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Spoilers (4)
The show often contains dialog that "breaks the fourth wall" or lets the audience believe they know it's a TV show. At the end of episode "Squid Pro Quo", Denny ends the episode by saying, "I can't wait until next week." Alan Shore also notes that the show used to be on Mondays, and one time mentioned to Denny that "I've hardly seen you this episode." Melissa, Alan's assistant, once warns him against falling for a woman, citing, "She's only a guest-star". There is even a case where television programs are discussed. Mentioning that : "The only decent show is Boston..., oh, I can't say that. I'll break the fourth wall". While looking in the camera.
James Spader (Alan Shore) and William Shatner (Denny Crane) are the only actors in all 101 episodes of the series.
Nearly all episodes (except "Spring Fever" and several others in the first season) end with Denny and Alan sitting in the balcony, having a drink and smoking a cigar and discussing the events in the episode.
David E. Kelley gave away the rights to the American adaptation of Life on Mars after making a failed pilot in exchange for a final season of this show, with the minimum of episodes necessary for Boston Legal to achieve syndication.
Cast member James Spader was actually born in Boston.
Regular cast members William Shatner Rene Auberjonois, and John Larroquette have all appeared in the Star Trek franchise. A number of other former Star Trek cast members have guest-starred in the show: Armin Shimerman, Jeri Ryan, Ethan Phillips, Michelle Forbes, Scott Bakula, and Lee Duncan. Lesser 'speaking' roles were held by Ellen Bry, David Clennon, Michael Wiseman, Ron Ostrow, Alan Ruck and Lawrence Pressman.
In one episode Catherine Piper (Betty White) delivers cookies to a staff briefing and says to Paul Lewiston (Rene Auberjonois) "My what an interesting face." This is likely a nod to Auberjonois' role on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) as Constable Odo; a shapeshifter who was never completely able to copy a human face and thus always had a unique flat-looking face.
The series was initially advertised as being titled "Fleet Street". These advertisements were seen during commercial breaks for "The Practice" which had several episodes that acted as a sort of pilot for the new series.
The ringtone of Catherine Piper (Betty White) is the opening theme of David E. Kelly's other show "The Practice" which is a prequel of this show.
The list of actors that held 'lesser' roles on a production of the Star Trek franchise at one time or another includes Bill Blair, Tom Knickerbocker, Lorna Raver, Mark Moses, Kelly Connell, Gregory Itzin, and Dennis Cockrum.
Multiple actors from every Star Trek generation and TV series star on the show, but only a single one from the 'Enterprise' prequel series - Scott Bakula.
Despite being a senior partner at the firm, Paul Lewiston (Rene Auberjonois) is rarely seen in a courtroom and even less often has dialog when seen there.
Before becoming a regular cast member, Rene Auberjonois guest-starred in most episodes of the first half of Season One.
Spoilers
Denny Crane has never lost a trial. According to the Season One episode "From Whence We Came", he has won six thousand and forty three trials (and lost zero) in forty five years.
At the end of season two Denny Crane has shot 4 people.(1) The man who threatened to kill Alan, because he helped his ex-wife not to have their children kidnapped by him,(2) the rapist, who killed a girl,(3) the homeless man, who threw a rock at him and (4) his therapist. Actually He shot his therapist twice, once in a session when he threatened to kill him and once in the courtroom when he was again threatening to kill him.
