The New Day

Guest Stars:
Hayden Panettiere as Maddie
Jon Bon Jovi as Victor Morrison
Julia Campbell as Kelly
Albert Hall as Judge Seymore Walsh
John Aylward as Cobb
Nancy Lenehan as Principal
Lily Knight as Mrs. Nichols
Brandon Michael DePaul as Jackson
Earl K. Kim as Foreman
Sy Smith as a singer
Vatrena King as a singer
Renee Goldsberry as a singer

Synopsis:

Thank heaven for little girls! Vonda has reason to sing that very literally in this episode.

We begin with the not so standard case of the day (no sexual harassment, a minor miracle). Coretta’s client Kelly was fired because her dying from AIDS would make her less effective long term. Her boss Mr. Cobb (Raymond’s client) amended that by saying that due to two deaths on Sept. 11 the firm just couldn’t take any more loss, secretly he was still too grief stricken after losing his own son to the disease. Kelly was awarded $360, 000.

Most episodes now allude to Sept. 11, does that add to the reality of the show or does it simply make for uncomfortable viewing that could never come close to the true gravity of that day?

On a lighter note, we got some hint as to how Glenn and Ally’s freckled twin may be exiting. Nothing flashy, it’s just that Ally is now not only a new mom but a competent partner, apparently a new concept given that Richard used to pay everyone’s salary out of pocket and departing John (he’ll come back for big cases) didn’t take any cash at all. Nelle was the only objection to the rechristening of the firm to Fish and McBeal, though there might be a couple more after Ms. McBeal starts handing out pink slips.

Weren’t the inner workings of the firm far more interesting than the usual goofiness?

Okay so Ally woke up to the Leave It To Beaver theme song which yes is kind of goofy but it’s warranted since she’s a new mom and this is just really likeable stuff. She and Maddie are bickering at a caliber that would make Moonlighting envious while Ally is so determined to be perfect that it’s surprising she hasn’t brought in Dr. Phil (though please Mr. Kelley resist the temptation.) In other words the McBeal house is not all sicky perfect Gilmore land.

Shouldn’t they just drop the formality and give Hayden a supporting Emmy right now?

Maddie meanwhile thought she made friends at her new school but when they didn’t show up for a play date her mom told her to draw nude men in their notebooks and then tattle. Sage Victor pointed out what really bad advice that was (it’s a good thing he doesn’t know about the penguin) so the lawyer fired him, only to hire him and then fire him again, and now he’s the babysitter all cause he lied about enjoying Moulin Rouge. The Kidman flick is a litmus test in Ally’s wacky little world. But really, secret chef Victor could have enjoyed the Phantom Menace and still be worthy.

In closing, as Maddie said, it’s high time Ally was all over Victor like a blanket.