My Name is on the Door

Episode 17
First aired: 03.20.2005
Director: Matt Sharkman
Plot Summary:
Alan Shore travels to Texas with Chelina Hall to make a last ditch appeal for death row inmate Zeke Borns, a man with diminished mental capacity who was convicted of a crime he does not even remember committing. Meanwhile, Denny Crane and Shirley Schmidt defend Miriam Watson (guest star Shelley Long), a prim and proper businesswoman who is charged with engaging in sexual conduct for a fee, and Lori Colson, fed up with Denny's offensive behavior, approaches Schmidt and Lewiston to lodge an official complaint. Read more.

Episode 16
First aired: 03.13.2005
Director: Hubert De La Bouillerie
Plot Summary:
Multi-Emmy Award winner Carl Reiner guest-stars as Milton Bombay, a client of Schmidt and Crane, who is an old adversary and legal legend wishing to be frozen and stored in a cryonics institute. Meanwhile, Alan Shore and Chelina Hall represent a high school student who is seeking an injunction to reverse the policy of his principal, Steven Harper (Chi McBride, reprising his "Boston Public" role), who has banned a particular news network from school grounds on the basis that it is biased and incendiary. Read more.

Episode 15
First aired: 02.20.2005
Director: Jeff Bleckner
Plot Summary:
Denny Crane's son, Donny (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), is the opposing counsel in Denny's trial -- an obvious attempt to settle a score with Denny for letting him believe for 25 years that he was his father. Denny tries the case with Chelina Hall (Kerry Washington), an associate at the firm. Meanwhile, Shirley Schmidt recruits an extremely reluctant Alan Shore to defend a police officer accused of torture. And Shore's former client, Bernard Ferrion, is befriended by his secretary, Catherine Piper (Betty White), much to Shore's dismay. Read more.

Episode 14
First aired: 02.13.2005
Director: Bill D'Elia
Plot Summary:
Shirley Schmidt and Denny Crane represent a man whose steakhouse is being put out of business as the publicity-hungry mayor has pushed through an ordinance banning red meat for fear of Mad Cow disease, and in the process of trying the case, Crane wins over Schmidt's respect as an attorney. Meanwhile, what begins as an evening out for Alan Shore and Tara Wilson ends in a barroom brawl, with Shore arrested for conspiracy to commit assault and battery. And Lori and Brad serve as second chair for a new attorney Schmidt has just poached from another law firm who refers to himself as "Sexy Man." Read more.

Episode 13
First aired: 01.23.2005
Director: Mike Listo
Plot Summary:
Brad defends a high-profile publicist who is being accused of entering into a lesbian relationship solely for financial and personal gain, all the while hiding her true heterosexuality from her lover. Meanwhile, Shore hires Catherine Piper (Betty White) to be his new assistant, and she wastes no time offending everyone in the office. And Denny Crane, initially insisting he try the case solo but reluctantly allowing Shore to serve as second chair, defends a doctor who is being sued for prescribing a drug that has not been approved by the FDA. Read more.

Episode 12
First aired: 01.16.2006
Director: Mike Listo
Plot Summary:
One of the members of the firm falls victim to Shirley Schmidt's mandate to clean house and is ordered to leave immediately. Meanwhile Lori, with help from Denny Crane and Shirley Schmidt, defends a school superintendent being sued by two science teachers who were fired for refusing to teach creationism. And Bernard Ferrion, Alan Shore's client who killed his mother by whacking her with a skillet, finds himself in need of legal help once again, but Shore refers the case to Tara, as he cannot hide his disappointment in his former client. And Shore is genuinely surprised when he learns his assistant, Nora Jacobs, is offended by his inappropriate advances. Read more.

Episode 11
First aired: 01.09.2005
Director: Allison Liddi
Plot Summary:
Founding Crane, Poole & Schmidt partner Shirley Schmidt (Candice Bergen) returns to the firm to help bring order to the chaotic office. The firebrand Schmidt proves to be a formidable adversary to Alan Shore, and gets under the skin of Denny Crane, with whom she has a checkered history. Meanwhile, Lori represents a Sudanese native who sues the U.S. government for lack of action in the face of the horrific atrocities being committed in his country, and Alan Shore defends a man who killed his mother in a fit of rage, hitting her over the head with a skillet. Read more.