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Ally McBeal
Season 2
No. of episodes23
Release
Original network Fox
Original releaseSeptember 14, 1998 (1998-09-14) –
May 24, 1999 (1999-05-24)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 1
Next →
Season 3
List of episodes

The second season of the television series Ally McBeal commenced airing in the United States on September 14, 1998, concluded on May 24, 1999, and consisted of 23 episodes. On March 22, 1999, Fox aired a special titled Life and Trials of Ally McBeal in which Bill Maher interviewed the cast after nearly finishing two seasons of the show. The special was produced by a different company. [1] The entire season originally aired Mondays at 9pm, just like the season before.

It was released on DVD as a six disc boxed set under the title of Ally McBeal: Season Two on October 7, 2002. [2] [3] and the U.S. on April 6, 2010.

The second season had an average rating of 13.8 million viewers in the United States and was ranked #20 on the complete ranking sheet of all the year's shows. [4] This was the highest rated season of Ally McBeal.

On the 51st Primetime Emmy Awards, the show won three Emmy Awards in the categories of Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special for the episode Love's Illusions, and the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Tracey Ullman's portrayal of Dr. Tracy on the episode Sideshow. On the 56th Golden Globe Awards, the show won in the category of Best Series second year in a row. [5]

Crew

The season was produced by 20th Century Fox Television and David E. Kelley Productions. The sole executive producer was the creator David E. Kelley, who also wrote all 23 episodes just like the season before, [6] with the exception of co-writing the episode Just Looking with Shelly Landau. Jonathan Pontell and Jeffrey Kramer served as the co-executive producers.

Cast

The second season had ten major roles receive star billing. Calista Flockhart as Ally McBeal, Greg Germann as Richard Fish, Peter MacNicol as John Cage, Jane Krakowski as Elaine Vassal, Lisa Nicole Carson as Renée Raddick, Gil Bellows as Billy Thomas and Courtney Thorne-Smith as Georgia Thomas, all returned to the main cast. Former recurring star Vonda Shepard was upgraded to series regular after appearing in nearly every episode of the previous season.

Lucy Liu and Portia de Rossi premiered as new characters, Ling Woo and Nelle Porter, in the season premiere and appeared on recurring status until episode Making Spirits Bright, when they were also upgraded to series regulars. Lucy Liu originally auditioned for the role of Nelle, but David E. Kelley ended up creating a whole new character for her. [7]

Various supporting characters from season one returned to reprise their recurring roles, including Dyan Cannon as Judge Whipper Cone; Albert Hall as Judge Seymore Walsh; Jennifer Holliday as Lisa Knowles; Phil Leeds as Judge Happy Boyle; Jesse L. Martin as Dr. Greg Butters; Harrison Page as Reverend Mark Newman; Tracey Ullman as Dr. Tracy Clark; and Renée Elise Goldsberry, Vatrena King and Sy Smith as the backup singers for Vonda Shepard. The season also included two celebrities: Bruce Willis appearing as a substitute therapist for Ally and Barry White appearing as himself.

