Ally Finale - 5/20
 

... at least Kelley ended the show in the style it was started... Ally's narrations came back! Bummer ending IMHO though.

Could someone give a recap of what happened? I didn't watch this show on a regular basis, but I want to know how it ended.
thanks!

I liked the ending the most. Unlike CC and the X-Files last night, Ally had some real emotion behind it and I appreciated the tone and the way we got to say goodbye. This was a great show for 2 years and at least tonight it seemed to close the book in a way that seemed much more like the way the show began. With a lot of heart and without all the gimmicks.

What happened to the actress who plays Nell? When she came on the show I thought she was one of the most beautiful women on tv and now she has to be compared with Matthew Perry in how amazingly quick she went downhill.

It was a reunion ep and series finale all in one. Ally's daughter was sick - fever and fainted on the stairs, and the diagnosis was a mental breakdown. The girls at her school were disgustingly cruel, and her whole life was lost all at once (her dad, school, friends, new mom). So Ally quit her job to take her daughter back to New York. She called a meeting and told the staff at once, which Elaine took as a slight to her (but she was over the anger by the end of the episode).

Richard and Liza got married before Ally left because Richard couldn't take the chance Ally might not be able to make it back for the planned ceremony (he credits his ability to share his emotions now to Ally's influence). Ceremony was silly and touching (silly because Liza's priest faints when startled or emotionally moved, but wakes almost instantly - funny harness contraption held him up during ceremony. Biscuit had to yank on it to wake the guy :) Earlier just meeting Claire - Dame Edna - made him faint :D)

Renee came back and sang a couple of songs with Elaine - that was great, imo. I missed Renee. They mentioned in passing how they'd lost touch this year. Same with Georgia. Both ladies were there at Richard's reception in the bar. Songs included "Tell Him" (Ally's theme song for those who remember that storyline) and the Biscuit's theme by Barry White, "You're My First, My Last, My Everything" which was sung by Elaine, then Renee came in, then Vonda came in, and at the first chorus Barry himself came in. Nelle had gotten Barry to come sing as a present to Richard and Liza. I really enjoyed her growth emotionally the past few episodes.

Billy was back in a couple of flashbacks, and then at the end Ally admitted she conjured him up not because she needed his support this time, but because she needed to say goodbye to him, too. He told her he wasn't supposed to give any hints but that her life would turn out fine. She said it was fine now and she knew the future would be fine, too. They kissed, and then he was gone. Then the "old" core gang came out of the bar to where Ally was standing in the cold - Richard, John, Renee, Georgia, Elaine and added in Nelle - to say goodbye. Tearful goodbyes all around, then camera pans out to show Billy in the line, too. Saying goodbye to everyone she ever loved in Boston. For good (even though they say they'll call/keep in touch).

And she walks away to take a flight to NY with her daughter. And a sad little voiceover that says basically that every sad moment in her life turned out ok, and so this one must be a good moment too because she was crying.

That's IT. Horrendously sad, imo. I was bawling through the last 10 minutes. No love of her life - well, Billy - but he DIED for cripes sake. No career and law firm she loves - left that all behind. No support network or cameraderie - she left all her friends behind, too. And the Biscuit is alone, too (he gave her a lovely necklace made by his friend out of a piece of the WTC as a going away gift. I was hoping she'd realize they belonged together, but no such luck). :( :( :(

I was left with an empty sad feeling - this once great show and the once vibrant Ms. McBeal deserved such a happier ending. This one was just heartbreakingly sad and depressing. A ten year old can be subjected to such horror in school (and I'm not even talking madmen with guns/bombs - just horrid behavior) that she has a nervous breakdown, and a thirtysomething once hopeless romantic must abandon all she loves (home, friends, work) to help her. Not to mention the love of her life dies tragically and her next best hope abandons her (Larry). Like I said - profoundly sad and depressing.

I think in thew final moments what was trying to be communicated was that while Ally knew she could be strong and stick with her decision through dealing with everyone, she knew she'd breakdown if she had discussed it with Elaine. She really loses it most with her out of everyone else. Elaine understands that by the time Ally gets to her.

