B.A.

"Schmidt Happens"



Cast: James Spader, Monica Potter, Mark Valley, Rhona Mitra, Lake Bell, William Shatner, Candice Bergen, Leslie Jordan, Fiona Hale, Gregalan Williams, Thom Gossom Jr., Ray Laska, Brenda Wehle, Lisa Kaminir, Michael Wiseman, Tony Pasqualini, Ron Butler, Rhomeyn Johnson, Alex Paez, Barry Sigismondi.
Director(s): Allison Liddi-Brown.
Producer(s): David E. Kelley, Bill D'Elia.
Writer(s): David E. Kelley.

Original Airdate: January 9, 2005

RocShemp

I'm really looking forward to this and I dig how Shatner delivers the line "she's still... HOT!" in the ads.

MrX

"Crane comes before Schmidt"

"You were of coure referring to when we were intimate"

We were due to get beat over the head with one of DEK's polical rants and that's what we got. Everything outside of that was pretty good.

Next week looks good

Patman

1/9/05

Candice Bergen joins the cast as Shirley Schmidt, and has totally stirred up the pot, and put Denny off-kilter.

Best 2 lines:

"Denny Crane...coco-coco-puffs"
"Denny Crane...trix are for kids"

Love Alan's gift for Shirley.

Rene (Paul) still hasn't cracked the opening credits.

Alan's subplot with Bernie wasn't all that interesting, but somewhat humorous at times.

Lori's subplot was a little too much preaching, but that's David E. Kelley for ya.

Rogue588

Best 4 lines:

"Denny Crane...coco-coco-puffs"
"Denny Crane...trix are for kids"


"Crane comes before Schmidt"
"You were of course referring to when we were intimate"

RocShemp

I missed the gift a bit. I was fiddling with my VCR at the moment so I didn't see it too well. Was it a mirror of some sort?

B.A.

Sideview mirror from a car w/ the caption, "Objects in mirror are bigger than they appear."

I didn't like Alan sub-plot as I cannot stand that little, high-pitched actor - that guy scares me.

Loved the addition of Candice Bergen - she was excellent when Denny and Alan were around.

coladar

An exec at ABC needs to hit DEK over the head and get him to stop these ridiculous political rants. I can accept a remark here and there, but this BS of having political rants as the main story... I had a hard time watching this episode, which is a shame, since aside from the Sudan it was a great episode.

Candice Bergen fits the cast well. When did Jodi Lyn O'Keefe from Nash Bridges join the cast? Was surprised to see her as Spader's secretary.

Rogue588

Oh...forgot the exchange about Schmidt leaving Crane for "the secretary"..

Red Dog

This episode was hysterical.

Jodi Lyn O'Keefe looked great in her brief appearance as a secretary.

Shatner + Bergen = comedy gold.

I thought the case was very interesting. I don't agree with the legal argument (and I'm sure nobody including DEK would expect a court to buy it), but I am open-minded enough to listen to the argument. Frankly, I thought the analogy to tort law was dead on.

B.A.

Can you run the analogy by me, please - I was trying to put my daughter to bed and didn't catch everything said.

Red Dog

Say there is an injured person lying on the side of the road. I stop to give assistance - say something as simple as calling 911. You stop and ask if I need help giving assistance (like calling 911). I reply no - I got it covered. I never call 911 and you move on thinking that I will. Person dies and would not have if the 911 call was made. I am liable.

The US says they will combat terrorism throughout the world, and not just specific areas. They got the world covered. Other countries rely on that and thus do nothing. Terrorism takes place in certain areas (like Sudan) with the US doing nothing. Under the tort analogy, the US would be liable.

tofu

I thought this and Denny's cereal lines were the best gags of the show

Candance Bergin looks like that she'll fit it quite nicely with the show. Hopefully, this marks the end of Sally since it looks like Candace will have carte blanche to fire anyone she doesn't like.

B.A.

Thanks, Red Dog - I don't remember hearing any of that.

I also liked Candice's line about CBS finally declaring Bush the winner.

redinger

Man, every once in a while I catch this show when I just happen to be flipping through the channels Sunday night. This was probably the fourth epidsode I've seen. I love it! It's one of the most entertaining shows to just listen to. Were the older seasons this good, or is it just that this particular cast is clicking?

NORML54601

This is season 1

redinger

Oops, sorry. I was referring to The Practice.

Patman

What's weird is that there's some form of peace settlement in the Sudan just announced yesterday, so this episode had some really freaky ass timing.

Chew

I have to agree, this show is more political than West Wing.

But, it's also one of the funniest.

sq240

I think Candice Bergen fits extremely well with this show. I really had to struggle to watch this episode with DEK political rants at an all time high in my opinion. I thought it was a perfect example of what our legal system is though. Rulings made to draw attention to something rather than on the merits of the case.

I find it rather absurd that anyone could honestly accept the analogy to tort law. To borrow a line from 24, spare me you "6th grade, Micheal Moore logic".

kvrdave

Had me rolling. Personally, I didn't take it as all that political. Each side got their digs. And it was a good analogy.

Red Dog

Personally, I see the political message working both ways. Either the US should actually practice what they preach - helping everyone (liberal) or they should concentrate on terrorism that directly effects the US (conservative). Pick one and don't try to walk in the middle.

And the jab at CBS certainly brought some further balance.