Tao Tian

So often I find American humour to depend heavily on wise cracks and smart arsery. It’s tedious and not funny. But Boston Legal is an outstanding exception to the general rule. I first watched it about five years ago. But I am watching it again and am loving it even more. All the women are ridiculously gorgous but fully rounded characters and smart, all of them. It’s wonderful eye and ear candy. And for once we have an American sitcom that has no fear to be crude, rude and poke fun at itself and at the American legal system. So refreshing and so funny. But THE star of the show is Shatner. He is sheer bloody genius. He steals almost every scene he is in. What a man. Just hilariously funny. If you are a sucker for legal dramas and laugh out loud comedy you must watch this. It’s up there with the best English comedy, but slicker and prettier. The legal outcomes are a bit predictable and the Judges are often but not always unrealistically humane and caring. But it’s all part of the attraction and fun. I have tried to watch the Office, US version, but it’s puerile and unfunny, for the most part. This is puerile and hilarious; and sometimes grown up and hilarious. And beautifully made, produced and directed. I wonder if it was a hit with US viewers, the sort who love English sitcoms and legal dramas like Rumpole (sheer genius) and silly English stuff like Keeping Up Appearances (ditto, up to a point). It proves the well known fact that the funniest TV comes from great writing and great character actors. Alan Shaw is appalling in his (lack of) mores but he too is incredibly watchable. Shatner in the Supreme Court (farting, and winking at the one Lady Justice) is one of my favourite scenes. Puerile, crude but brilliant. Probably my favourite American comedy show ever. I put Big Bang Theory second. Much less slick and I often don’t get the jokes. But funny none the less, poking fun at ageing post-doctoral nerds who are nowhere near as clever as they think they are. High IQ, zero EQ. We all know those types.