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The Worst Episodes of Boston Legal

Every episode of Boston Legal ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Boston Legal!

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Alan Shore and Denny Crane lead a brigade of high-priced civil litigators in an upscale Boston law firm in a series focusing on the professional and personal lives of brilliant but often emotionally challenged attorneys.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 14 - Rescue Me
    7.2/10(344 votes)

    #1 - Rescue Me

    S4:E14

    Carl helps Shirley's friend Andrea when she blames a company for botching the process of turning her mother's ashes into a diamond; Whitney takes on a high school over a student's untimely death; Clarence represents a woman who's suing her pastor after he ended their affair; Denny and Alan prepare for their Coast Guard test.

    Director:Mike Listo
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  2. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 7 - Attack of the Xenophobes
    7.3/10(499 votes)

    #2 - Attack of the Xenophobes

    S4:E7

    Denny needs Alan's help after using an employee's weight as a reason for dismissal; Clarence is upset by an Internet posting of him as Clarice; Katie and Whitney work on a murder case involving racism and the police; and Jerry is anxious about taking a relationship to the next level.

    Director:John Terlesky
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  3. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 12 - Roe v. Wade, The Musical
    7.3/10(351 votes)

    #3 - Roe v. Wade, The Musical

    S4:E12

    Shirley and Alan face off in court when they're on opposite sides of a case involving stolen sperm; Jerry helps his objectophile ex-girlfriend when she loses her teaching job for inappropriate contact with a student.

    Director:Steve Robin
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  4. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 4 - Do Tell
    7.5/10(367 votes)

    #4 - Do Tell

    S4:E4

    Shirley answers the call when a military man, who is an old friend of Denny's, comes under fire for admitting he's gay; Alan endures another bout of incoherent speech; Katie helps a new associate with a bullfighter's custody battle.

    Director:Steve Robin
    Writers:David E. Kelley, Phoef Sutton

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  5. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 8 - Oral Contracts
    7.5/10(341 votes)

    #5 - Oral Contracts

    S4:E8

    Shirley takes part in a case involving a radio personality's dismissal for using disrespectful language; Denny needs Alan's help after getting arrested; Katie wonders if Lorraine is hiding something.

    Director:Mike Listo
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  6. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 18 - Indecent Proposals
    7.5/10(327 votes)

    #6 - Indecent Proposals

    S4:E18

    Denny is head over heels for a cattle rancher who wants the government to stop the sale of cloned meat. Meanwhile, Shirley asks Alan to sue the Democratic Party when her nephew--a delegate--disagrees with his state's primary vote.

    Director:Mike Listo
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  7. Boston Legal Season 5 Episode 9 - Kill, Baby, Kill
    7.5/10(300 votes)

    #7 - Kill, Baby, Kill

    S5:E9

    Carl and Denny go to Virginia to defend a prison guard who shot a death-row inmate when a lethal-injection execution was botched. Meanwhile, Alan and Shirley help a woman who says she lost her job after voting for John McCain.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Boston Legal Season 1 Episode 12 - From Whence We Came
    7.6/10(509 votes)

    #8 - From Whence We Came

    S1:E12

    Lori, along with Denny and Shirley, defends a school superintendent who fired two science teachers because they refused to teach creationism and is now being sued by them. Alan learns his assistant has expressed concern about their work relationship. While dealing with that issue, Alan discovers that his client Bernard Ferrion, who killed his mother, needs legal help again. One of the members of the firm is fired and learns that a close associate is not too keen on lending a supportive hand.

    Director:Mike Listo
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  9. Boston Legal Season 2 Episode 22 - Ivan the Incorrigible
    7.6/10(378 votes)

    #9 - Ivan the Incorrigible

    S2:E22

    Alan decides to help Jerry with his first big attempted-murder case, but has to take drastic action when Jerry's courtroom outbursts jeopardize the case. Meanwhile, Shirley is shocked to discover that Ivan has yet to inform Missy that they are "divorced," and Brad becomes uncomfortable with a reoccurring word in his new relationship.