The "priest" was actually pretty funny - though a one-joke character. It helps that he was played by Carl Reiner - who is probably the only guy funny enough to succesfully pull that off.

Why WAS Nelle there? She joined the firm right around when Ling did - and there was no Lucy Liu to be found. Also did you notice how HUGE Renee got?!?!? My GOD her bra size looks like it more than doubled! -eek-

(BTW WarriorPrincess - I was all weepy the from the time "In The Neighborhood" came on through the end too ;))

I really wished the Biscuit had some balls and followed Ally to New York.

Are Renee and Georgia working in New York now?

Hated the reason for Ally's departure from Boston. Lame-o.

Oh well, it was a sad, melancholy, weepy finale. I almost shedded a tear at the end.

No goodbye kiss from Ling?

I thought this was a really lame episode capping off a really lame season.

In a matter of about 3 minutes, they come up with an excuse for Ally to have to completely move away forever. That came out of nowhere and felt like some cheap trick to have some cheesy reunion with as many cast members as possible. Just an excuse for all the cast members to cry and say their goodbyes.

This last season has made me loose a lot of respect for David E. Kelley. He completely ruined the show.

What should have happened was Ally should have been killed and then her spirit meets Billy in Heaven end of series. Ally finds etnernal love in Heaven. Lucy Lu is a total tool for not even appearing in a few seconds of the show that gave her a career!

It's totally possible that Liu wasn't nearby to show up and do the last show. She could have been on location shooting a film, or something. What about Robert Downey Jr.? :) I was sort of relieved not to see Jon Bon Jovi's name in the credits after the opening montage. His character was like watching molasses flow downhill.

I needed something more satisfying. I needed to know why Renne and Georgia left. I needed to figure out why the hell Corette and Raymond were there, except to fill in the empty seats during staff meetings. I needed at least some evidence Jenny and Whathisface actually existed. I felt it was all to awkwardly done, and sad.

And the Maddie thing came out of nowhere...if there was some foreshadowing, I would have bought it, but it just happens in this episode? Come on...lame way to end what was a good show...

Ummm...nevermind :D .

They left a season and a half ago when Renee (leaving the DA), Georgia (leaving Cage & Fish) and Whipper (leaving the bench) started their own firm (Nelle considered doing the same thing).

It WAS a good show - WAS - until they put a revolving door on the cast! Corretta (Regina Hall), Raymond (Josh Hopkins), Jenny (Julianne Nicholson) and Glen (James Mardsen) were all added in attempts to reinject youth into the show (it was no accident that Jenny came off as a younger Ally - so she could become Ally's protege).

The show lost track of its focus - ALLY MCBEAL! It ended up becoming a whacky version of The Practice - about the firm (and rarely about cases!). By the time they cast Jon Bon Jovi, Dame Edna and Christina Ricci who even cared! The style and track of the show had gone SO awry there was no stopping it. At least this last episode pulled all the originals from season one back into the fray - to say goodbye.

How did it do in the ratings?
I hope it bombed!

I don't know how I felt about this finale. I liked seeing some of the old cast, and it was really emotional to hear that song (name escapes me) from the first episode when she sniffed Billy's ass. It was great to see her talking to ghosts and imaginary friends and wearing the short skirts again too, but it just seemed to happen too quickly through the episode. I dunno. I loved the show before it got too silly, and I even enjoyed some of the sillyness (though nowhere near as much). I think <B>freedexter</B> had the right word for my thoughts: awkward. I didn't dislike it, as it had it's moments, but it also didn't feel too satisfying. Oh well. This has been a rough year for formerly great shows, and watching <I>Ally</I> fall apart and ultimately leave is saddening. Luckily the many incredible episodes from those first seasons will live on forever in syndication.

das

"The Boy Next Door"?

How can you not love when the Biscuit gave Ally a necklace, which he says is specifically designed from the remains of the World Trade Center.
:yack: