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Streaming data from JustWatch
Boston Legal
2004–2008
· TV Show
· 44 min episodes
· 5 seasons
A
MEANRANK
80/100
Every rating
64–89
out of 100
Mostly agreed
Lowest is Criticker on 64, highest is Rotten Tomatoes viewers on 89.
See the TV shows the platforms disagree about most →Boston Legal is a spin-off of the long-running David E. Kelley series The Practice (1997), following the exploits of former Practice character Alan Shore (James Spader) at the legal firm of Crane, Poole, and Schmidt.
Details
- Created by
- David E. Kelley
- Based on
- The Practice
- Released
- 3 October 2004
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Episode length
- 44 min
- Rated
- TV-14
- Episodes
- 101 across 5 seasons
- Awards
- 14 wins, 49 nominations
This title elsewhere
Cast
Full cast (220) →Awards & nominations
See all 63 →14 wins from 63 nominations across 33 ceremonies
| Producers Guild of America Awards 2009 | The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television Drama | David E. Kelley, Bill D'Elia, Mike Listo, Steve Robin, Janet G. Knutsen | Nominee |
| Directors Guild of America Award 2006 | Outstanding Directing - Comedy Series | Arlene Sanford for "Breast in Show" | Nominee |
| Producers Guild of America Awards 2006 | The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television Drama | David E. Kelley, Bill D'Elia, Mike Listo, Steve Robin, Janet G. Knutsen | Nominee |
| Eddie Awards 2009 | Best Edited One-Hour Series for Commercial Television | Craig Bench for "True Love" | Nominee |
| Outstanding Directing - Drama Series 2009 | Outstanding Directing - Drama Series | Bill D'Elia | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series 2009 | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | William Shatner | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series 2009 | Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | James Spader | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2009 | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Saffron Burrows, Christian Clemenson, Taraji P. Henson, John Laroquette, Tara Summers, Gary Anthony Williams, Candice Bergen, William Shatner, James Spader | Nominee |
Awards from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
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Trailer — Boston Legal
×Full cast — Boston Legal
×63 awards — Boston Legal
×
Producers Guild of America Awards
2 nominations
| The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television Drama | David E. Kelley, Bill D'Elia, Mike Listo, Steve Robin, Janet G. Knutsen | Nominee |
| The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television Drama | David E. Kelley, Bill D'Elia, Mike Listo, Steve Robin, Janet G. Knutsen | Nominee |
Directors Guild of America Award
1 nomination
| Outstanding Directing - Comedy Series | Arlene Sanford for "Breast in Show" | Nominee |
Prism Awards
4 nominations, 4 won
| Drama Episode | "Smoke Signals" | Winner |
| Performance in a Drama Episode | William Shatner | Winner |
| Performance in a Drama Series, Multi-Episode Storyline | Jayne Brook | Winner |
| Performance in a Drama Series, Multi-Episode Storyline | René Auberjonois | Winner |
Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series
3 nominations, 2 won
| Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series | James Spader as Alan Shore | Winner |
| Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series | James Spader as Alan Shore | Winner |
| Outstanding Lead Actor – Drama Series | James Spader as Alan Shore | Nominee |
Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing For A Series
4 nominations, 1 won
| Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing For A Series | Craig Hunter, Peter Kelsey, Clark King, William Butler | Winner |
| Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing For A Series | Peter Kelsey, Clark King, David Rawlinson | Nominee |
| Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing For A Series | Peter Kelsey, Clark King, David Rawlinson | Nominee |
| Outstanding Single-Camera Sound Mixing For A Series | Peter Kelsey, Clark King, David Rawlinson | Nominee |
Eddie Awards
3 nominations, 1 won
| Best Edited One-Hour Series for Television | Philip Carr Neel for "Hired Guns" | Winner |
| Best Edited One-Hour Series for Commercial Television | Craig Bench for "True Love" | Nominee |
| Best Edited One-Hour Series for Commercial Television | Philip Carr Neel | Nominee |
Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series
3 nominations, 1 won
| Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series | Christian Clemenson as Jerry "Hands" Espenson | Winner |
| Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series | Christian Clemenson as Jerry "Hands" Espenson | Nominee |
| Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series | Michael J. Fox as Daniel Post | Nominee |
Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series
3 nominations, 1 won
| Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series | William Shatner as Denny Crane | Winner |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series | William Shatner as Denny Crane | Nominee |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor – Drama Series | William Shatner as Denny Crane | Nominee |
