Boston Legal is one of my favorite legal dramas. The story takes place in my favorite city, Boston. It tells about all kinds of bizarre cases in this top-level firm. Comedy to the left, white left, it is estimated that it is a TV drama funded by the Democratic Party. Lawyers are the top 2 earning professions in the United States, and this play shows the language and thoughts of the middle class. The closing argument in each episode is particularly brilliant, and it is also the most attentive part of the screenwriters. Not only is the language rigorous and logical, but more importantly, as a speech to persuade a jury or a judge, it contains a lot of provocative speech and psychological techniques. By learning and reading these passages aloud, it is helpful to practice oral English, and at the same time, it can strengthen the understanding of American culture.
The interesting thing about E01 Head Cases
is that in the first episode of the first season, although a total of two cases were described, none of them went to the closing arguments, but there were still some good sentences and good paragraphs. The following is from the case of Alan Shore, a young black daughter who was not selected for the musical "Annie" because of her race. A wonderful speech from a black Reverend Al Sharpton:
I heard about this matter. I would like to address this court on what I consider. I have standing as American citizen speaking up on a civil rights violation. I have standing as Bobby Kennedy had standing on the steps of the courthouse in Alabama. You may think this is a small matter. But this is no small matter. This child is being denied the right to play an American icon because she doesn't match the description. Those descriptions were crafted 50 years age! We're supposed to be in a different day! You talk about racial equality, how we're making progress. The problem with that progress is it's always a day away. Tomorrow, tomorrow—you love that!—because it's always a day away. I'm here to stick out my chin today! Today! Give us an African-American Spider Man!Give us a black that can run faster than a speeding bullet and leap over tall buildings in a single bound! Not tomorrow—today! Today! The sun needs to come out today! Not tomorrow, you Honor! God Almighty! Give the American people a black Orphan Annie. It's just not good enough to say she doesn't look the part.
E02 Still Crazy After All These Years
The two main cases in this episode are weak, mainly reflecting the drama part of "Crazy" in Title, and Danny Crane's midlife crisis. As the invincible king, Danny Crane won motion with his sophistication, which is a powerful psychological analysis and contagious speech skills. Here's how he would convince the judge:
This is pretty powerful stuff. I can see Mr. Ripley's a very powerful man. And that's a big thing with lawyers, isn't it? Power. Fear of feeling weak. I've seen it before. Attorneys coming up against Denny Crane . They jump and stomp and shake their fists and bellow with impassioned rage. It makes quite a demonstration, doesn't it? When you cut through the merits, this lady has alleged in her complaint loss of consortium. Legal terms meaning sex and affection . And if she's enjoying sex and affection, it's relevant. It's a mitigating factor. I'm entitled to explore it. Mr. Ripley may not like it, but it's legitimate. And I may add, that I conducted my probe in the relative privacy of a closed conference room. Mr. Powerful Man made it much more public with his impassioned chest-thumping in a courtroom. Go ahead and pound the table.I'll tell you what I object to. We have an offer on the table you so love to pound. An offer I can't discuss because the settlement talks have been sealed. Suffice it to say it's on the high side, the extreme high side, considering the fact that liability is not certain. Mr. Lansing had a preexisting heart condition. But instead of taking the offer, powerful guys like Mr. Ripley want to go to trial. Why? Because I'm the opponent. It's a coup to beat the big guy. Well, what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr. Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose, in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.We have an offer on the table you so love to pound. An offer I can't discuss because the settlement talks have been sealed. Suffice it to say it's on the high side, the extreme high side, considering the fact that liability is not certain. Mr. Lansing had a preexisting heart condition. But instead of taking the offer, powerful guys like Mr. Ripley want to go to trial. Why? Because I'm the opponent. It's a coup to beat the big guy. Well, what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr. Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose , in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.We have an offer on the table you so love to pound. An offer I can't discuss because the settlement talks have been sealed. Suffice it to say it's on the high side, the extreme high side, considering the fact that liability is not certain. Mr. Lansing had a preexisting heart condition. But instead of taking the offer, powerful guys like Mr. Ripley want to go to trial. Why? Because I'm the opponent. It's a coup to beat the big guy. Well, what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr. Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose , in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.An offer I can't discuss because the settlement talks have been sealed. Suffice it to say it's on the high side, the extreme high side, considering the fact that liability is not certain. Mr. Lansing had a preexisting heart condition. But instead of taking the offer, powerful guys like Mr. Ripley want to go to trial. Why? Because I'm the opponent. It's a coup to beat the big guy. Well, what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr . Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose, in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.An offer I can't discuss because the settlement talks have been sealed. Suffice it to say it's on the high side, the extreme high side, considering the fact that liability is not certain. Mr. Lansing had a preexisting heart condition. But instead of taking the offer, powerful guys like Mr. Ripley want to go to trial. Why? Because I'm the opponent. It's a coup to beat the big guy. Well, what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr . Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose, in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.Considering the fact that liability is not certain. Mr. Lansing had a preexisting heart condition. But instead of taking the offer, powerful guys like Mr. Ripley want to go to trial. Why? I'm the opponent. It's a coup to beat the big guy. Well, what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr. Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose, in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.Considering the fact that liability is not certain. Mr. Lansing had a preexisting heart condition. But instead of taking the offer, powerful guys like Mr. Ripley want to go to trial. Why? I'm the opponent. It's a coup to beat the big guy. Well, what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr. Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose, in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr. Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose , in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.what if you don't? You demean the profession, Mr. Powerful Guy. You're using your client to get a notch. You're making Carrie Lansing go through the ordeal of a trial for your own ego. Atrial you may lose , in which case she gets nothing. But if you're loud enough, forceful enough and strong enough, she me never realize that you blew it.
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