Boston Legal: Son of The Defender - TV Squad:
This is why television was invented. I hardly know where to begin.
..For those of you who foolishly didn't watch, the biggest deal in tonight's episode was that actual footage of a very young William Shatner is used for a series of flashbacks. ..In my expert opinion, this episode is the shining example of why Shatner is a great actor. Sure, he's become a caricature of Captain Kirk as well as himself, but there was a time when he was so damn engaging that you had to watch him when he was on the screen. Whenever my favorite Twilight Zone episode is on (Nick of Time with the devil head, not Nightmare at 20,000 Feet with the gremlin) I watch with bated breath. Shatner is the epitome of television acting. In the early days of live TV, he was one of the few actors who could utilize what he learned in the theater and make it work on the small screen.
I must admit that I was really caught off guard by how much of Denny Crane's character was revealed by the flashbacks. It was much more than a great gimmick. Watching those scenes, we all got to see what made Denny the lawyer he became and the enormous price he paid for it.

-This episode gave me goosebumps, especially the first time they went to a flashback and I suddenly realized it really *was* William Shatner. It was just incredible. I'm still stunned that they managed to so seamlessly pull it all off.


Boston Legal - TWoP Forums p308 :
-Wow, tonight (4/3/07) was probably the best Boston Legal episode ever. Love the way they were able to weave footage from a TV show Shatner did fifty years ago, and tie it into a storyline from today. The idea of using old footage for flashbacks was nothing but brilliant.
-Boston Legal is THE best show on TV. Bar none. This episode was awesome. Just absolutely awesome. Does anyone know where the clips of the old show came from???? The way they weaved that into the story line. Brilliant.
-Found the link to Shatner's old footage. Studio One: The Defender
[A young criminal attorney and his firm-owning father defend a 19 year-old on trial for a murder that he swears he did not commit. Personal conflicts arise with the attorney and his father while the prosecution puts on a dramatic and convincing argument of guilt.]
Holy smoke - Steve McQueen played the original Joe Gordon! why Holy smoke?
[ Steve McQueen - Wikipedia: Steve McQueen (March 24, 1930 – November 7, 1980) was an American movie actor, nicknamed 'The King of Cool'. He was one of the biggest box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s due to a popular 'anti-hero' persona.]
-The show they used clips from was Studio One. It was a two part episode from 1957 called "The Defender." Ralph Bellamy was Shatner's dad and Steve McQueen was the young man they were defending. And yes, I totally looked it up during the episode as soon as I recognized Ralph Bellamy. Shatner was about 26 in those clips. Excellent episode. I too think it's the best one I've watched. wow I should have paid attention. did not see the end with Denny & Alan talking about their fathers' disapproval...
-This was an Emmy worthy episode
-Goosebumps! Shivers going up and down my spine. What an absolutely brilliant episode.

p.309
-That was my all-time favorite BL episode. my goodness. What a terrific use of that old TV footage --- I wonder whose idea that was?
-I can imagine how the idea came up:
Shat: Well there was this obscure show back when I was twenty-something where I played a young attorney... didn't get popular or anything, but...
Kelsters: SAY NO MORE. We'll buy the rights and I'll write a script around it. Next week okay?

-This was a really great episode and so touching on many levels. Every time they would cut from Denny to the early footage of WS, it just got me every time on a visceral level and I really am not sure why. The emotions from Denny present to Denny past were just seamless and spot on. Really brilliant. The way Shatner played it it just all seemed real to me even though I knew full well it wasn't. And seeing WS so young really got to me too. And Denny was remarkably lucid this episode still I loved his "I'm not good with remotes". The ending was perfect. Alan's "I'm proud of you" and Denny's choking back a tear. Kudos to everyone in this ep, but especially JS and WS, and surprisingly for me, the best I've ever seen WS. Just really wonderful.

-I agree with everyone. I think it was the best BL I have seen. ...I wondered how they could possibly do a balcony scene after all this, but they did, and a particularly great one too.
-I'd forgotten just how handsome Shatner was in his youth. What a face!
-Brilliant. Just brilliant. Can we give William Shatner an award for just being a national treasure? When the first shot of a young and yes, HOT Shatner appreared, I teared up. His last scene with the son, when he quietly asked him not to harm any one else, was just amazing.And the balcony scene was superb. Television doesn't deserve Boston Legal. Thankfully, we still have it for another year.