Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Salmon Days

If you're a Boston Legal fan like me you will appreciate this. Alan Shore, played by James Spader, has hilariously taken up the very real cause against farm-raised salmon. Well, there is a real-life lawsuit in Wisconsin involving farm-raised salmon and Wal-Mart. Alan Shore should be in Madison.

Attorney Shore's research on the subject a few episodes ago led to one of the most classic, even if brief, exchanges I've ever seen on television. It involved Spader's Allen Shore character and co-star William Shatner's iconic Denny Crane:
While basking on the resort's deck Alan and Denny met another lawyer who told them he was going to Port McNeill to fight against another fish farm license.

"I came out here to enjoy nature, don't talk to me about the environment," said Denny to the lawyer.

Later that night Alan enjoyed some bedtime reading about the fish-farm generated sea lice that many claim is causing the deaths of the wild salmon. "They call them cling-ons." he told Denny.

"Did you say...Klingons," said Denny, as Shatner took an extra few seconds to savor in the Star Trek reference.

Shatner's timing was impeccable in that scene.

By the way, Shatner's role in this show is the best of his career. That's not a very high bar I'm setting, I know, but it truly is great.

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