'Boston Legal': Denny acts crazy... again

I guess Boston Legal opted not to do a Halloween episode this year... I am moderately disappointed with that turn of events, but I guess there were other things happening at the firm this year (or was it that last year's party went so badly that they canceled the holiday as a whole this year?).

One of those "other things" completely thrilled me, and that was Denny's insanity running at full tilt tonight. Not that I was thrilled with him firing poor Nancy because she was, in his words, fat, but because the show is better when Denny is acting insane. I think I've written that before, but let me say it again, because it bears repeating -- the show tends to be stronger when Denny acts insane. Even better, Carl Sack went after Denny for firing Nancy. Possibly the only thing better on this show than Shirley fighting with Denny is Carl fighting with him (by the way, where was Shirley tonight?). The fight didn't last nearly as long as I would have liked, but it was something at least.

Later in the episode, Denny referred to himself and Lorraine as winners and Nancy and her lawyer as losers when Lorraine was trying to help Denny to avoid a trial. Carl Sack was forced to have even more words with Denny for this last transgression. Sack tried to explain to Denny that Denny's words and actions affect the rest of the firm.

Denny's response was to fart and make a joke of Carl and what Carl said. But I was instantly convinced that Denny did, at least momentarily, take Carl's words to heart. My reasoning for this has to do with my belief that Alan was absolutely correct about Denny knowing what he, Denny, was doing when he fired Nancy. I think that the vast majority of time that Denny does crazy things he is well aware that he is doing something outlandish. Denny claimed to Carl that what is being said about someone is less important than the fact that something is being said at all. I fully believe that Denny does feel that to be true. Denny knows exactly what is going on and what others think, he just sees the world differently than everyone else and so doesn't necessarily care.

All of this makes Denny both a funny and tragic character at the same time. That's really where the heart of the show lies, it does a wonderful job combining humor and tragedy in a single issue or person.

Isn't that what the entire story with Leigh Swift was tonight -- humor and tragedy in one? This poor woman, Leigh, was in love with a utility box. It was ridiculous and funny, she was in love with a utility box. But, on the other hand, it was completely tragic because she was in love with a utility box. There is something undeniably sad about it.

Jerry did a great job helping her out, though his suggesting to her that she needed human companionship distressed me. It instantly opened the door to her asking Jerry out, and because it happened with so much time left in the episode it was clear that she was going to ask him this week rather than appearing in the next episode to do so (she'll be there in the next episode, I assume, but not to ask him out for the first time). It was telegraphed and a little sloppy.

Additionally, I have to wonder what message the show is putting out there about Jerry. Both Jerry and Leigh have a medical problem that makes them act differently. Jerry asked Katie out the other week and she turned him down flat. Now, Jerry went out on a date with Leigh. Is the show stating that due to Jerry's problems he can't date the young, attractive Katie, he can only date Leigh, a woman with the same condition he has?

Some other thoughts and a quote:

• It was a little creepy during the first witness's testimony at the Patrice Kelly trial that when Whitney objected she appeared superimposed over the flashback. I'm not entirely sure what the reason was for the show putting in that special effect. I did not find it clever or jarring. To me it seemed pointless. How about you? Did anyone out there like it (or notice it at all)?
• Denny to Alan tonight after Alan asked him if he fired Nancy because she turned him down for sex -- "Hell, if I had a nickel for every girl that turned me down I'd... actually I do."
• Okay, so I didn't discuss the Patrice Kelly case tonight at all (except for the above bullet point). Frankly, I found nothing interesting in it. There was never a moment's doubt that she was going to be found not guilty at the trial. Nothing new came up at the trial that made me think, even for a second, otherwise. Tonight was just a way to get the not guilty verdict at the trial so that Patrice can come back again next week or the week after.

I'll be coming back next week too, but in the meantime I'll be over at The TV and Film Guy's Reviews.

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