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I've stil been on a kick watching old wildly popular shows on Netflix. Ally McBeal was one of those shows that had me wondering, "what was all the fuss about?"
The first two seasons of Ally McBeal? Pure FREAKING magic. Ally starts off adorably neurotic and obsessed over an old love, Billy. When she gets a job at a new law firm, she finds out Billy works there too (eek!) and is married (double eek!). The basic plot appeals to everyone's human core--jealousy, temptation, love and heartbreak.
The cherry on top is Ally's co-workers, who have catch phrases: "Snappish!" "Bygones!" and even do song and dance numbers, lest you forget John Cage dancing to Barry White. Ally McBeal had everything going for it. It was lovably quirky, but not over-the-top. It even had dancing babies.
And then...
*SPOILER*
The show made the biggest mistake I have ever seen a show make. In season 3, they kill off the most crucial character in Ally's world. Billy dies from a brain tumor...er, aneurism? Who cares! It's the dumbest plot twist I have ever witnessed in a popular TV show. What ensues is a mad dash to fill the plot with another character for Ally to love; but alas, the writers had spent so much time building up Billy, no one else could replace him.
I read later that Gil Bellows (Billy) left the show in pursuit of a movie career, as they allowed the cast to have short contracts. Whatever the case, I really started to hate a show I once loved, as I felt obligated to watch every season to give a proper review. And the show only lasted 5 seasons. Guess other people started to hate it too.
If you're going to watch Ally McBeal, do yourself a HUGE favor and stop at the end of Season 2! Not even Barry White was able to save such a mess of a show.
Did you watch Ally McBeal? Were you still a fan after Season 3?
Old Reviews:
LOST
Oh I remember I used to watch Ally McBeal religiously, never missing an episode. Didn't remember much about anything but I am sure I was heartbroken when Billy died! However I loved the show so much I kept on watching till the end. Now I actually feel like watching it all over again!
ReplyDeleteWait, wait, wait, what about Robert Downey, Jr?!?
ReplyDeleteYou didn't like that relationship?
I agree it was a stupid thing to kill of Billy though. I guess it was almost as stupid as Bellows leaving a great show to pursue his movie career. ;)
I do love Robert Downey Jr, and he did make things a little better...until he had to leave because of drug problems. haha! I guess the show just had bad luck :(
Deletei remember watching that! i don't remember details but that was a fun show :) i DO remember the dancing baby it always kind of freaked me out. which babies do in general. uhoh!
ReplyDeletei did and then i hated it. now felicity, i followed that show until the last damn ep, bad hair and all!
ReplyDeleteI remember loving felicity in the start...but I was a teenager then. haha! Speaks for itself :)
DeleteOh GOD this takes me back. I loved Ally McBeal although I got stuck into it later, and ended up not watching it in sequence!
ReplyDeleteOh oh oh!!! Ally McBeal! I started watching the show again a few months ago on Netflix streaming. I had to stop b/c I got busy and...well whatever, not the point!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, this show was one of my favorites when it was on. And you know what? Totally did not remember that Billy dies. I have to re-up on my watching again. But I did enjoy Robert Downey Jr. on the show. Whoa, is he a piece or what? I was sad when he left! I have to say I did enjoy the show after season 3. I can't remember b/c it was so long ago, but I think I may have started watching it AFTER season 3 and watched the earlier seasons later on (they used to repeat it on some channel a few years ago - FX maybe?).
There are some good moments with Robert Downey Jr. in the show--I'll give it that. As we all know, his career really took off again shortly after Ally McBeal. He might have been the only good part in the end seasons (in my eyes).
Deletethe NYX pencil is a brown copper color :)
ReplyDeleteThis was/is one of my favorite shows.
ReplyDeleteSome of my top episodes? When Fish spanks Nelle, when Ling befriends Cancer boy, Whenever Fish does his Angry Dance, and any episode RDJ was in.
I think the show fell apart when RDJ got kicked off for the 2nd and final time. Womp womp.
I can agree with, because I have to admit that I liked RDJ quite a lot. He helped revive the show!
DeleteI just watched the full series (in just over a month, whoops!) and I completely agree. LOVED it at first and then it dwindled, but I just kept watching regardless. Biggest bummer was that Robert Downey Jr screwed up the storyline with his personal life.
ReplyDeleteI think I might move onto Felicity next :)
Season 4 is GREAT, with Robert Downey Jr. So much more interesting than Billy!
ReplyDeleteI just binged watched and I agree: go no further than Season 2. Robert Downey Jr was great in Season 4 but I did not like the trite plot of "love you but I too messed up to continue". Of course that is what is wrong with episodic television.
ReplyDelete