Ally McBeal poster

TV series

Ally McBeal

19975 seasons6.5 / 10

A series that dares to reveal what's most exciting about a woman's body... her mind.

Ally McBeal is a young lawyer working at the Boston law firm Cage and Fish. Ally's lives and loves are eccentric, humorous, dramatic with an incredibly overactive imagination that's working overtime!

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Checked Jul 22, 2026

Ally McBeal is available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu in United States. Use the direct links below to open the provider.

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Synopsis

Ally McBeal is a young lawyer working at the Boston law firm Cage and Fish. Ally's lives and loves are eccentric, humorous, dramatic with an incredibly overactive imagination that's working overtime!

Season 1 episodes

Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.

Episode 1

Pilot

Sep 8, 199743m7.3 / 10

Ally McBeal, 28, and a recent graduate of Harvard Law School, is harassed on the job by a senior associate. When she confronts the partners, it backfires and she loses her job. On the street, she literally bumps into an old classmate, Richard Fish, who offers her a position working for his new firm. She accepts, despite her misgivings about his ethical standards. While being introduced to her new fellow associates, she receives the shock of her career.

Episode credits

Directed by James FrawleyWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Michael Galeota, Jeffrey Kramer, Tom Virtue, Paul Collins, Mika Boorem, Richard Riehle, Michael Laskin, David Dunard

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Episode 2

Compromising Positions

Sep 15, 199743m7.2 / 10

Fish's partner, John Cage faces fines, jail, and public humiliation. To her dismay, Ally is assigned to be a litigator. Fish invites Ally along to dinner with a very wealthy potential client, Ronald Cheanie. Unbeknownst to Ally, the dinner is really a double date with Fish and his girlfriend, Whipper. Ally is furious, but Cheanie turns out to be handsome and intelligent.

Episode credits

Directed by Jonathan PontellWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Tate Donovan, Phil Leeds, Dyan Cannon, Betty A. Bridges, Willie Garson, John Cirigliano, Robert Lee Jacobs

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Episode 3

The Kiss

Sep 22, 199743m7.2 / 10

Ally senses Cheanie is withholding something when he neglects to kiss her goodnight after their first official date. Georgia asks Ally to assist her in trying an age discrimination case when the opposing litigator turns out to be Billings, the guy Ally tried to sue for sexual harassment at her old firm. Fish admonishes Ally for putting her emotional life above the firm's financial welfare while telling her to grow up.

Episode credits

Directed by Dennie GordonWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Tate Donovan, Kate Jackson, Nelson Mashita, Alaina Reed Hall, Richard Riehle, David Spielberg, Cissy Wellman

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Episode 4

The Affair

Sep 29, 199743m7.5 / 10

Ally is asked to be a pallbearer at the funeral of her ex-law professor. The widow, Katherine Dawson, invites her to give the eulogy, but Ally's initial reluctance betrays the reason. In a moment of complete vulnerability, she confesses to Billy who supports her by agreeing to attend the funeral with her. This unnerves Georgia, and Cheanie, who are both feeling threatened when they realize Billy is helping Ally out during a difficult time in her life. Georgia confronts Billy, and Cheanie confronts Ally, who refuses to tell him why she's been upset lately. He doesn't understand why she chooses to confide in Billy over him.

Episode credits

Directed by Arlene SanfordWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Jerry Hardin, Tate Donovan, Holliston Coleman, Kathy Baker, Brett Cullen, Jenjer Vick Robin, Alexis Kleyla

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Episode 5

100 Tears Away

Oct 20, 199743m7.4 / 10

Ally is arrested for aggravated assault and attempted shoplifting. Renee bails her out, but word spreads quickly, and Ally is brought before the State Bar Review Board. A litany of her recent travails is read aloud, and Ally must contend with her unconventional past catching up with her.

Episode credits

Directed by Sandy SmolanWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Keene Curtis, Phil Leeds, Dyan Cannon, Carol Locatell, Audrie Neenan, Željko Ivanek, Betty A. Bridges, Daniel Hutchison

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Episode 6

The Promise

Oct 27, 199743m7.6 / 10

Ally has to defend a friend of Whipper brought up on solicitation charges. She is serving as second chair to Cage, whose idiosyncrasies become increasingly apparent and mystifying to Ally as well as the other attorneys. At the same time, on a different case, a severely rotund attorney passes out from a near heart attack just outside the courtroom and Ally has to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Episode credits

Directed by Victoria HochbergWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Jamie Rose, Brooke Burns, Jay Leggett, Michael Winters, Rusty Schwimmer, Michael Bofshever, James Mathers, Joyce Greenleaf

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Episode 7

The Attitude

Nov 3, 199743m7.8 / 10

Ally represents a Jewish woman who needs her Rabbi to grant her a spiritual release from her marriage to her comatose husband. Ally goes personally to the Rabbi's office to find out why he is being so rigid. Meanwhile, Georgia is the target of a senior partner's wife's insecurities.

