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A Season Without David E. Kelley?? NBC Kiboshes LEGALLY MAD!!

Published at:  May 12, 2009 12:59:56 AM CDT

I am – Hercules!!




The end of an era is upon us!

For the first time since the 1980s, we are headed into a TV season without a show created by primetime broadcast icon David E. Kelley.

The creator of “Boston Legal,” “The Practice,” “Ally McBeal,” “Chicago Hope,” and “Picket Fences” has learned that NBC will not be taking his poorly titled “Legally Mad” pilot to series.

“Mad” was a dramedy hourlong about a lawyer girl who joins her dad’s legal firm. Kristen Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”) was going to star.

Kelley began his TV career as a writer-producer on Stephen Bochco’s “L.A. Law” way back in 1986. He and Bochco co-created “Doogie Howser, M.D.” in 1989, and there’s been at least one Kelley-created series airing every season in the two decades since.

Kelley’s last remaining series, ABC's “Boston Legal,” aired its last installment Dec. 8, closing out five seasons.

Read all of Variety’s story on the matter here.


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    Readers Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 12:58:29 AM CDT

    Frosty

    by nappark

  • May 12, 2009 12:58:34 AM CDT

    Frosty

    by nappark

  • May 12, 2009 12:59:32 AM CDT

    I mean, DENNY CRANE

    by nappark

  • May 12, 2009 1:07:03 AM CDT

    Sick of shows about doctors and lawyers and cops.

    by rev. slappy

    Am I alone in this?

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 1:18:00 AM CDT

    Good news; Kelley is past it

    by bravogolfhotel

    Another show about the seriocomic adventures of a group of Brilliant But Unconventional Lawyers? Oy gevalt. Kelley's actually pretty talented; here's hoping he takes the setback as an indication that he needs to come up with something slightly fresher.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 1:24:05 AM CDT

    If we never have another lawyer show...

    by fiester

    I would be so damned happy.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 2:12:18 AM CDT

    capitol B to the capitol S

    by skaul80

    boston legal is one of my all time favorite shows. overall, i enjoy his other shows. i can only assume that his next show would be somewhat on par.
    i'd even settle for a subpar BL.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 2:12:57 AM CDT

    Boo fucking hoo- there's a fucking Depression happening

    by rubiks doob

    Get a day job asshole...

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 2:35:10 AM CDT

    Two Words...

    by themarinebiologist

    Denny... Crane...

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 3:07:08 AM CDT

    Legally Dinosaur

    by aloy

    Now that would have had a chance.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 3:34:06 AM CDT

    jere's a great title for a legality-based series

    by ciroslive

    BARELY LEGAL.

    You're welcome, network TV!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 3:49:38 AM CDT

    This is good for Chuck

    by bramton1

    Suppposedly, Legally Mad had a $2 million penalty attached if NBC didn't pick it up. Since it's a WB show, just like Chuck, NBC wanted to tie a renewal of Chuck into waiving the penalty. Wonder if it worked...

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 4:11:50 AM CDT

    What?

    by the mcpoyle clan

    No more stale shows about quirky professionals on TV? Unthinkable.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 4:46:06 AM CDT

    Wasn't he behind Life On Mars remake?

    by v'shael

    Wasn't there some deal where they HAD to make a 5th season of Boston Legal, in order to get him to do Life On Mars?

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 5:15:10 AM CDT

    No more James Spader winning Emmy's he doesn't deserve?

    by nalapou

    Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 6:27:56 AM CDT

    Speaking of being dragged into the 21st century ...

    by voldemortwearsprada

    ... when is Variety going to give up on its skein/laffer/perf etc etc BS? It might be a Depression, but it's not 1931 people.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 6:46:42 AM CDT

    Thanks Jay Leno...

    by deafpoet

    Enjoy your five fucking hours of prime time, you fucking hack.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 6:54:30 AM CDT

    One less show about lawyers is a good thing!

    by darthsynn

    Now if they could just do something about the cops and doctors.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 8:33:43 AM CDT

    Smell that shoe!

    by hebrokeaway

    The first season of Boston Public was terrific.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 9:01:38 AM CDT

    Good! More room for LOST AND FOUND?

    by jardinier

    Why haven't we heard anything about *that* pilot yet? I'm actually not all that interested in yet another cop show, but I watch CASTLE solely because of Filion, and I can fathom watching L&F solely because of Katee Sackhoff. I never really pegged her for a great actress before this year, but her work in the final episodes of BSG impressed me.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 9:31:42 AM CDT

    *yawn*

    by mockingbird girl

    More complaints about lawyer shows from people whose remote controls apparently don't work???

