Roush on Boston Legal, James Spader and The Practice
Question: I'm probably one of many writing in about this, but you'll have to suffer through one more. I've seen only a few episodes of
Boston Legal, enough to know that I didn't really enjoy the show but can see how people would like the characters. I even respect
James Spader's work. He was excellent on
The Practice way back when, and I'm assuming he's carried at least some of that over to the spin-off. But really, Emmy-worthy? This is even his second win, isn't it? I just don't understand it. Never mind the fantastic competition (
Kyle Chandler and
Matthew Fox off the top of my head) that weren't even nominated, but what could the voters have possibly seen to give him the award instead of their last chance to honor
James Gandolfini for what will certainly go down as one of the more legendary roles in television history? Is it because the show is on HBO? Is it because it's a fundamentally flawed voting process and most of the voters never even watched Tony Soprano's work the final year? I mean honestly, is there any excuse for an embarrassment that Spader himself even admitted to in his speech? Help me clear this up.
— Adam S., Shakopee, Minn.
Matt Roush: I cannot for the life of me fathom what the TV Academy sees in
Boston Legal. Despite appearances to the contrary, I don't hate the show. I find it tiresome, cartoonish and sophomorically vulgar most weeks, but I understand its appeal as a guilty pleasure, though far below the standards set even by the uneven
Ally McBeal. And to explain how it's even possible James Spader could win, it's worth remembering that several times each season,
David E. Kelley steers the show toward an important subject and issue, allowing Alan Shore — and thus Spader — to grandstand in the courtroom in classic Kelley fashion, harking back to his better days on
The Practice,
L.A. Law and even
Picket Fences. All it takes is one solid episode to impress the voting panels, and in this case, that's apparently what happened. Although you're absolutely right that choosing him over the more deserving James (Gandolfini) will go down as one of the classic Emmy head-scratchers of all time. At least Spader himself seemed charmingly embarrassed upon accepting the prize. Gotta give him points for that.