Episode credits

Directed by Michael SchultzWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Brenda Vaccaro, Brooke Burns, Steve Vinovich, Jason Blicker, Andrew Heckler

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Episode 8

Drawing the Lines

Nov 10, 199743m7.5 / 10

Billy and Georgia are faced with a crisis of confidence in their marriage. Elaine threatens to sue the firm for sexual harassment if Fish and Cage don't meet her demands for improved working conditions. Ally, Georgia, and Cage take on a lucrative divorce case. Fish uses some tactics, which causes a debate between the two parties as to which side is the most amoral.

Episode credits

Directed by Mel DamskiWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Mark Metcalf, Sandra Bernhard, Brooke Burns, Cristine Rose, Stan Ivar

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Episode 9

The Dirty Joke

Nov 17, 199743m7.8 / 10

The attorney, Caroline Poop, who represented Elaine in her short lived suit against Fish and Cage regarding the constant gawking directed at a beautiful delivery woman, returns. This time she is representing the beautiful delivery women, Jennifer, who now serves Fish and Cage with her own lawsuit for same-sex sexual harassment. Meanwhile, Ally makes a bet with Renee that she can tell a dirty joke and get more laughs. The duel is set for the bar downstairs in her office building.

Episode credits

Directed by Dan AttiasWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Keene Curtis, Sandra Bernhard, Brooke Burns, Steve Cohen, Eric Cohen, Nate Reese

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Episode 10

Boy to the World

Dec 1, 199743m7.7 / 10

Judge Whipper Cone asks Ally to take on a pro-bono case of a young prostitute up on her third solicitation charge. Fish, meanwhile, wants to sue his uncle's church for discrimination, due to his uncle's overt bigotry towards vertically challenged people (short people). The church's contention is that they cannot support bigotry of any kind and allowing the uncle a service and proper burial is tantamount to endorsing the appalling views. Fish promises he will not propagate the attitudes in his eulogy. Renee talks Ally into double dating with the salad-dressing-on-the-chin guy if the Biscuit is invited.

Episode credits

Directed by Thomas SchlammeWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Wilson Cruz, Armin Shimerman, Jennifer Holliday, Harrison Page, Dyan Cannon, Amy Aquino, Ronald Hunter, Niles Brewster

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Episode 11

Silver Bells

Dec 15, 199743m7.6 / 10

Three intelligent, successful and motivated adults approach Judge Whipper Cone about the possibility of getting legal representation in their quest to have the courts approve a legal, binding, three-way marriage. Fish assigns Ally and Cage to the case, knowing Ally's incurable romanticism and Cage's legal acumen is a potent combination with Whipper assigned to the case. Ally is opposed, claiming the three-way relationship is morally repugnant, but Georgia, feeling punkish around the holidays, points out that the clients' triangle isn't very different from the one in which Ally, Georgia, and Billy find themselves. Georgia accuses Billy of being more relaxed and open in their marriage ever since Ally re-entered the picture. Whipper, herself experiencing an annual bout of Holiday Blues, causes Fish to propose marriage, even though both know he really doesn't want to.

Episode credits

Directed by Joe NapolitanoWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Eric Pierpoint, Dyan Cannon, Steve Cohen, Eric Cohen, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Vatrena King, Sy Smith, Katie Mitchell

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Episode 12

Cro-Magnon

Jan 5, 199843m7.0 / 10

Ally is shocked to discover that her biological clock is ticking, unleashing strange libidinal impulses in her. During a sculpting class with live nude male models, she and Renee become enamored by one particular model with obviously generous endowments. Meanwhile, Ally has taken on the case of the 19-year-old son of an important client, who has been charged with assault because he slugged a guy in a bar who was verbally harassing his date. The boy tells Ally he felt justified because he warned the guy first, which serves to increase Ally's cradle robbing interest in him.

Episode credits

Directed by Allan ArkushWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Michael Easton, Eddie Mills, Derk Cheetwood, Barry Livingston, Michael Winters, Lee Wilkof, Henry Woronicz, Nicolette Vajtay

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Episode 13

The Blame Game

Jan 19, 199843m6.5 / 10

Ally has a chance encounter with Glenn, the well-endowed artists' model, at a local Starbucks, and makes it very clear that she is irritated with him. On the legal side, John Cage takes on a wrongful death case that Fish is convinced will reap big bucks for the firm. Two adult siblings are suing an airline after their father is killed in a plane crash.

