shepherd said the main reason she was such a pill during the Moonlighting years was that the was unbelievably stressed about how many lines she had to learn.
The problem is, it isn't just Utah. By "ignoring" the underage marriages that have gone on there ever since Mormonism was allowed to be recognized as a "legitimate religion", it has shielded so many others who do it.
To be clear, the mainstream Mormon religion stopped allowing polygamy as a condition of Utah becoming a state. Some of the off-shoot sects continued to practice it. While the state does not prosecute for practicing polygamy, they will prosecute for underage marriages.
@@etanniarc1234 , yes.. but the entire thrust of the huge scandal that was the Warren Jeffs case a number of years ago was that his FLDS Church cult not only still practiced it.. but that it was permitted to go on for decades. in fact, they were the subject of a notorious movie in the early 1980's staring Conrad Bain (the dad on the NBC series _Different Strokes_ .) That was the thrust of Melvin's statement to the judge. and the fact that BOTH Utah and Nevada (two states with notorious reputations coming from "opposing sides of the politics spectrum) knew and did NOTHING about that in no way changes the fact. They prosecute.. but only when the Media turns up the heat or is made to. That case is only one.. but it still makes Utah look the villain. Polygamy isn't the issue for most people.. it is allowing the underage marriage.. and pretending that many people do not look the other way.. and there are far too many that do.
That line about “getting letters” is his breaking the 4th wall of saying that people get mad at some of the stuff Boston Legal does and send angry mail. And he expects to get a lot for claiming polygamy isn’t prosecuted. That said, I lived in Utah a long time. Not nearly as bad as some think
@@kaipereirahernandez5196 Nah I was just a kid, but all these political shows get complaints over things. Some major, some minor. For example, in the movie Lincoln, which for the overwhelming most part was historically accurate and a magnificent fair-minded presentation of the end of the Civil War and the issues around it had a major scene where the 13th amendment is passed. A made-up congressman from Connecticut voted against it. The man is not a main character. His name is fictitious but an actual Connecticut politician had a huge hissy fit because technically no Connecticut politician voted against the bill. ...Just like what the hell? No one would even really notice that.
You can just see Alan seething being defended by Melvin, of all the people he can't stand. But it does show that Melvin is not the doofus he comes off as. He's actually a very good lawyer. And it shows that even though Melvin and Alan don't like each other, Melvin does respect Alan's skill as an attorney.
Additionally to ban someone from a state for life is a huge overstep of any authority and quite possibly a violation of both due process and a unusual punishment
I swear, I was watching a car review vid on 1.5x speed and thought it was still on when Alan was spouting off to the judge... But nope, it was normal speed! Gotta love Alan Shore when he's making a great argument :o)
Just imagine the audacity. Judge, it is in your best interest to let the criminal go. And not because he has a gun or anything. Matter of fact, he only got his mouth...
Possibly the best [let me repeat: 'best'] scene of Boston Legal, bar none. Texas Lawyer threatening the Judge with newspaper reporters or TV commentators [and by implication the County, and the various honchos or non-honcho denizens within] --- mostly from LA, NYC, or Washington, not to mention Boston, classic Denny or Allen, for that matter. The Judge's shorts were obviously full of bricks at the end of the scene.
Spader and shatner are 2 sides of the same coin. I could totally see Spader filling in on the bridge of the enterprise and I could see shatner filling in on the blacklist
For those like me-a childfree senior being screwed by the income and property tax laws forever-no one but Boston Legal's Alan Shore could win me justice.
I don't remember everything from that TV series that well but AFAIK that one line from the scene is the only indication that Alan has won the death penalty case in front of the Supreme Court, correct? It was unclear in the episode itself.
It started in 2005 as a continuation of another show called The Practice. Boston Legal as eventually cancelled in 2008 and this episode is one of the last few episodes
You know what really makes this comment hit home? When one notices that a... somewhat reasonable amount of times stenographers are shown as older women (some more haggard and haunted than others), you actually do have to wonder if they keep up. Good thing Alan Shore wasn't on The Good Wife. Judge Cuesta's Stenographer (Judy) may well have reached her limit for this.
