Ally McBeal: The Official Guide [Paperback]

Tim Appelo (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 22, 1999

It's Ally World

Funny, charming, and smart, award-winning Ally McBeal stole the hearts of critics andviewers alike from its premiere episode in 1997. The "hippest, hottest show on television" (TV Guide), now in its third season, continues to cultivate and entertain growing legions offans. Illustrated with more than 400 photographs, this official full-color companion guide takesreaders on an engaging trip through the hilarious, intelligent, and sometimes heartbreakingworld of the endearingly odd Ally and her friends and colleagues. Chock-full of fascinatingfacts and tidbits, this insider's guide includes:

An exclusive, behind-the-scenes glimpse at the show and stag-from lifeon the set to the writers, crew, wardrobe, and special effects

A complete guide to each episode

An up close look at the show's creator and driving force, David E. Kelley

Judge "Whipper,'' the Dancing Twins, "Happy'' Boyle, Stefan the frog, and more

Fishisms, McBealisms, and Elaine's best inventions

The lowdown on the show's music and the spectacular success of Vonda Shepard

Interviews with the actors

Plus special sections on the personal and professional--from Ally's men,memorable cases and clients, to her relationship with Billy and Georgia, to life in the Unisex universe.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

What are the perils of an asparagus diet? What is the Cool Cup supposed to cool? And what on earth does The Music Man have to do with it all? Die-hard Ally McBeal fans will find the answers to these questions and more in Ally McBeal: The Official Guide. The book is packed with photos, quotes, interviews with David E. Kelley and the cast, and even a listing of the songs used in each episode. Newcomers to the show who want to know what in the hell their friends are talking about at the water cooler will also find The Official Guide useful--profiles of all the main characters and a complete episode guide should get neophytes right up to speed. Most interesting are the behind-the-scenes glimpses: cast members plop into each other's laps for between-take chats, and the members of the special effects crew figure out how to make a remote-controlled briefcase in only three days. Offering entertaining insight into both the interior and exterior workings of a bizarre little television world, Ally addicts will be delighted with this reverent and exhaustive guide to their favorite show. --Ali Davis

From School Library Journal

YA-For true Ally McBeal aficionados, this official guide has enough information and pictures to make their tongues hang out as long as Elaine and Georgia's did when they met Bobby Donnel in episode 123. The book begins with profiles of each character in the ensemble and then offers a biographical sketch and sometimes an interview with the actors who play the parts. Each actor's film, television, and theater credits are included. The plots from each episode of the first two seasons are evaluated. Each episode is well illustrated with color photographs from the show. A song list from each airing is also included. Sandwiched between the episodes are a list of McBealisms, Fishisms, an A-to-Z guide to catchwords and key phrases, a guide to Elaine's inventions, a list of the love triangles, and an Ally passionmeter. The book concludes with a list of the show's awards. Appelo doesn't discuss the controversy over Calista Flockhart's weight, but true fans will require Dr. Tracy Clark's counseling to tear themselves away from this guide.
Jane S. Drabkin, Potomac Community Library, Woodbridge, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; 1st edition (September 22, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060988134
• ISBN-13: 978-0060988135
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,913,773 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not perfect, but still recommended, January 3, 2000

By 

Noelle (Pinetown, South Africa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ally McBeal: The Official Guide (Paperback)

There seem to be a lot of rather negative reviews about this official guide, but I have to admit that I rather enjoyed it. In fact, for those of you out there who like the show but are not obsessed with it to the point of taping and scrutinising every episode, I would recommend it. Just by flipping through the pages, a lot of smiles and good memories from favourite episodes are brought back to the reader by all the text and pictures. My personal favourites out of the special features included in the guide, are: Ally's Passionometer, the ISMS, the interview with David E. Kelley and Elaine's Inventions. Of course this guide is not perfect. I have many of the same complaints as the other reviewers have already pointed out (especially the lack of a list of guest stars/cameo appearances), but all this aside, I recommend 'Ally McBeal: The Official Guide' because of all the pleasure you will receive when reading it. And I guarantee that you will find yourself returning to it over and over again.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hung Jury on this case, your Honor, December 11, 1999

By 

Miguel "Writer, Journalist, Film Critic" (Gijon, Spain) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ally McBeal: The Official Guide (Paperback)

Yes, we love Ally. And yes we have as much right as the Trekkies, to have our Ally books... but this being the official guide, you'd expect something else, something beyond the average.

I think the summaries made by fans are much better than those presented in this book, for starters; they are spare and those of the end of the second season seem rushed, as if they couldn't wait to finish the book properly.

High points? the interviews with Gil Bellows, Jane Krakowski, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Lisa Nicole Carson, Portia DeRossi, Lucy Liu, Vonda Shepard, et al. It's an insight, if not overtly deep on the talented players that weekly pull off the magic trick from their respective hats. Just one complaint on this area: where's Calista?

On the other hand, the interview with David E. Kelley seems more like a rehash of everything that has been said about how the shiow came to be and there is no novelty there, to be appreciated.

The color pictures are actually video captures, and sometimes they suffer the strain of being translated to print.

All in all, a very, but very, very nice book to have, but so bland and superficial altogether that one gets the feeling of something amiss... and this probes that most "official" things (either be books or websites) are not exactly the best sources of information for fans.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, October 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ally McBeal: The Official Guide (Paperback)

I expected more from an "official" guide. The episode summaries (2 pages each) don't even include a listing of guest actors and the characters they played.