Ep 12. Roe V. Wade, The Musical

As a legal drama with a comedic flair, Boston Legal often tackles controversial issues with a sharp wit and a willingness to embrace absurdity. In the fourth season's twelfth episode, "Roe V. Wade, The Musical," the show tackles one of the most hotly debated topics in American politics: abortion.

The episode begins with a hilarious opening scene of Denny Crane (played by the incomparable William Shatner) rehearsing a song about Roe V. Wade, surrounded by a chorus line of confused and skeptical senior citizens. It's immediately clear that this is no ordinary episode of Boston Legal, but rather a full-on musical extravaganza.

The rest of the episode follows the absurd and entertaining journey of a musical about the landmark Supreme Court case that legalized abortion nationwide. The musical is the brainchild of a young, idealistic lawyer named Sara Holt (played by Elizabeth Mitchell), who hopes to use the power of song and dance to sway public opinion in favor of women's reproductive rights.

Sara brings her idea to the partners at Crane, Poole & Schmidt, but unsurprisingly, not everyone is on board. Alan Shore (played by James Spader), the show's resident liberal firebrand, thinks the idea is genius and offers to help Sara defend the musical against the conservative backlash it's sure to face. Meanwhile, conservative stalwart Brad Chase (played by Mark Valley) is appalled at the very idea of a pro-choice musical, and struggles to convince his colleagues to shut it down.

The majority of the episode takes place in a courtroom, with the fate of the musical hanging in the balance. The judge presiding over the case, played by the wonderful Jane Lynch, is initially skeptical of the whole idea. However, as the lawyers argue over the legality of the musical and its potential impact on public opinion, the judge begins to soften and even starts to sing along with some of the show's catchier tunes.

One of the episode's standout moments is a duet between Alan and Brad, in which they debate the morality of abortion through song. It's a surprisingly touching moment, with both characters acknowledging that despite their political differences, they ultimately share a common desire to do what's right.

Of course, it wouldn't be Boston Legal without some zany subplots to keep things interesting. In this episode, the secondary storylines include Denny's attempts to win over a new love interest, and Shirley Schmidt's struggle to cope with her husband's advancing Alzheimer's disease. While these stories are certainly entertaining, they also serve to underscore the episode's main theme: the importance of choice and autonomy in all aspects of life.

Ultimately, the fate of the musical is left up in the air, with the judge deferring her ruling until she's had a chance to fully consider all of the arguments. It's a fittingly ambiguous ending for an episode that deals with such a complex and emotionally charged issue. Despite its lighthearted tone, "Roe V. Wade, The Musical" doesn't shy away from the gravity of its subject matter, reminding viewers that the fight for reproductive rights is far from over.