    Director:Robert Yannetti
    Writers:Phoef Sutton, Andrew Kreisberg

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  10. Boston Legal Season 3 Episode 19 - Brotherly Love
    7.6/10(362 votes)

    #10 - Brotherly Love

    S3:E19

    Alan and Denny defend an unscrupulous lawyer accused of obstructing justice on behalf of his brother. Meanwhile, interoffice couples Brad and Denise and Claire and Clarence each deal with major relationship revelations; and Denny practices the positive-thinking philosophy known as "the secret" in order to wish Raquel Welch into his life.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  11. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 6 - The Object of My Affection
    7.6/10(365 votes)

    #11 - The Object of My Affection

    S4:E6

    Alan pushes a temporary-insanity defense when Patrice is accused of killing the man who murdered her daughter; Denny finds fault with an associate's physique; Jerry helps a kindred spirit find a personal treasure.

    Director:Eric Stoltz
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  12. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 9 - No Brains Left Behind
    7.6/10(344 votes)

    #12 - No Brains Left Behind

    S4:E9

    Shirley's granddaughter gets kicked out of school for making a social statement; Alan and Denny take matters into their own hands to help a flood victim; Carl makes an important decision about his future; Lorraine makes a shocking revelation to Shirley.

    Director:Stephen Cragg
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  13. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 13 - Glow in the Dark
    7.6/10(349 votes)

    #13 - Glow in the Dark

    S4:E13

    After enlisting Alan and Denny to help her friend, who's suing her town for its decision to build a nuclear power plant, Shirley discovers that the opposing counsel is her college sweetheart, a fact that is not lost on Carl Sack. Meanwhile, Leigh warns Katie to steer clear of her boyfriend, Jerry.

    Director:Vondie Curtis-Hall
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  14. Boston Legal Season 2 Episode 4 - A Whiff and a Prayer
    7.7/10(433 votes)

    #14 - A Whiff and a Prayer

    S2:E4

    Denny's strong conservative values are put to the test when the firm represents a Democratic congressman who refused to keep a promise to his supporters. Alan tries to forget about Tara as he prepares to defend Catherine who is on trial for murder. Meanwhile, Sara is given a bizarre ultimatum.

    Director:Bill D'Elia
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  15. Boston Legal Season 2 Episode 20 - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
    7.7/10(370 votes)

    #15 - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

    S2:E20

    Shirley defends a long-time client who doesn't want his Victorian erotica collection lost in his divorce, but she is shocked when Ivan is opposing council. Alan takes drastic steps to help Catherine's friend who is being taken advantage of in a nursing home. Meanwhile, Paul cuts back on his time at the firm when Fiona begins to take priority, causing worry among the other partners.

    Director:Ellie Kanner
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Boston Legal Season 3 Episode 21 - Tea and Sympathy
    7.7/10(351 votes)

    #16 - Tea and Sympathy

    S3:E21

    Denny lusts after Judge Weldon when Alan defends her in a drug case; a sorority girl's expulsion pits Clarence against Jerry; Brad expresses a desire for a military wedding, but it puts Denise in a fighting mood; and Shirley helps a former HIV patient hold on to his most-prized possession.

    Director:Jeff Bleckner
    Writer:Sanford Golden

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  17. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 3 - The Chicken and the Leg
    7.7/10(359 votes)

    #17 - The Chicken and the Leg

    S4:E3

    Denny believes a bet against Carl Sack in a cockfighting case is a sure thing; Alan and Lorraine represent an HIV-positive girl in a suit against her school; a widow hires Katie and Jerry after her husband commits suicide.

    Director:James R. Bagdonas
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  18. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 10 - Green Christmas
    7.7/10(328 votes)

    #18 - Green Christmas

    S4:E10

    Alan defends Clarence against a bank in a foreclosure case; a client challenges Denny's claims about the firm's commitment to the environment; concerned parents try to keep a teen from watching porn; Jerry's love life hits a rough patch; Carl weighs in on the fate of Lorraine's employment at Crane, Poole & Schmidt.

