Watch Ally McBeal

TV-PG
1997
5 Seasons
6.9 (37,134)

Ally McBeal was a hit legal comedy-drama series that aired on FOX from 1997 to 2002. The show was created by David E. Kelley, who previously created Picket Fences and Chicago Hope, and it starred Calista Flockhart in the titular role of Ally McBeal, a young lawyer who joins the Boston law firm Cage & Fish.

The show became a cultural phenomenon in the late 1990s due to its witty writing, quirky characters, and romantic subplots. Flockhart's performance as Ally McBeal was praised and she won a Golden Globe award for her role in the show.

The show followed Ally McBeal's personal and professional life as she struggled to find love, balance her career, and deal with her neuroses in a male-dominated workplace. Ally was known for her vivid imagination, which often led to surreal and humorous dream sequences that reflected her innermost thoughts and fears.

The show's ensemble cast included Courtney Thorne-Smith as Georgia Thomas, Ally's best friend and fellow lawyer at Cage & Fish, and Greg Germann as Richard Fish, Ally's eccentric boss and the co-founder of the law firm. Richard Fish was known for his catchphrase "Bygones" and his fondness for dancing the "Hammer Dance" at work parties.

Lisa Nicole Carson played Ally's roommate and best friend Renee Raddick, while Jane Krakowski played Elaine Vassal, Richard's quirky and loyal assistant. Vonda Shepard played the role of Vonda, the law firm's resident singer and pianist, and her performances at the end of each episode became a trademark of the show.

Portia de Rossi played the role of Nelle Porter, a new addition to the law firm in the show's third season. Nelle was initially hostile towards Ally, but the two eventually became friends and worked together on several cases.

Lucy Liu played the role of Ling Woo, a tough and sarcastic lawyer who often clashed with Ally and the rest of the law firm. James LeGros played the role of Mark Albert, Ally's former boyfriend and a lawyer who worked for a rival law firm.

Regina Hall played the role of Corretta Lipp, a lawyer who worked at the law firm for a brief period in the show's fifth season. Julianne Nicholson played the role of Jenny Shaw, a lawyer who briefly dated Richard Fish.

James Marsden played the role of Glenn Foy, Elaine's love interest and a lawyer who worked at the law firm in the show's fifth season. Josh Hopkins played the role of Raymond Millbury, a lawyer who briefly dated Ally and worked at a rival law firm.

Hayden Panettiere played the role of Maddie Harrington, the daughter of Ally's former classmate who became a recurring character in the show's final season. Peter MacNicol played the role of John Cage, Richard's business partner and the co-founder of Cage & Fish.

Robert Downey Jr. played the role of Larry Paul, a lawyer who worked at the law firm and became Ally's love interest in the show's fourth season. Downey's performance was widely praised and he won a Golden Globe award for his role in the show.

Other recurring characters included Gil Bellows as Billy Thomas, Georgia's husband and Ally's former boyfriend, Gina Philips as Sandy Hingle, a legal secretary who briefly dated John Cage, Dyan Cannon as Judge Jennifer "Whipper" Cone, Lisa Edelstein as Cindy McCauliff, a lawyer who briefly dated Richard Fish, and Gary Graham as Billy's father, George Thomas.

In summary, Ally McBeal was a critically acclaimed and popular legal comedy-drama series that ran on FOX from 1997 to 2002. The show featured a talented ensemble cast and explored themes of love, friendship, and career aspirations in a humorous and relatable way.

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Seasons

5 4 3 2 1

21. Bygones

May 20, 2002

When Maddie suffers a nervous breakdown, Ally decides to move to New York, leading to tearful goodbyes with her friends; Fish and Liza decide to wed.

20. All of Me

May 13, 2002

When Maddie suffers a nervous breakdown, Ally decides to move to New York, leading to tearful goodbyes with her friends; Fish and Liza decide to wed.

19. Reality Bites

May 6, 2002

When Fish's father is sued for sexual harassment, Fish's mother asks for a divorce; Elaine has high hopes when she tries out for a role in "A Chorus Line"; Fish finds himself increasingly drawn to Liza.