In the beginning of the episode at 2:43 there are two People, a man and a woman talking German in the background!! Did you notice?! Why is that? I can tell you what they say. The man says: "Ich habe jetzt schon Vertrauen zu ihm." And the woman replies: "Hast du dir schon aufgeschrieben, was du ihn fragen willst, wenn er das nächste mal zu dir kommt?" Translation: "I already have faith in him." "Have you already written down what you want to ask him the next time he comes to you?" That's so strange! I wonder why that happened. Has anyone of you noticed?
Interesting tidbit, the Supreme Court already ruled that the Sixth amendment grants you the right to represent yourself, so what this judge did was blatantly unconstitutional. In fact all of that trial is.
I'm not kidding I could listen to Alan Shore speak for hours on end I never get bored or disinterested in him LOL
Heather Locklear?!, do the wild stuff line by line which is about illegal drugs too but...
I have never seen an episode of Boston Legal but James Spader in this role is absolutely incredible. Might have to start watching the show now that I've watched a dozen clips of his rants hah
MosDef
Me too
ME TOO
Didn't even take Alan five minutes to drive the judge nuts.
well he is pretty maddening... If it wasn't for Denny, the show would be unwatchable
Alan is the life in this show as well, and if it wasn’t for both Denny and Alan this show would be unwatchable for me in my opinion. Denny is amazing, but not enough to carry the show on his own shoulders. Their friendship is one of the biggest things I love about the show, as well as Denny’s antics, Alan’s closings, the realism in the cases, and how Denny and Alan just chill on the balcony and their hilarious demeanours towards the rest.
die "Schwarzen Schafe" oder so, das war mal eine Fernsehserie, da hat man sich noch den Pazifik auf den Flieger gemalt...Betty ne
😂😂😂😂😂
"You're a quick study................ I can see why they made you judge......."
Corbin Bernson in L.A. Law couldn´t do ta h at better.
Great argument from Texas man, he appealed to judges emotion not his logic. Appealed to the judges ego of not being embarassed. Plus made it seem like Alan WANTED to be at court, meaning that letting him GO was the best thing the judge could do to make Alan suffer. Super smart argument pivot. There's multiple ways to persuade people
Yep. Alan almost certainly knows he would lose in that judge's court. But once they escaped that hellscape, they would face real people who would see exactly what was going on and it would be the spectacle he loves to create.
Exactly.. but Alan would win in the end... and Melvin is right about that.
@Griffin: Thank you for explaining the bleeding obvious. I really hope nobody who watched this scene has so few brain cells that they needed it explained.
Just imagine the audacity. Judge, it is in your best interest to let the criminal go. And not because he has a gun or anything. Matter of fact, he only got his mouth...
@@ookodavid Except they were in for adultery and aiding/abetting. They weren't killers. Not thieves. Just an old horndog and his jackass friend.
Whether he is Alan Shore or Raymond Reddington this man will speak nonstop and still captivate you all the while.
I feel sad for the kids these days who will only know him as Ultron.
You forgot Daniel Jackson...
The lesson here: When your fiercest adversaries admire and talk about you like this, then you know that "you really are something". Knowing how combative and hugely condescending Melvin Palmer (played by Chris Rich) was to Alan Shore and Melissa Hughes and Jerry Espenson in earlier episodes, this small speech here is a clear testimony of the adulation that he has for Alan Shore!
Red Reddington saved by Reba's ex-husband. I love it!!!
thank you for existing.
What's laughable is the judge has zero authority to keep someone from representing themselves, its your right, zero authority to tell a defendant he has no right to talk, and has ZERO authority to ban someone from a town, let alone a state.
He can find you in contempt, fine you and put you in jail.
@paulie-g he has to have a legitimate reason to find you in contempt of court. Just speaking is not justification. 1. You have the freedom of speech, yes, even in a courtroom. 2, as Alan Shore stated, you have the constitutional right to confront your accuser, which again, means that a judge CANNOT gag you in court. 3rd and final, no judge has the authority to deny you the right to represent yourself and use an outside attorney. They can advise you against it, since if you represent yourself, it can go badly for you
@@nathankindle282 You've clearly had zero experience with the US legal system. Nor a real understanding of its system of laws.
