Ally McBeal (1997)

Plot Summary

Ally McBeal and Billy Thomas were going steady throughout their childhoods. Ally even followed Billy to Harvard law school despite having no interest in law. But when Billy chose to pursue a career in law away from Ally, their relationship came to an end. In the present, an old classmate of Ally's named Richard Fish gives Ally a job at his law firm, where Billy and his new wife are also working. This puts Ally in a predicament since she still has feelings for Billy which she's laboring to get over. At the office, Ally puts up with a nosy, gossiping secretary named Elaine, and an oddball lawyer named John Cage never seems to lose a case. At home, Ally's friend and house-mate Renée regularly advises her on her love life. The series follows Ally's trials and tribulations in life through her eyes, and caricaturizes her personal thoughts and fantasies.

Release Date

Also Known As (A.K.A.)

Certification

Sensitive content guide

Awards

Primetime Emmy Awards (2002)

Primetime Emmy 2002

Nominated

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series

Billy Dickson

Golden Globes, USA (2002)

Golden Globe 2002

Nominated

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical

Golden Globes, USA (2001)

Golden Globe 2001

Nominated

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical

Primetime Emmy Awards (2001)

Primetime Emmy 2001

Nominated

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single Camera Series

Billy Dickson

Primetime Emmy 2001

Winner

Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series

Nikki Valko Ken Miller

Primetime Emmy Awards (2000)

Primetime Emmy 2000

Nominated

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Bill D'Elia

Primetime Emmy 2000

Winner

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special

Paul Lewis Nello Torri Peter Kelsey

Golden Globes, USA (2000)

Golden Globe 2000

Nominated

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical

Golden Globes, USA (1999)

Golden Globe 1999

Winner

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical

Primetime Emmy Awards (1999)

Primetime Emmy 1999

Winner

Outstanding Comedy Series

David E. Kelley Jeffrey Kramer Jonathan Pontell Mike Listo Steve Robin Pamela J. Wisne

Primetime Emmy 1999

Winner

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special

Paul Lewis Peter Kelsey Nello Torri

Primetime Emmy 1999

Nominated

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

David E. Kelley

Primetime Emmy 1999

Nominated

Outstanding Art Direction for a Series

Peter Politanoff Diane O'Connell

Primetime Emmy 1999

Nominated

Outstanding Costume Design for a Series

Rachael Stanley

Primetime Emmy 1999

Nominated

Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series

Philip Carr Neel

Primetime Emmy 1999

Nominated

Outstanding Casting for a Series

Jeanie Bacharach Sharon Jetton

Primetime Emmy 1999

Nominated

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Arlene Sanford

Golden Globes, USA (1998)

Golden Globe 1998

Winner

Best Television Series - Comedy or Musical

Primetime Emmy Awards (1998)

Primetime Emmy 1998

Winner

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy Series or a Special

Paul Lewis Nello Torri Kurt Kassulke Peter Kelsey

Primetime Emmy 1998

Nominated

Outstanding Costuming for a Series

Loree Parral Shelly Levine Michelle Roth

Primetime Emmy 1998

Nominated

Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Series

Thomas R. Moore

Primetime Emmy 1998

Nominated

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

James Frawley

Primetime Emmy 1998

Nominated

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

David E. Kelley

Primetime Emmy 1998

Nominated

Outstanding Casting for a Series

Jeanie Bacharach Sharon Jetton

Primetime Emmy 1998

Nominated

Outstanding Art Direction for a Series

Peter Politanoff Diane O'Connell

Primetime Emmy 1998

Nominated

Outstanding Comedy Series

David E. Kelley Jeffrey Kramer Jonathan Pontell Mike Listo Steve Robin Pamela J. Wisne

Primetime Emmy 1998

Nominated

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Allan Arkush