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Ally McBeal is an American legal comedy drama television series created by David E. Kelley and produced by David E. Kelley Productions and 20th Century Fox for Fox. David E. Kelley and Bill D'Elia were executive producers. The series revolves around Calista Flockhart in the title role as a lawyer working in the Boston law firm Cage and Fish. Although ostensibly a legal drama, the main focus of the series is the romantic and personal lives of the main characters. The show originally aired on Fox from September 8, 1997, to May 20, 2002. The series received critical acclaim in its early seasons, winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 1998 and 1999, and also winning the Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 1999. The series was cancelled by Fox after five seasons. Potential revivals of the show have been reported twice. In March 2021, it was reported that a revival as a limited series was in early development by 20th Television with Flockhart possibly returning. In August 2022, it was reported that ABC was in early development of a sequel series and had approached Flockhart to reprise her role and executive-produce. However, regardless of the report, neither project has eventuated yet. Overview Allison Marie "Ally" McBeal begins working at the Boston law firm Cage & Fish, co-owned by her law school classmate Richard Fish (Greg Germann). She left her previous firm due to sexual harassment. On her first day, Ally is dismayed to discover that she will be working alongside her ex-boyfriend Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows)—whom she has never gotten over. Even worse, Billy is now married to fellow lawyer Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith), who later joins Cage & Fish. The triangle among the three forms the basis for the main plot for the show's first three seasons. Although ostensibly a legal drama, the main focus of the series is the romantic and personal lives of the main characters, often using legal proceedings as plot devices to contrast or reinforce a character's drama. For example, bitter divorce litigation of a client might provide a backdrop for Ally's decision to break up with a boyfriend. Legal arguments were also frequently used to explore multiple sides of various social issues. Cage & Fish (which becomes Cage/Fish & McBeal; Cage, Fish, & Associates towards the end of the series), the law firm where most of the characters work, is depicted as a highly sexualized environment symbolized by its unisex restroom. Lawyers and secretaries in the firm routinely date, flirt with, or have a romantic history with one another and frequently run into former or potential romantic interests in the courtroom or on the street outside. The series had many offbeat and frequently surreal running gags and themes, such as Ally's tendency to immediately fall over whenever she met somebody she found attractive, Richard Fish's wattle fetish and humorous mottos ("Fishisms" & "Bygones"), John's gymnastic dismounts out of the office's unisex bathroom stalls, or the dancing twins (played by Eric & Steve Cohen) at a frequented bar. The show uses vivid, dramatic fantasy sequences for Ally's and other characters' wishful thinking; of particular note is the early internet sensation the dancing baby. The series also featured regular visits to a local bar where singer Vonda Shepard regularly performed (though occasionally handing over the microphone to the characters). Star contemporary singers also performed in the bar at the end of the shows, including acts such as Mariah Carey, Barry White and Anastacia. The series also took place in the same continuity as David E. Kelley's legal drama The Practice (which aired on ABC), as the two shows crossed over with one another on occasion, a rare occurrence for two shows that aired on different networks. Ultimately, in the last installment of the fifth and final season, "Bygones", Ally decides to resign from Cage & Fish and relocate in New York City. Cancellation Fox canceled Ally McBeal after five seasons. In addition to being the lowest-rated season of Ally McBeal and the grounds for the show's cancellation, the fifth season was also the only season of the show that failed to win any Emmy or Golden Globe awards. Cast Recurring Dyan Cannon as Jennifer "Whipper" Cone (Seasons 1–3) Phil Leeds as Judge Dennis "Happy" Boyle (Seasons 1–2) Jennifer Holliday as Lisa Knowles (Seasons 1–4) Harrison Page as Reverend Mark Newman (Seasons 1–4) Lee Wilkof as Districk Attorney Nixon (Seasons 1–2, 5) Jesse L. Martin as Dr. Greg Butters (Seasons 1–2) Tracey Ullman as Dr. Tracey Clarke (Seasons 1–3) Albert Hall as Judge Seymore Walsh (Seasons 1–5) Gerry Becker as Attorney Myron Stone (Seasons 2–4) Amy Castle as Young Ally (Seasons 2–3) Gina Philips as Sandy Hingle (Season 3) Tim Dutton as Brian Selig (Seasons 3–4) Lisa Edelstein as Cindy McCauliff (Season 4) Christopher Neiman as Attorney Barry Mathers (Seasons 4–5) Jami Gertz as Kimmy Bishop (Seasons 4–5) John Michael Higgins as Steven Milter (Seasons 4–5) Anne Heche as Melanie West (Season 4) Taye Diggs as Jackson Duper (Season 4) Barry Humphries as Claire Otoms (Season 5) Jon Bon Jovi as Victor Morrison (Season 5) Christina Ricci as Liza Bump (Season 5) Bobby Cannavale as Wilson Jade (Season 5) Guest appearances Ally McBeal has featured several guest appearances, including Richard Riehle, Willie Garson, Jon Hamm, Kate Jackson, Kathy Baker, Rusty Schwimmer, Nancy Stephens, Dylan McDermott, Dina Meyer, Miriam Flynn, Eric McCormack, John Ritter, Jessica Harper, Rob Schneider, Justin Theroux, Lara Flynn Boyle, Bruce Willis, Anna Nicole Smith, Joyce Brothers, Rosie O'Donnell, Jennifer Rhodes, Holland Taylor, Paul Bartel, Gladys Knight, Dee Wallace, Betty White, Farrah Fawcett, Mark Feuerstein, Rosemary Forsyth, Tina Turner, Loretta Devine, Gloria Gaynor, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Macy Gray, Dakota Fanning, Randy Newman, Michael Weatherly, Marcia Cross, Florence Henderson, Michael Vartan, Famke Janssen, Anne Haney, Alexander Gould, Richard Jenkins, Jean Louisa Kelly, Chayanne, Chubby Checker, Brenda Strong, Kelly Lynch, Rhea Perlman, Wallace Shawn, Anastacia, Bernadette Peters, Ann Cusack, Leslie Jordan, Paul Reubens, Sting, Christine Lahti, Ryan Hansen, Roma Maffia, Jacqueline Bisset, Elton John, Tom Berenger, Mariah Carey, French Stewart, Julia Campbell, Jane Sibbett, Matthew Perry, Heather Locklear, Vanessa Williams and Carl Reiner. Episodes In Australia, Ally McBeal was aired by the Seven Network from 1997 to 2002. In 2010, it was aired repeatedly by Network 10. Crossovers with The Practice Seymore Walsh, a stern judge often exasperated by the eccentricities of the Cage & Fish lawyers and played by actor Albert Hall, was also a recurring character on The Practice. In addition, Judge Jennifer (Whipper) Cone appears on The Practice episode "Line of Duty" (S02 E15), while Judge Roberta Kittelson, a recurring character on The Pra.... Discover the Ally Thomas popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Ally Thomas books.