. . . Ally McBeal the complete series.

"Ally McBeal" looks for love on DVD: finally

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – "Ally McBeal" -- the quirky TV comedy whose mini-skirted neurotic star, nose-whistling lawyers and unisex bathrooms found a worldwide audience -- finally arrives in stores next week as a complete DVD series with all its original music intact.

Seven years after the Emmy-winning series starring Calista Flockhart ended after five seasons, problems with music rights have been resolved to allow the first 32-disc DVD collection to go on sale (October 6) for the first time in the United States.

With its fantasy sequences, frank approach to sex and a central character who was independent and looking for love, "Ally McBeal" was as controversial as it was ground-breaking.

But the show's creator David E. Kelley said that transforming TV for women was the last thing on his mind when he sat down to create 20-something lawyer Ally, her assistant and 'face-bra' inventor Elaine (Jane Krakowski) and ice-queen Nelle Porter (Portia de Rossi).

"I really did not think I was writing a character that was representative of womankind at all. I thought Ally was really an idiosyncratic, eccentric character. So it was bit of a surprise to find the character was so relatable to so many women," Kelley told Reuters.

Ally, a career-minded and lascivious young woman who was also searching for a soul-mate, touched off a heated debate among feminists that reached its height with a 1998 cover story in Time magazine asking "Is Feminism Dead?".

The show was a success in more than 70 countries around the world, including such diverse nations as Thailand and Lithuania.

But Kelley said that back in 1997, he initially doubted the series would even get on the air.

"It was such a different animal and I didn't know whether the studio and the network would even get it, much less the public," he said.

"I have got to credit Calista a lot for its iconic reputation. As an actress, she just resonated with the public in a way that a writer can't predict."

Kelley, who wrote all but three episodes himself, said he felt closest to the characters of Ally and John Cage, the frog-loving lawyer played by Peter MacNicol who channeled singer Barry White for inspiration.

"There was the most of me, my feelings, values and beliefs in John Cage and Ally. And I would see a lot of my twisted sense of humor in Richard Fish," he said.

"Ally McBeal" ended in 2002 with Ally adopting a child as a single mom and quitting her high-powered job as a lawyer.

Although Kelley went on to create other TV hits including the high-school series "Boston Public" and courtroom drama "Boston Legal", he was more saddened than usual when it ended.

"I knew I wouldn't really be able to do the things I did on that show again without it seeming derivative...When 'Ally' ended, I knew I was going to miss a loved one that I was never going to be able to spend time with again."

GET OUT!

I was JUST thinking about this the other day. I had found a foreign copy a while ago and was considering ordering it.

YAY!

And that's today!

I'm going to stop on my way to yoga to see if target has it.

CarrieMpls said:

They do on the website. I'm going there today to get it.

bygones

Man, I STILL miss this quirky little show. I think I loved this much more than Sex and the City. The episode with Ricky from My So Called Life was my favorite.

And they had some of the best guest stars ever. I totally fell in love with John Ritter when he was on.

I loved how they used the bar and the musical guests in the storylines. Very much like New York Undercover.

Not to mention all the unknown stars that got their break on this show: Jane Krakowski, Lucy Liu, Portia de Rossi







Oh, and I remember how Jesse L Martin turned it out until Renee had to get her some



Damn, that Antonio Sabato Jr has the deepest dimples in creation



Oh, and this episode was classic too. I loved anytime they had Jennifer Holliday on.



Love that Jennifer


[Edited 10/6/09 14:19pm]

SCNDLS said:

This SO made my day. omg!!!

It's about time. The only episodes on DVD are some random "best of" type thing. My friend has them. I enjoyed the series when it was on. Lots of talent came out of that show. Even Josh Grobin made his debut on that show, to my knowledge.

I saw this on Sunday on TV, and told a friend about it, and he's excited to get the set.

ernestsewell said:

Here's Josh

I got mine last night

...
[Edited 10/7/09 9:32am]

::Saving it in my wishlist::

SCNDLS said:

Me too!

It's been cold and rainy today so I'm chillin' with my Ally McBeal DVDs Damn, I didn't realize how much good stuff they packed into the first season.

I missed this show and I REALLY miss Lisa Nicole Carson. She put so much personality in every role and it was refreshing to see such a curvy sista featured prominently on Ally McBeal AND ER simultaneously.

I know she was diagnozed with schizophrenia which led to her getting fired from both shows. At the time people were saying she was on drugs when in fact she was dealing with mental issues. Apparently her family is still caring for her and she hasn't worked since '02. I hope she's doing well now.







And who could forget her fucking Denzel DOWN in Devil in a Blue Dress???
You hittin' my spot!!! That's the realest Denzel EVAH been on screen.


[Edited 10/9/09 19:53pm]

SCNDLS said:

Really? I really liked her in Jason's Lyric and Love Jones. I didn't know that.

heybaby said:

Yep, that's why she disappeared.

She was the bomb in Love Jones too.

And they will be on the NEW DVD. They are extra thin!

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Huh?

SCNDLS said:

eah haven't you heard? these NEW dvds are like 20% as thin as a normal DVD.





(it is a Calista Flockhart joke)
[Edited 10/9/09 20:50pm]

OnlyNDaUsa said:

Ohhhh! Uh huh.

The charm of this show totally bypassed me.

SCNDLS said:

she recently did an interview to promote the release

bboy87 said:

http://www.bet.com/entert...colecarson


Thanks SCNDLS for the headups... loved this show.

This show taught me back in the day that there are males who have weirder fetishes than what I have.

johnart said:

I loved this show!! & Lisa was my girl, she always brought a little something different to each role. I hope she gets well & back into the game @ some point

Loved her in Eve's Bayou as the other woman too

bboy87 said:

Really??? That's great to hear.