Episode credits

Directed by Sandy SmolanWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Michael Easton, Elizabeth Ruscio, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Harry Lennix, Ben Siegler, Adrian Sparks, Susan Merson, Daniel C. Mahar

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Episode 14

Body Language

Feb 2, 199843m6.5 / 10

Ally and Renee are bridesmaids at a friend's wedding. They both bristle at the absurdity of the rituals performed, and swear to never do it. Richard asks Ally to flirt with a wealthy new client. To Ally's chagrin, Cage offers no protest on her behalf, admitting he's undergoing smile therapy which has renewed his appreciation for behavioral reinforcement. Ally and Georgia try a case about overturning a prison warden's decision to refuse marriage for a life-term inmate.

Episode credits

Directed by Mel DamskiWritten by Nicole Yorkin, Dawn Prestwich, David E. KelleyGuest stars Nancy Stephens, Lawrence Pressman, Kathleen Wilhoite, John Thaddeus, Carrie Stauber, Bil Dwyer, Dyan Cannon, Steve Cohen

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Episode 15

Once in a Lifetime

Feb 23, 199843m6.5 / 10

Fish brings in a client, an 80-something world famous artist, who is battling his heirs to regain control of his estate. Ally and Billy co-counsel the case, and as a result of spending several late nights together, separately conclude that the artist's love of his recently deceased wife parallels their own relationship in many ways. Meanwhile, Cage begins to sense that Ally is losing interest in the possibility of getting together when she behaves in an overtly irritable manner that is obvious to the entire office. Fish loses his patience and decides to get to the bottom of Cage's problem with Ally.

Episode credits

Directed by Elodie KeeneWritten by David E. Kelley, David E. Kelley, Jeff PinknerGuest stars Brigid Brannagh, Richard Kiley, Steven Flynn, Phil Leeds, Bruce Nozick, Sy Smith, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Vatrena King

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Episode 16

Forbidden Fruits

Mar 2, 199843m6.7 / 10

A high-profile case opens up for Cage and Fish when a jilted spouse plans to sue a U.S. Senator for "interfering with happy marital relations". The Senator's case perversely parallels the awkward love triangle between Georgia, Billy, and Ally. Uncomfortable with how close the case mirrors her own life, Georgia quits the case; Fish and Cage step in to try and keep the Senator from losing his job.

Episode credits

Directed by Jeremy KaganWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Dina Meyer, J. Patrick McCormack, Marty Rackham, Gary Bullock, Andrew Bloch, Elaine Giftos, Arell Blanton, Jeff Sanders

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Episode 17

Theme of Life

Mar 9, 199843m7.0 / 10

Ally, Georgia and Renee sign up for a kick boxing class to relieve stress. Ally and Georgia wind up having to fight each other because they're both beginners. As they start to carp more and more at the office, all pretext towards civility drops in the ring and their matches in the class increasingly intensify. Ally takes on a case about an attractive surgeon accused of performing an unauthorized and controversial transplant procedure. Cage insists it's time for her to visit with his smile therapist and she agrees. Fish, meanwhile is in hot pursuit of Janet Reno, who is still in town, and is once again busted by Whipper, when she smells perfume on his wattle finger.

Episode credits

Directed by Dennie GordonWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars John Fink, Paul Guilfoyle, Liz Torres, Tracey Ullman, Dyan Cannon, Jesse L. Martin, Dawn Stern, Linda Gehringer

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Episode 18

The Playing Field

Mar 16, 199843m6.5 / 10

Ally is a passenger in a car accident with the firm's client Greg Butters, a handsome doctor to whom she finds herself attracted. She attempts to handle the doctor's case herself, but finds she just cannot. Ally confides in her "therapist" that she is attracted to the doctor and is enthusiastically encouraged her to use her sex appeal to take the initiative with him. Ally decides the therapist should meet the entire cast of characters in her life and talks her into showing up at the bar after work one night. Fish argues a case of sexual discrimination on behalf of a client who missed a promotion because she didn't sleep with her boss.

Episode credits

Directed by Jonathan PontellWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Christine Dunford, Josh Ryan Evans, Wren T. Brown, Miriam Flynn, Shea Farrell, Michael Winters, Tracey Ullman, Jesse L. Martin

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Episode 19

Happy Birthday Baby

Apr 6, 199843m6.3 / 10

Ally is in denial about her birthday but her co-workers aren't. Elaine orchestrates a party at the bar and asks Dr. Greg Butters to sing a romantic ballad dedicated to Ally. He does, and knocks the socks off everyone in the room. Renee is especially moved, and jumps up on stage to join him in a seductive duet. Meanwhile, in the courtroom, Ally is forced to take the position for a new client that his foot fetish qualifies him as temporarily insane. Renee, as the opposing district attorney, maintains that sneaking into a would-be date's apartment uninvited to tickle her feet is breaking and entering.