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 9:35:22 AM CDT

    Kristen Chenoweth..nice cans

    by mr_x_v2

    for a wee lass

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 10:42:08 AM CDT

    David E. Kelley is a hack

    by jor-el23

    How many f'ing legal dramas do you need?

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 11:52:32 AM CDT

    I like David and I really like Kristen however this is....

    by hollywoodhellraiser

    GOOD NEWS!!! Finally a good reason to celeb NBC being in last place!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 1:31:49 PM CDT

    KRISTEN, DARLIN', PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD...

    by shermdawg

    ...DON'T LET FULLER SWEET TALK YOU INTO A HEROES ROLE AS RESULT OF YOUR SHOW NOT HAPPENIN', YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR THAT CRAP!!!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 1:33:37 PM CDT

    God I miss Pushing Daisies.

    by shermdawg

  • May 12, 2009 2:20:53 PM CDT

    Katee Sackhoff's NBC cop drama was also kiboshed...

    by pennsydeux

    'Lost and Found', along with Lauren Graham's ABC pilot, The Bridget Show. Details here: http://tinyurl.com/pwjwem

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 2:33:32 PM CDT

    Pity.

    by jardinier

    Well, maybe she'll move on to bigger and better things.
    Have cancelled pilots ever been leaked online? Would have been interesting to see what the show was like.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 3:19:26 PM CDT

    whatever

    by simondark

    happened to that teachers show that was made by the scrubs people...that show was almost funny...

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 4:10:54 PM CDT

    HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD!

    by hellking

    Finally someone gets that David E. Kelley's shows are repetitive crap. How many times can we see the same weirdo lawyers doing their crazy antics? His shows are an example of a bunch of Hollywood yes men not telling David E. Kelley how horrible his shows are. I guess they all got fired from this global financial meltdown.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 5:51:53 PM CDT

    Kelley's gonna write a show about a show that's not picked up!

    by mrmysteryguest

  • May 12, 2009 6:50:19 PM CDT

    Party Down renewed! HELL TO THE FUCKING YEAH!

    by pennsydeux

    http://tinyurl.com/pb32gn. Congratulations to the cast and crew of one of TV's best shows you're not watching. :D

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 8:40:54 PM CDT

    take a season off, reflect, and come up with a new idea

    by johnnysunshine

    I've enjoyed some of Kelly's shows, but he's completely exhausted his one tv show idea. He shouldn't be sad - he had a great run, but it's time to come up with a new concept. Hell, it can even still be a dramedy, just set it somewhere else at least.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 12, 2009 8:55:50 PM CDT

    finally good NBC news

    by walrusholder

    now maybe they'll fire those two dumb asses on Law and Order, or better yet cancel that show, let it die with some dignity

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 13, 2009 2:52:29 AM CDT

    THANK GOD!!!

    by lockesbrokenleg

    This means no EW ass kissing, and no media hype about him leaving when the show goes sucky.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 13, 2009 3:04:32 AM CDT

    Jardinier : Pilots being leaked?

    by v'shael

    Sometimes, they make it out. I remember seeing the Global Frequency pilot with Michelle Forbes a few years ago. Quite true to the source material, and for my money, a damn good pilot. Shame it never got picked up. And then there was the Life On Mars pilot that leaked last year. If you haven't seen it, it was basically the same as the one that aired, except with some roles recast (e.g. Gene Hunt played by Colm Meany, who looked like he was trying to do an impersonation of Phil Glenister.)

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 13, 2009 6:26:47 AM CDT

    Poor Itty Bitty....

    by zardozap2005

    Now I can't oogle her cute rack each week. DAMN!

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 13, 2009 7:17:45 AM CDT

    I liked Boston Public

    by hatemphd

    and It didn't have lawyers in it.(kind) Too bad it got canceled.
    I stopped watching Boston Legal when it became a pure comedy between season 1 and 2. I wanted borderline-evil Spader from The Practice, not the over-the-top witty Spader from Legal

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 13, 2009 9:52:54 AM CDT

    Thank Fuck

    by cory849

    I used to be a big David E. Kelly fan but so sick of him now... Time for a break, DK.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 13, 2009 11:36:38 AM CDT

    I'm loving all this kiboshing.

    by kabong

    Kibosh some more.

    Reply to Talkback

  • May 14, 2009 9:54:21 AM CDT

    @V'Shael

    by jardinier

    I saw the LoM pilot. I always assumed it was leaked from a screener sent to critics, since ABC had already picked up the series and maybe wanted to build some critical buzz (à la "the concept is intriguing, but the execution fails; however, we've been told that that aspect is being reworked"). But if all there was for L&F were internal screenings, then there's no-one to leak the pilot.

    Reply to Talkback

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