In practical terms, speaking when you're not supposed to and ignoring instructions from the judge will absolutely get you a contempt of court charge.
Confronting your accuser just means that an accusation can not be anonymous or secret, it's a reaction to an imperfection in previous ancient legal systems. In many countries this is even abridged in 'vulnerable victims' cases. What you do have a guarantee on is being able to cross-examine witnesses. This is a highly regulated and regimented process and your freedom of speech absolutely does not apply. There are things you can not say, things you can not ask, and times when you can and can not do so. A judge has a wide variety of tools to enforce those rules from striking things from the record, to removing the jury, to finding you in contempt, to declaring a mistrial.
This is a show. Real litigation is mostly boring and has nothing to do with justice. A lot of the time it doesn't even have to do with the law, because in the US, no one knows what the law is between the size of the US code and precedent. If you're an adult, you ought to be able to tell the difference between a soap opera set in an ER or a court room, ie a work of fiction, and reality.
Alan Shore would have loved to go toe-to-toe with Melvin again, go after Utah for polygamy, and keep vacationing there. Melvin denied him all of that in a way that helped him. What a legendary adversary.
That was hysterical. I'd almost forgotten about how great the show was. ❤
I love it, Alan baiting pleading "Give me a chance to destroy, Please!"
If I went up against the SC and won my case to boot, I wouldn't feel the least bit intimidated by a gavel wacking judge who thinks I don't have a constitutional right to represent myself.
It took this episode of Boston Legal to find out the outcome of the 1st Supreme Court appearance when Alan Shore lit those judges up. I'm glad he won that case.
The one where a chiId r@pist got off? Not cool, no matter what the dude's IQ was.
"You look like a loogie-hacker from way back" may be the funniest insult ever spoken :D
Just came from watching all of Blacklist to see JS in something else. Happened upon this and the “you look like loogie hacker from way back” line just about made me fall out of my chair! 🤣 Spader is priceless!
Love Alan Shore just standing there, Texas guy gets charged dismissed 😂. Look on Alan's face is priceless.
The look of a kid who's mom was leading them to the candy store, only to stop at the vegetable cart outside.
The insane amounts of dialogue that Spader had to memorize! I remember Cybill Shepherd said the main reason she was such a pill during the Moonlighting years was that the was unbelievably stressed about how many lines she had to learn.
Took on the Supreme Court, insulted every one of them, and still.won his case. 😂
Thanks for uploading this video. This is one of my favorite rants from Alan Shore. I love how he intentionally tries to provoke the judge.
Amazing writing and acting on this show. Top shelf.
Darn near everything this judge said could be challenged on the basis that it is unconstitutional.
Yup!
Look at him he's drooling... so is the old guy, but that's the mad cow 😂😂😂😂
Goddamn. I'm only two clips in and I'm biting at the bit to start binging on this show.
Amazon prime it’s free!
Rex, enjoy the binge, I was mad when series ended. The writer's were light-years ahead on topics in this show. Enjoy.
Understandable. I bought ALL the seasons on DVD when they became available - back in the day! One of my fave TV Shows.
The best bromance ever Alan and Denny perfect
Utah versus Alan Shore.
Utah lost. Fictional Utah.
Had there been a season 6, I truly believe Christopher Rich would have been added to the cast.
The problem is, it isn't just Utah. By "ignoring" the underage marriages that have gone on there ever since Mormonism was allowed to be recognized as a "legitimate religion", it has shielded so many others who do it.
To be clear, the mainstream Mormon religion stopped allowing polygamy as a condition of Utah becoming a state. Some of the off-shoot sects continued to practice it. While the state does not prosecute for practicing polygamy, they will prosecute for underage marriages.
@@etanniarc1234 , yes.. but the entire thrust of the huge scandal that was the Warren Jeffs case a number of years ago was that his FLDS Church cult not only still practiced it.. but that it was permitted to go on for decades. in fact, they were the subject of a notorious movie in the early 1980's staring Conrad Bain (the dad on the NBC series _Different Strokes_ .) That was the thrust of Melvin's statement to the judge. and the fact that BOTH Utah and Nevada (two states with notorious reputations coming from "opposing sides of the politics spectrum) knew and did NOTHING about that in no way changes the fact. They prosecute.. but only when the Media turns up the heat or is made to. That case is only one.. but it still makes Utah look the villain. Polygamy isn't the issue for most people.. it is allowing the underage marriage.. and pretending that many people do not look the other way.. and there are far too many that do.