18. Another One Bites The Dust

April 29, 2002

When Fish's father is sued for sexual harassment, Fish's mother asks for a divorce; Elaine has high hopes when she tries out for a role in A Chorus Line; Fish finds himself increasingly drawn to Liza.

17. Tom Dooley

April 22, 2002

Ally represents Victor when he's sued by an ex-girlfriend, and is appalled to discover that Victor created a painting of her... complete with cellulite; Wilson plays dirty when a client's ex-girlfriend threatens to go public with a videotape of their lovemaking; with Claire's assistance, Fish makes advances on Liza.

16. Love Is All Around

April 15, 2002

Ally grows nervous when her third date with Victor approaches; Cage meets his match -- a tiny, beautiful, and masterfully manipulative attorney nicknamed "Lolita"; the attorneys attempt to arrange a pre-nuptial when Claire suddenly announces that she's getting married.

15. Heart and Soul

March 4, 2002

Ally does a lot of soul searching after she asks Victor out on a date; Fish, Raymond, and Claire represent a woman seeking a heart transplant from her father -- who is serving time for killing the woman's mother.

14. Homecoming

February 25, 2002

Ally decides to have a DNA test performed to determine if Maddie is her daughter; a woman suffering from dementia mistakes Victor for her lover; Claire arranges a meeting between Fish and his first love.

13. Woman

February 18, 2002

Ally fires two of the firm's employees; Fish defends Claire Otoms when she's accused of sexually harassing co-workers; Nelle and Ling lip-synch a song at the bar; Maddie throws a slumber party for her friends.

12. The New Day

February 11, 2002

Fish offers to make Ally a partner; a woman with AIDS sues after she's fired from a law firm; Ally adjusts to the responsibilities that come with parenthood.

11. A Kick in the Head

February 4, 2002

A little girl claims she is Ally's daughter; Fish and Cage take on their first murder trial, defending a man accused of kicking his wife in the head.

10. One Hundred Tears

January 21, 2002

Ally aids a man determined to make a lifelong dream come true by flying across a river using a pair of wings; a matchmaker sets up Elaine and Fish on dates.

9. Blowin' in the Wind

January 14, 2002

Ally falls in love with a dumpy house being renovated by construction worker Victor Morrison; a woman sues after her adoring ex-husband goes bankrupt by lavishing her with gifts; Jenny's chiropractor's chair proves sexually fulfilling.

8. Playing with Matches

January 7, 2002

Frances' fiance hits on Ally; Kimmy takes a matchmaker to court after she spends a great deal of money and fails to find a man; Ally encounters the ghost of a young boy.

7. Nine One One

December 10, 2001

As Christmas approaches: a minister loses his job because he no longer believes in God; a town mayor cancels Christmas celebrations; a woman sues for sexual harassment after a man kisses her under mistletoe during a party.

6. Lost and Found

December 3, 2001

Ally, Glenn, Raymond, and Jenny go out on a double date; Cage returns to the office after his mysterious disappearance only to learn that Fish accessed his "hole" during his absence; a fifty-six-year-old man asks Fish to overturn a judge's ruling that forbids the love of his life from marrying him because she scammed older men; Ling poses nude for a photo shoot.

5. I Want Love

November 26, 2001

Jenny's mother, who is marrying a 22-year-old man, sues her former employers for sexual harassment; Elton John sings at the bar.

4. Fear of Flirting

November 19, 2001

Jenny represents Raymond in a sexual harassment case; complications arise when Raymond expresses an interest in dating Jenny and Glenn expresses an interest in dating Ally; Fish moves into the hole behind Cage's toilet when Cage mysteriously disappears.

3. Neutral Corners

November 12, 2001

The attorneys develop a novel approach to gain leverage against the telephone companies; Cage expresses his feelings for Ally.

2. Judge Ling

November 5, 2001

Ally and Jenny are shocked to discover that the name plaintiff in the telephone company solicitation case is a man in drag; Ling becomes a judge in small claims court; Coretta convinces Cage to have a make-over.

1. Friends and Lovers

October 29, 2001

The firm hires attorneys Jenny Shaw and Glenn Foy; Shaw sues all the telephone companies for making annoying solicitation calls; Cage believes Ally loves him.

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