Best Actor - Musical or Comedy Series
2 nominations, 1 won
| Best Actor - Musical or Comedy Series | James Spader | Winner |
| Best Actor - Musical or Comedy Series | James Spader | Nominee |
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
2 nominations, 1 won
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | William Shatner | Winner |
| Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | William Shatner | Nominee |
GLAAD Media Award
1 nomination, 1 won
| Best Individual Episode - Series without a Regular LGBT Character | "Do Tell" | Winner |
Peabody Award
1 nomination, 1 won
| — | 20th Century Fox, David E. Kelley | Winner |
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series
4 nominations
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | William Shatner | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | James Spader | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | James Spader | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | James Spader | Nominee |
Outstanding Directing - Drama Series
3 nominations
| Outstanding Directing - Drama Series | Bill D'Elia | Nominee |
| Outstanding Directing - Drama Series | Arlene Sanford | Nominee |
| Outstanding Directing - Drama Series | Bill D'Elia | Nominee |
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
3 nominations
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Saffron Burrows, Christian Clemenson, Taraji P. Henson, John Laroquette, Tara Summers, Gary Anthony Williams, Candice Bergen, William Shatner, James Spader | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | René Auberjonois, Saffron Burrows, Christian Clemenson, Taraji P. Henson, John Laroquette, Tara Summers, Constance Zimmer, Gary Anthony Williams, Candice Bergen, Julie Bowen, William Shatner, James Spader, Mark Valley | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | René Auberjonois, Craig Bierko, Candice Bergen, Julie Bowen, William Shatner, James Spader, Mark Valley | Nominee |
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
3 nominations
| Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series | Christian Clemenson as Jerry "Hands" Espenson | Nominee |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series | William Shatner as Denny Crane | Nominee |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series | William Shatner as Denny Crane | Nominee |
Outstanding Drama Series
2 nominations
| Outstanding Drama Series | David E. Kelley, Bill D'Elia, Lawrence Broch, Mike Listo, Steve Robin, Janet G. Knutsen | Nominee |
| Outstanding Drama Series | David E. Kelley, Bill D'Elia, Janet Leahy, Mike Listo, Steve Robin, Janet G. Knutsen | Nominee |
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series
2 nominations
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series | James Spader | Nominee |
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series | William Shatner | Nominee |
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
2 nominations
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Philip Carr Neel | Nominee |
| Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series | Philip Carr Neel | Nominee |
Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series
2 nominations
| Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series | Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt | Nominee |
| Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series | Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt | Nominee |
Artios Award
1 nomination
| Best Casting - Episodic Drama | Ken Miller & Nikki Valko | Nominee |
Best Actor in a Series, Drama
1 nomination
| Best Actor in a Series, Drama | James Spader | Nominee |
Best Actress - Musical or Comedy Series
1 nomination
| Best Actress - Musical or Comedy Series | Candice Bergen | Nominee |
Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama
1 nomination
| Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama | James Spader | Nominee |
Best Series - Musical or Comedy
1 nomination
| Best Series - Musical or Comedy | Nominee |
Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
1 nomination
| Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Candice Bergen | Nominee |
Best Television Series, Drama
1 nomination
| Best Television Series, Drama | Nominee |
Humanitas Prize
1 nomination
| 60 Minute Category | David E. Kelley, Susan Dickes, Jill Goldsmith | Nominee |
Image Award
1 nomination
| Outstanding Supporting Actress - Drama Series | Kerry Washington | Nominee |
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
1 nomination
| Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series | Ken Miller & Nikki Valko | Nominee |
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series
1 nomination
| Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series | Candice Bergen | Nominee |
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
1 nomination
| Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | René Auberjonois, Ryan Michelle Bathe, Candice Bergen, Julie Bowen, Justin Mentell, Rhona Mitra, Monica Potter, William Shatner, James Spader, Mark Valley | Nominee |
People's Choice Award
1 nomination
| Favorite New TV Series - Drama | Nominee |