That line about “getting letters” is his breaking the 4th wall of saying that people get mad at some of the stuff Boston Legal does and send angry mail. And he expects to get a lot for claiming polygamy isn’t prosecuted.
That said, I lived in Utah a long time. Not nearly as bad as some think
Did you send that letter? 😹
@@kaipereirahernandez5196 Nah I was just a kid, but all these political shows get complaints over things. Some major, some minor. For example, in the movie Lincoln, which for the overwhelming most part was historically accurate and a magnificent fair-minded presentation of the end of the Civil War and the issues around it had a major scene where the 13th amendment is passed. A made-up congressman from Connecticut voted against it. The man is not a main character. His name is fictitious but an actual Connecticut politician had a huge hissy fit because technically no Connecticut politician voted against the bill. ...Just like what the hell? No one would even really notice that.
I love they way they break the 4th wall... "Wonder what we'll get up to next season..." lol
The one time when Melvin Palmer was likeable! What a hoot!
I also loved him during the Thanksgiving dinner too. I mean don’t get me wrong he’s annoying, but his banter with Alan was hilarious.
@@aldutroix3944. I reckon that. He was brilliant in all the episodes he was in.
He’s great, that’s what he is! He’s a hoot with a capital H!
You can just see Alan seething being defended by Melvin, of all the people he can't stand. But it does show that Melvin is not the doofus he comes off as. He's actually a very good lawyer. And it shows that even though Melvin and Alan don't like each other, Melvin does respect Alan's skill as an attorney.
"...,but that's the mad cow." I lost it.
Correct me if I have it wrong here, but Denny Crane has onset of Alzheimer's, correct? Not Dementia?
@@stetsonherrick8090 Yes, but he kept insisting the issue was that he contracted Mad Cow Disease.
Notice how the judge look down when the Texas guys say "But it goes on judge, it goes on" loll
We're all amazed at Alan Shore's monologs but let's not forget about all the brilliant writers and their fantastic sense of humor!
Wow... never knew Ultron used to be Alan Shore, and is now Raymond Reddington!
P.S.: I just love James Spader, and everything he does.
A judge can't ban a defendant from self-representation, per Faretta v. California in the Supreme Court
Additionally to ban someone from a state for life is a huge overstep of any authority and quite possibly a violation of both due process and a unusual punishment
The problem is Utah is not a member of the union of America and therfore is not technically under any union law.
Utah answers to a higher power than the Supreme Court.
You expect someone from Utah to know that?
@@ryderkreutzer8859 Oh, so I suppose those four representatives and two senators are just there to sightsee.
Alan Shore and William Shatner are a brilliant pair! Great video!
I swear, I was watching a car review vid on 1.5x speed and thought it was still on when Alan was spouting off to the judge... But nope, it was normal speed! Gotta love Alan Shore when he's making a great argument :o)
Just imagine the audacity. Judge, it is in your best interest to let the criminal go. And not because he has a gun or anything. Matter of fact, he only got his mouth...
"... and everyone you're married to" ded
Could've been a spin-off with Melvin Palmer in Dallas. No kidding he had everything they needed for a show.
Denny Crane and his "Mad cow" always crack me up.
This is a great episode that what this is.
I’ve lived in Utah for over 8 years and this is exactly how courts work here.
Possibly the best [let me repeat: 'best'] scene of Boston Legal, bar none. Texas Lawyer threatening the Judge with newspaper reporters or TV commentators [and by implication the County, and the various honchos or non-honcho denizens within] --- mostly from LA, NYC, or Washington, not to mention Boston, classic Denny or Allen, for that matter. The Judge's shorts were obviously full of bricks at the end of the scene.
"You're a quick study"!!! LMAO!!!!!
