Ally McBeal

Ally McBeal, an American TV series broadcast from 1997 to 2002, was created by David E. Kelley, starring Calista Flockhart in the title role as a young lawyer working in a fictional Boston law firm. The firm, named Cage, Fish and Associates, was filled with other young lawyers whose lives and loves were highly melodramatic.

The highly popular comedy-drama set in a legal environment paid minimal attention to the actual practice of law. Perhaps its success owed much to the fact that it focussed on the romantic and personal lives of its main characters. So much so that the title character, Ally McBeal, also received much criticism from TV critics and feminists for her excessive flightiness, lack of legal knowledge, very short mini-skirts in the courtroom and extreme emotional instability. But Ally McBeal's search for true love struck a chord with young female audiences and the eccentric characters around her were developed further, giving the show a firm footing in the minds of the viewers.

The show got many Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Awards and the Ally McBeal DVD (a collection of 30 DVDs in a 7 box set) continues to fly off the shelves. While the Ally McBeal soundtrack featured Vonda Shepard, the show also saw cameo appearances by singers (as themselves) like Tina Turner, Sting, Elton John, and Mariah Carey, adding to it's popularity.