'Boston Legal' is brilliant

Through 84 episodes, "Boston Legal" has teetered on the edge of disaster.

Some episodes are brilliant, others considerably less so. It's smart, incisive and heartfelt. And then it's dopey, goofy, over-the-top and almost a live-action cartoon.

Last week's episode was a case in point. At times, "Boston Legal" was nothing short of brilliant. A case involving a Vietnam War vet arrested for killing and eating seals and another about a daytime talk show that led to murder were not only involving and surprising but, as is so often the case, they allowed executive producer David E. Kelley to climb up on his soapbox and say something important.

On the other hand, plot lines about Alan Shore's (James Spader) fear of toys and Denny Crane (William Shatner) in his boxers, firing his gun in the office (again) and going to great lengths to fake crying were, well, stupid.

But it's impossible to advise against watching tonight's episode (9:02 p.m., ABC Ch. 4), which is fantastic. The cases involve Shirley's (Candice Bergen) attempt to be allowed to euthanize her Alzheimer's-stricken father; the upscale island of Nantucket suing for the right to arm itself with nuclear weapons; and an accusation that Jerry Espenson (Christian Clemenson) drugged a woman in order to make love to her.

The latter two cases turn out to be something much, much different than that sounds.

For a show that continues to surprise, the biggest surprise is that "Boston Legal" hasn't spun completely out of control and remains capable of reaching the heights it does tonight.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com