Denny Crane: The Best Character on Boston Legal

Boston Legal is my favorite show, and the best character is Denny Crane (played by William Shatner). The fact that Capt. Kirk himself can still deliver the goods on TV is amazing, and he doesn't get nearly enough credit for being an outstanding actor.

It's hard to believe that the outrageous legal comedy evolved from The Practice. That show was as serious as Boston Legal is funny. Everyone on The Practice yelled and glowered at each other, and nobody seemed to have any fun.

That all changed with the arrival of Alan Shore (played by James Spader). He broke all the rules and eventually alienated his cohorts at the law firm. Shore then jumped over to the law firm of Crane, Poole and Schmidt; and the show changed over to Boston Legal.

Denny Crane is the leader of the firm. He is a living legend in the legal community, having never lost a case. One of the interesting aspects of the show is watching Denny overcome the odds, pulling out a seemingly impossible victory to keep the streak alive.

The writers could have taken the easy road and made Denny a one-note character. Admittedly, that one note was pretty funny. When we first met Denny, he was obsessed with saying his own name. He doesn't do that much anymore, but he doesn't have to in order to be entertaining.

Denny has been battling Alzheimer's disease (or "mad cow," as he calls it). Denny is acutely aware of his age and limitations, but in his mind, he has to maintain his reputation.

Also, Denny is a old-school, gun-toting Republican who is over-the-top in his political incorrectness. He keeps getting in trouble with his girlfriend Bethany by calling her a midget. The couple has already survived Denny's relationship with Bethany's mom (played by Delta Burke).

The best part of the show is the friendship between Denny Crane and Alan Shore. Their political views couldn't be further apart, as no episode of Boston Legal would be complete without a liberal rant by Alan in front of the jury. However, the two buddies finish each show on the roof, enjoying drinks and a victory cigar. You would be hard-pressed to find a better example of male friendship on TV than these two.

Alan Shore is a great character in his own right, and even new lawyer Clarence has shown surprising depth. However, when the show comes on, I tell my wife, "It's time for Denny Crane."