Spader and shatner are 2 sides of the same coin. I could totally see Spader filling in on the bridge of the enterprise and I could see shatner filling in on the blacklist
When the troll gets trolled....lol
For those like me-a childfree senior being screwed by the income and property tax laws forever-no one but Boston Legal's Alan Shore could win me justice.
Thank you judge very much
So good ty
So Red's alias back then was Alan Shore ok
Red Redington!!!!!!!!
Notice how he basically glances into the camera when he challenges angry viewers in Utah to "send those letters"
This was one of the best scenes I saw of Boston Legal #Alan
I don't remember everything from that TV series that well but AFAIK that one line from the scene is the only indication that Alan has won the death penalty case in front of the Supreme Court, correct? It was unclear in the episode itself.
indeed
Alan would spend so much time in jail for contempt it would be mind boggling.
Brilliant show
He made some valid points
Ah, ‘gavel wacks’. Gotta love it.
And I love how Denny had absolutely no reaction to Melvin calling him an old fart that should be retired xD
Men being a man of advanced age that cracked me up when he said that the old man was drooling but its probably the mad cow ....
I'll represent the hoot brothers LOL I love that line :D
The judge looked shell shocked.
When this show aired please someone tell me ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
It started in 2005 as a continuation of another show called The Practice. Boston Legal as eventually cancelled in 2008 and this episode is one of the last few episodes
Brock did a good job!
Melvin Palmer was outstanding in this episode.
Tyty for upload
I'm an actual lawyer and I still wish I could be him 😅
You'd have to pay your writers more than you make in legal fees.
Priceless clip! Mad cow - again!! 😂
Subbed ty
Lol @ “Sidewalk ordinance”
Whenever Alan Shore jumps on his soapbox, I pity the court stenographer.
You know what really makes this comment hit home?
When one notices that a... somewhat reasonable amount of times stenographers are shown as older women (some more haggard and haunted than others), you actually do have to wonder if they keep up.
Good thing Alan Shore wasn't on The Good Wife. Judge Cuesta's Stenographer (Judy) may well have reached her limit for this.
Boston Legal is way more disgusting than The Blacklist was. But I love James Spader's voice.
I miss the smart ass character type in tv like you had with Alan and house
AWESOME
I cannot stop laughing
im seriously asking.... can a judge ban you from visiting a state?
Of course, whether it would withstand a challenge is another question altogether
Is it possible to be banned from Utah ? 😅
I could and would listen to James Spader and his voice all day long... I'd prefer to kiss him though and gaze into his eyes!
In the beginning of the episode at 2:43 there are two People, a man and a woman talking German in the background!! Did you notice?! Why is that? I can tell you what they say. The man says: "Ich habe jetzt schon Vertrauen zu ihm." And the woman replies: "Hast du dir schon aufgeschrieben, was du ihn fragen willst, wenn er das nächste mal zu dir kommt?"
Translation: "I already have faith in him."
"Have you already written down what you want to ask him the next time he comes to you?"
That's so strange! I wonder why that happened.
Has anyone of you noticed?
The hoot Brothers. 😂
His just the mad cow - well screw you 2 😂😂😂
1:23 that actor laughing... I think he was not acting
Interesting tidbit, the Supreme Court already ruled that the Sixth amendment grants you the right to represent yourself, so what this judge did was blatantly unconstitutional. In fact all of that trial is.
Get 'er done!
Let me guess....now he sues the state for being "banned from Utah" which violates the Constitution. A US citizen can't be banned from a state.
Christopher Rich is so cute!
I love you Melvin
Can you ban someone from the entire state? Aren't we all Americans?
I believe Utah did it to a celebrity
What a hoot
Even Rebas exhusband is in the show
Can a judge ban someone from a state for life?
No
Thats the mad cow😂
You are such a HOOT
How are you not allowed to represent yourself?
Case. Ehm aha
If you wanna talk technicalities the judge doesn’t represent the state.
Alan Shore and Melvin Palmer would have made a great team. Almost like good cop bad cop.
No-one is saying the 'M' word lol
Lol. Constable has his finger on the trigger of the gun
I am a judge, is this a joke?
Hello sir I am also a judge . From kashmir ....
He is a full time lawyer and a part time fugitive