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When it comes to the term "Cult," it is often used too simplistically and associated with products that do not deserve such a label.
Speaking of television, the years 97-98 were those that witnessed the birth of some of the series that could (and still can) genuinely boast such a title, and even though it is essential to admit that, in general, the quality of television products is now extremely high and far exceeds the quality of most film productions, it is appropriate to note how every subsequent product owes much to its predecessors.
In any case, in those two years, heavy hitters like Sex and the City, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Will & Grace, and, of course, Ally McBeal were born. While I intend to review the other three and the new gems that have graced our TV screens since 2000, I must say that I am proud to review the quintessential lawyer serial first.
Yes, Ally McBeal is nothing but a young lawyer who, after quitting her previous law firm following some harassment by a senior partner, finds herself recruited by the Cage & Fish firm, founded by her college companion Richard Fish. The first problem she faces in her new workplace is that Billy Thomas, Ally's first and only true love, never forgotten, who left her to study law away from her, works in the same offices. To the surprise is added the monstrous discovery that Billy is married to a beautiful lawyer, Georgia. From there, a series of romantic entanglements, misunderstandings, and situations will unfold that will severely test the internal balance of this triangle.
If up until now, it seemed like I was talking about something similar to Beautiful, you are utterly mistaken! Cage & Fish is practically the place where it seems all the wackiest people in Boston gather! The two founders, for example, are real idols. Richard is a sex-obsessed misogynist, a wrinkled neck fetishist (!?!?!?!?), and a ruthless businessman utterly devoid of any minimal understanding of the law concept (one can comfortably believe he bought his degree). He always speaks out of turn, and when I say always, I mean ALWAYS, and he delivers pearls of wisdom in rapid succession ("What kind of person would spend the equivalent of two years putting makeup on their face, plucking their eyebrows, getting their breasts filled with silicone by a doctor? There is one name for this kind of person: woman. She does all these things because men like them. Don’t talk to me about equality, and don’t tell me they’re not disabled" "The penis never forgets" "Men and women: friction. Friction, friction, friction, orgasm. Nothing else."). John Cage, on the other hand, is a legal genius but looks like a funny little man, moreover afflicted by an impressive number of tics and quirks that he uses to his advantage in court! (He interrupts opponents by whistling air through his nose, or stuttering loudly, prepares arguments walking barefoot on the carpet, has a remote control to flush his toilet before he arrives, trains frogs, and above all, CAN ONLY HAVE SEX AFTER DANCING TO BARRY WHITE BEFORE INTERCOURSE!!). Finally adding to the zany office team is Elaine, Ally's nymphomaniac secretary, fame and success obsessed, egocentric, and eccentric inventor. As the series progresses, a whole host of other remarkable and perfectly characterized characters join.
This crazy group of characters (counterbalanced by more normal characters like Georgia, Billy, or Renee, Ally's roommate) are nothing but the perfect counterparts to a protagonist who is anything but conventional. Ally is neurotic, impatient, reckless, always in search of true love (I laughed to tears when she shouts "objection!!" in court as HER CLIENT states she no longer believes in love), strong with her own moral code, and finds herself facing the most absurd situations and bizarre legal cases. Still, she proves to be a real and sincere person, full of good feelings, dreams, and splendid ideals.
Abandoning the plot and talking about narrative structure, the incredible thing is that Ally McBeal is not even a sitcom, as the description of the characters and situations would suggest. If indeed the romantic implications and misunderstandings, as well as drama, tribulations, and reconciliations, suggest structures similar to soap operas, and the numerous sketches and absurd situations (including the protagonist's thoughts that materialize on the screen, leading to visions of Ally engaged in an amorous encounter inside a coffee cup, or chasing an imaginary child tormenting her by dancing in front of her, or tongues unrolling in front of potential sexual targets, or even music suddenly playing at the most inopportune moments) might suggest a variant of Friends; by analyzing this product more in-depth, one realizes that we are faced with neither, but with a truly atypical product where every element has its reason, like lightening the weight of some topics. In this regard, it should be noted that drama is often right around the corner, with episodes that provoke shock, critical reflections, existential questions (tragic the episode where a child with cancer asks Ally to sue God for his illness).
The way Ally evolves within the series, along with all the characters living her vicissitudes, is a rare example of true sensitivity, rarely seen on TV or in cinema. Ally's growth, her pains, and joys are so psychoanalyzed (even through the character of the analyst herself, another crazy character spouting theories more or less shareable) that they can only be relatable to us, enhancing us and preparing us for similar or associated situations, and often the line between right and wrong or duty and feelings is not as clear-cut as it may seem. Everyone's psychology is so meticulously and multifacetedly developed in every smallest part that an empathetic mechanism develops, making us genuinely care for these characters. When the magic is interrupted, one wants more and misses these "people." A similar mechanism, traceable to all the shows mentioned at the beginning, is what, in my opinion, distinguishes an excellent or outstanding product from a cult. Catapulting the viewer into another context and delving into the souls, provoking reflections or emotions, is what good cinema or art, in general, has always sought to do.
Unfortunately, starting from the fourth season, even this series suffered a significant quality decline, unfortunately due to constant cast changes from the third season onward, which did not allow for attachment to situations and characters, leading to a lovely finale, for sure, but one that seems assembled to provide a conclusion without having real ideas behind it. Furthermore, introducing some characters is even questionable, if not annoying, but nothing prevents this TV show from being exceptional even in its last episodes.
Ultimately, one of the best pieces of television history. Recommended beyond measure.
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