When you've started on a such a high peak, going down hill doesn't always mean that the show is about to hit rock bottom. Now, after that 'fortune-cookie-esque' statement, I'll bring it right to the topic for the post: Boston Legal. A highly witty, sophisticated, entertaining and original show, it is, alas, in my opinion, going down hill. Lets have a look why shall we?

The show began well enough. Well enough, there's an understatement. Fantastically is more appropriate. I didn't watch The Practice until the last series, where Denny Crane, Alan Shore and the whole Crane, Poole and Schmidt were introduced. And it kept me watching the show, especially Alan Shore. His quirky characteristics, beyond-brutal honesty, his almost psychologically-disturbed state made Alan Shore truly a one-of-a-kind character on T.V., and a type of person that you would be hard pressed to find in real life.

Finally the show came to air in it's own glory. And it was great, the first series was great. We get to meet a wide spectrum of characters, all different and no real "clones". Denny Crane took over as my favourite all because he was so unique! Who else walks round saying their name, thinking, believing and BEING the best at what he does on T.V.? Absolutely no one. Then you have every other character (just too many to name) just as funny and different that each week was a delight to watch.

OK, fast forward: they loose a couple of characters. Lake Bell leaves, which I thought was the biggest loss (as she was the character that had the most possibilities in the future), Rhona Mitra, Monica Potter. But they also picked up some good replacements: Candice Bergen, Julie Bowen, and increased the visibility of people like Rene Auberjonois and recurring characters. So we are finishing towards the end of Series One with a still stable and good cast.

But it's what was happening with the feel of the show that slowly began to make it less (though still) enjoyable to watch. Now, let's clear something up: American audiences are not the same as Australian audiences. That means the political divide that the writers are playing for isn't going to have the same outcome over here. Sure, the politics are "the same", but we don't have red and blue states. I don't even know if people over here take politics serious or care about them as much as is played up in Boston Legal. And that's the problem: the show became very political. Alan Shore became whatever side he is, as did Denny Crane. Gun control, environmental issues, national security and the Iraq War began to become regular topics. Now, don't get me wrong; these are important issues. But I watched the (biased) news, I live in the Internet, and T.V. drama shows are an escape from the crap World we live in. Please, by all means, include these issues in the odd episode, but not as a regular issue.

But, recently, Legal has picked up. Deny Crane has become an entertaining character rather than comic relief and Alan Shore seems to be defending morality rather than defending his political position. A few more of the characters have been fleshed out, and the cases everyone is undertaking are just as interesting as the characters. But I have a feeling that we are going to slip from this a-political show into a preaching phase again. I'm just hoping that perhaps we can have a more balanced view if that's the case.

And, if all else fails, more Denny Crane.

Clayton Northcutt.