Episodes

Main article: List of Ally McBeal episodes
No.
overall		 No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date Prod.
code		 Viewers
(millions)
241"The Real World" Jonathan Pontell David E. KelleySeptember 14, 1998 (1998-09-14)2M0114.82 [8]
Fish and Cage hire a new associate, Nelle "sub-zero" Porter. John confides to Ally about his attraction to Nelle. Ally and John defend a woman in her late 30s who had an affair with a 16-year-old boy.
252"They Eat Horses, Don't They?" Mel DamskiDavid E. KelleySeptember 21, 1998 (1998-09-21)2M0213.25 [9]
Nelle's friend and client, Ling Woo, sues a radio DJ for making sexually explicit comments on air; and to the disgust of Ally, drops the case as a legal tactic. Georgia and John defend a restaurant owner sued by two customers after they were served horse meat.
263"Fool's Night Out" Peter MacNicolDavid E. KelleySeptember 28, 1998 (1998-09-28)2M0315.03 [10]
Ling sues a plastic surgeon who passed off his nurse's natural breasts as his implant work. Georgia is upset by Billy's involvement in the trial. Ally represents a minister who broke off a relationship with his choir director, after which she began singing aggressive songs aimed at him.
274"It's My Party" Jace AlexanderDavid E. KelleyOctober 19, 1998 (1998-10-19)2M0414.49 [11]
Ally defends George Madison, editor of a feminist magazine fired for his religious views on women. Ally finds herself attracted to George, but Elaine implies that she and George are an item. Ally is told to stop wearing miniskirts in court by the judge; and when she refuses, she is held in contempt and taken into custody. Ally throws a dinner party that descends into anarchy when an argument over women's rights erupts.
285"The Story of Love" Tom MooreDavid E. KelleyOctober 26, 1998 (1998-10-26)2M0513.85 [12]
Ally is arrested after a fight with a young woman angry with her best friend for stealing her boyfriend. After Ally agrees to represent her in court, she discovers the woman's tendency to fire her lawyers. George begins to show an interest in Ally, and Elaine begs her not to date him. John brings in his pet tree frog, Stefan, whom he is training for a competition.
296"World's Without Love" Arvin BrownDavid E. KelleyNovember 2, 1998 (1998-11-02)2M0714.48 [13]
Renee bumps into Matt, an old flame who is currently married, whom she refers to as her "Billy." Ally represents a nun forced to leave her order after breaking the vow of celibacy. John loses Stefan, who makes a reappearance in a toilet bowl, but a panicked Georgia and Nelle manage to injure him, leaving him comatose.
307"Happy Trails"Jonathan PontellDavid E. KelleyNovember 9, 1998 (1998-11-09)2M0814.85 [14]
John and Richard are nervous about having the first kiss in their respective relationships. Stefan recovers, and is rescued by Ling after he jumps out of a window. However, during a mix-up in a Chinese restaurant, John, Ling, and their friends unknowingly eat Stefan. The lawyers are saddened by the sudden death of Judge Happy Boyle.
318"Just Looking" Vincent MisianoDavid E. Kelley & Shelly LandauNovember 16, 1998 (1998-11-16)2M0914.57 [15]
Nelle, Ally and Georgia defend Ling when she is sued by a group of local mothers protesting her mud-wrestling club as being pornographic. John and Richard go undercover at the club for research. Ally goes on a date with Ray, the opposing council and an old friend of Georgia's.
329"You Never Can Tell" Adam NimoyDavid E. KelleyNovember 23, 1998 (1998-11-23)2M0615.31 [16]
Ling sues a male employee because she claims he has sexual thoughts about her. Renee sets Ally up on a blind date, but their date is a disaster when Ally gets her finger stuck in a bowling ball. Nelle asks John out on a similarly disastrous date.
3310"Making Spirits Bright"Peter MacNicolDavid E. KelleyDecember 14, 1998 (1998-12-14)2M1015.08 [17]
Richard defends a client who claims he was fired for seeing a unicorn. Ally finds a bond with him, as she too saw a unicorn in her youth. Renee and Matt take their relationship to the next level, only for Renee to find out that Matt is still with his wife, and she is pregnant.
3411"In Dreams" Alex GravesDavid E. KelleyJanuary 11, 1999 (1999-01-11)2M1115.36 [18]
Ally's favorite school teacher is terminally ill, and she wants the right to live out the remainder of her life in a drug-induced coma. Nelle breaks up with John, after telling Richard she thinks John is gay because they have not had sex.
3512"Love Unlimited" Dennie GordonDavid E. KelleyJanuary 18, 1999 (1999-01-18)2M1216.72 [19]
Ally defends a woman whose husband of 9 years wants an annulment on the grounds that he was insane when they married. John and Ally attend therapy together, after both of their love lives falter.
3613"Angels and Blimps"Mel DamskiDavid E. KelleyFebruary 8, 1999 (1999-02-08)2M1314.75 [20]
During a trip to the hospital to visit Greg, Ally meets a little boy with leukemia. He wants to sue God; but when Ally tells him it is not possible, Ling reveals she will help him. John and Richard represent a man who attempted to murder his wife and her lover.
3714"Pyramids on the Nile" Elodie KeeneDavid E. KelleyFebruary 15, 1999 (1999-02-15)2M1415.13 [21]
Richard agrees to hire Ling, to the annoyance of the firm except Nelle. Nelle and John defend a couple fired because they were dating. Billy admits he still has feelings for Ally. Ally and Billy share a kiss.
3815"Sideshow"Alex GravesDavid E. KelleyFebruary 22, 1999 (1999-02-22)2M1516.94 [22]
Ally finds herself distraught over the kiss with Billy. Billy agrees to accompany Ally to a therapy session, but this only adds to Ally's confusion.
3916"Sex, Lies, and Politics" Arlene SanfordDavid E. KelleyMarch 1, 1999 (1999-03-01)2M1616.01 [23]
John and Ling help a bookstore owner sue a senator after he falsely accuses her of selling pornography, causing her to lose business. Ally obsesses over the kiss with Billy, and struggles with the urge to tell Georgia.
4017"Civil Wars" Billy DicksonDavid E. KelleyApril 5, 1999 (1999-04-05)2M1714.25 [24]
Georgia finds out about the kiss, and rumors spread through the office. Ally and John oppose Richard and Georgia in court over a date rape case. As tension increases between Georgia and Ally, the two get into a fight in the bathroom with Ling and Nelle, with Elaine filming.
4118"Those Lips, that Hand"Arlene SanfordDavid E. KelleyApril 19, 1999 (1999-04-19)2M1815.19 [25]
Ally and John represent a man who cut off his dead wife's hand as a memento, but he is accused of causing her death. Richard breaks up with Ling because she refuses to sleep with him. Billy and Georgia try to repair their marriage and defend a man who was fired for having a bad comb over.
4219"Let's Dance"Ben LewinDavid E. KelleyApril 26, 1999 (1999-04-26)2M1915.96 [26]
Elaine is upset when her dance partner gets injured before a competition, until Ling offers to step in and dance. John, Richard, and Nelle defend another law firm against a woman claiming to be discriminated against after taking maternity leave. Ally agrees to go to Billy and Georgia's therapy session.
4320"Only the Lonely"Vincent MisianoDavid E. KelleyMay 3, 1999 (1999-05-03)2M2013.26 [27]
Elaine starts to sell one of her inventions - a face-bra - over infomercials, only to be sued by her aunt, claiming Elaine stole the idea from her cousin Martha. Ally decides to ask Greg out; when she goes to his job, she finds him with another woman.
4421"The Green Monster" Michael SchultzDavid E. KelleyMay 10, 1999 (1999-05-10)2M2116.33 [28]
Richard and John defend a woman who dropped a grand piano on her husband’s Porsche. Georgia starts to wear revealing outfits to work, getting much attention from other men to make Billy jealous.
4522"Love's Illusions" Allan ArkushDavid E. KelleyMay 17, 1999 (1999-05-17)2M2216.09 [29]
Ally starts having bizarre dreams about her childhood. She works on a case where a man sues his wife for fraud after finding she writes love letters to an imaginary man. Ling and Richard take their relationship to the next level, and Billy and Georgia try to spice up their sex life.
4623"I Know Him by Heart"Jonathan PontellDavid E. KelleyMay 24, 1999 (1999-05-24)2M2314.94 [30]
Ally becomes increasingly depressed about her love life, until Richard gives her a pep talk. Ally and Renee decide to go on as many dates as possible until they find the right man.