    Director:Lou Antonio
    Writers:Sanford Golden, David E. Kelley

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  19. Boston Legal Season 4 Episode 15 - Tabloid Nation
    7.7/10(326 votes)

    #19 - Tabloid Nation

    S4:E15

    Alan and Jerry go after a tabloid talk show when a women is murdered for turning down a marriage proposal on the air. Meanwhile, Denny hopes a dinner invitation from Shirley will rekindle their long-ago romance, and Lorraine advises Alan to seek help after he confesses a childhood transgression.

    Director:Bill D'Elia
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  20. Boston Legal Season 5 Episode 6 - Happy Trails
    7.7/10(327 votes)

    #20 - Happy Trails

    S5:E6

    Shirley defends the notorious Catherine Piper after she accidentally blows up her doctor. Meanwhile, Alan and Denny take a break from the office, but they are out of their element at a dude ranch in Utah.

    Director:Mike Listo
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Boston Legal Season 2 Episode 1 - The Black Widow
    7.8/10(514 votes)

    #21 - The Black Widow

    S2:E1

    Alan Shore and Brad Chase represent Kelly Nolan who is on trial for poisoning her husband. Meanwhile, Tara Wilson second-chairs for Shirley Schmidt and is shocked to find that the opposing counsel is her former lover, Malcolm Holmes. Garrett Wells and Sara Holt assist Denise Bauer on a case where a Jewish man felt violated when his Christian co-workers held Bible readings in the workplace. To make things worse, Denise is served with divorce papers.

    Director:Oz Scott
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  22. Boston Legal Season 2 Episode 25 - Squid Pro Quo
    7.8/10(398 votes)

    #22 - Squid Pro Quo

    S2:E25

    Denny once again goes head-to-head with his non-son, Donny, when he shows up in his new role as a Lawyers Without Borders representative. But Alan finds it difficult to support Denny's defense when Denny makes light of the case. Meanwhile, Marlene Stanger, known as "The Squid," is hired at the firm, and immediately attracts Alan and repels Denise.

    Director:James R. Bagdonas
    Writers:Lawrence Broch, Janet Leahy

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  23. Boston Legal Season 2 Episode 26 - Spring Fever
    7.8/10(384 votes)

    #23 - Spring Fever

    S2:E26

    Shirley once again helps Professor Cabot, whose research into human sexual behavior gets him into trouble when he's caught with a prostitute. Marlene and Denise continue their fight for the spot to become partner by trying to assist. Meanwhile, Denny takes Alan to LA when he pays a visit to the West Coast branch of Crane, Poole & Schmidt, but his motives become clear once Alan meets Barry Goal. And Brad is shocked to discover his niece is arrested for participating in a drug "pharming" party.

    Director:Mike Listo
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Boston Legal Season 5 Episode 1 - Smoke Signals
    7.8/10(361 votes)

    #24 - Smoke Signals

    S5:E1

    Alan answers a call for help from Bethany Horowitz in a suit against a tobacco giant, but he suffers a crisis of confidence when the opposing counsel turns out to be an old girlfriend. Meanwhile, Denny is plagued by a case of performance anxiety.

    Director:Bill D'Elia
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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  25. Boston Legal Season 5 Episode 8 - Roe
    7.8/10(321 votes)

    #25 - Roe

    S5:E8

    Alan and Shirley help a minor in a legal battle over her pregnancy, and Jerry takes up his own defense when he faces aggravated-assault charges after an encounter with a bully.

    Director:Bill D'Elia
    Writer:David E. Kelley

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Rescue Me" is the worst rated episode of "Boston Legal". It scored 7.2/10 based on 344 votes. Directed by Mike Listo and written by David E. Kelley, it aired on 2/19/2008. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Attack of the Xenophobes".