Episode credits

Directed by Thomas SchlammeWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Barry Miller, Harriet Sansom Harris, Alaina Reed Hall, Jesse L. Martin

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Episode 20

The Inmates

Apr 27, 199843m6.5 / 10

A wealthy client is brutally murdered and the wife is implicated. Her only defense when caught red-handed is that she has no recollection of what had taken place. Billy, anxious to take on bigger cases, is the lone voice advocating for the firm taking the criminal case, but Fish and Cage ultimately decide it should be farmed out. Georgia, meanwhile, takes on a case about a heterosexual waiter suing for discrimination and wrongful dismissal when he's fired from his job for not being gay. The crossover continues on The Practice S02E26 Axe Murderer (II).

Episode credits

Directed by Michael SchultzWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Michael Brandon, Steve Harris, Camryn Manheim, Dylan McDermott, Alaina Reed Hall, LisaGay Hamilton, Daniel Dae Kim, Kelli Williams

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Episode 21

Being There

May 4, 199843m7.0 / 10

Cage prepares Ally for Renee's trial. Renee is fast becoming a basket-case because she's convinced Cage's untraditional tactics are going to cost her job. Georgia tells Billy that she took a home pregnancy test, and it came up positive. Ally is of course thrown by the news, but recovers just in time to reclaim Renee's defense. Ally forces Renee to confront her problem with sexual aggressiveness. Ally and Renee have a sleep over and for the first time, Ally appears to be the grown-up in their friendship.

Episode credits

Directed by Mel DamskiWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Michael Easton, Eric McCormack, Shannon Welles, Gibby Brand, Isaiah Washington, Erica Dickerson

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Episode 22

Alone Again

May 11, 199843m7.0 / 10

John Cage must confront the cowardice of his convictions when he comes face to face with an ex-law school classmate who is coincidentally trying the case he's representing. It becomes obvious to Ally that John is deeply in love with this woman. Cage admits he took the safe way out, protecting the friendship versus risking losing everything if he were to be rejected by her. Ally encourages Cage to tell the woman, Hayley, that he has feelings for her, which he does as part of his closing arguments. Meanwhile, Georgia and Fish take on a case about a jilted bride-to-be who sues for emotional and physical damage. The judge for this case is Whipper Cone, who finds it difficult to hide her bias against her ex-lover, Richard Fish. He takes the opportunity to confront Whipper one more time and tells her that he misses her. Whipper in return, finally smiles, leaving the door open by telling him she'll take it all under advisement.

Episode credits

Directed by Dennis DuganWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Mike Hagerty, Dabbs Greer, Cynthia Stevenson, Gibby Brand, Dyan Cannon, Sy Smith, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Vatrena King

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Episode 23

These Are the Days

May 18, 199843m7.7 / 10finale

Cage must represent his second cousin, a harmless but eccentric man with a Cupid Complex. His cousin was brought up on assault charges for swatting couples in the head with a paddle to goose them into realizing they're in love. On the way out of the courthouse, the client swats Ally and Bobby Donnell, who have grown considerably closer over a case they are co-counseling. The matter entails two men who want the court to order/force a hospital to perform a heart-swap surgery. The judge turns the tables on the lawyers and asks Ally to role-play by pretending she's the judge who must render the ruling. Billy and Georgia realize their relationship is in a rut. They resolve to be less predictable, and spontaneously decide to have sex in the conference room. Ally who always seems to be at the wrong place at the wrong time inadvertently walks in on Georgia and Billy.

Episode credits

Directed by Jonathan PontellWritten by David E. KelleyGuest stars Richard Schiff, Albert Hall, Dylan McDermott, Phil Leeds, Bob Gunton, Lee Wilkof, Willie Garson, Rhonda Dotson

Where to watch Ally McBeal

Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026

More about Ally McBeal

Watch trailerAlly McBeal - Fox Life Trailer

Cast

Calista FlockhartAlly McBeal

Courtney Thorne-SmithGeorgia Thomas

Greg GermannRichard Fish

Lisa Nicole CarsonRenée Raddick

Jane KrakowskiElaine Vassal

Regina HallCorretta Lipp

Gil BellowsBilly Thomas

Peter MacNicolJohn Cage

Credits

Created by: David E. Kelley

Production details

Status: Ended
Series type: Scripted
Episodes: 112
Original language: English

Networks & production

FOXUnited States
David E. Kelley ProductionsUnited States
20th Century Fox TelevisionUnited States

Themes

boston, massachusettslaw firmlawyerlegal dramaroommatessurrealismworkplace romance

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