References

  1. ^ "Life and Trials of Ally McBeal". TV.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2009. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  2. ^ "Ally McBeal: Season Two, Part One". Amazon.com. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  3. ^ "Ally McBeal: Season Two, Part Two". Amazon.com. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  4. ^ "TV Winners & Losers: Numbers Racket a Final Tally of the Season's Shows". EW.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
  5. ^ "Awards for Ally McBeal". IMDB.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2009.
  6. ^ "David E. Kelley (I) - Filmography by TV series". IMDB.com. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  7. ^ "Lucy Liu trivia". celebritywonder.com. Archived from the original on August 2, 2009. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  8. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 14–20)". The Los Angeles Times. September 23, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  9. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 21–27)". The Los Angeles Times. September 30, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  10. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 28–Oct. 4)". The Los Angeles Times. October 7, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  11. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 19–25)". The Los Angeles Times. October 28, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  12. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 26–Nov. 1)". The Los Angeles Times. November 4, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  13. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 2–8)". The Los Angeles Times. November 11, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  14. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 9–15)". The Los Angeles Times. November 18, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  15. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 16–22)". The Los Angeles Times. November 25, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  16. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 23–29)". The Los Angeles Times. December 2, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 14–20)". The Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1998. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  18. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 11–17)". The Los Angeles Times. January 20, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 18–24)". The Los Angeles Times. January 27, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 8–14)". The Los Angeles Times. February 18, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times. February 24, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  22. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times. March 3, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  23. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 1–7)". The Los Angeles Times. March 10, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  24. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 5–11)". The Los Angeles Times. April 14, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  25. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 19–25)". The Los Angeles Times. April 28, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  26. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (April 26–May 2)". The Los Angeles Times. May 5, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  27. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 3–9)". The Los Angeles Times. May 12, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  28. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 10–16)". The Los Angeles Times. May 19, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  29. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 17–23)". The Los Angeles Times. May 26, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon
  30. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 24–30)". The Los Angeles Times. June 3, 1999. Retrieved April 9, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. Free access icon

External links

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