Today, we look at how Principal Steven Harper from Boston Public had to defend himself on Boston Legal.
This is Somewheres in This Universe, a feature examining when characters from TV shows make guest appearances on other TV shows (in non-crossover stories), thus establishing that the two shows share a universe.
November is Somewheres in the Universe month!
Years before there were Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med, David E. Kelley had a tiny run there where he had a TV show about a Boston high school called Boston Public that ran for four seasons from 2000-2004, JUST missing the Fall 2004 launch about of a show about a Boston law firm called Boston Legal.
Fans who missed the star of Boston Public, Chi McBride, as Winslow High School Principal Steve Harper, were likely thrilled to see him appear in a Season 1 episode of Boston Legal.
In “Let Sales Ring,” Alan Shore (series star James Spader) agrees to represent a Winslow High student who objected to the fact that Principal Harper has blocked Fox News at the school. While Shore was not a fan of Fox News, he felt that this was too far. Harper testifies as to why he has the station blocked, explaining that he refuses to allow anything at the school that “foster intolerance,” while showing clips from a then-recent documentary tearing Fox News apart.
Alan, though, argues that this is too big of a violation of the student’s First Amendment rights…
Alan wins his case (even though, again, he is grossed out by his own client), and that was a wrap on Principal Steven Harper as a TV character.
Feel free to e-mail me at brian@poprefs.com for suggestions for other good non-crossover guest appearances by TV characters!
The irony of course is that it’s supposed to be set in the same universe as Boston Public and yet (later that season even) Anthony Heald, who played the Vice Principal, played a judge who was an antagonist to Allan.
I considered featuring that judge, as well, as he was a carryover from The Practice. But he was such a minor character that I figured not to.
Chi McBride without facial hair just seems weird to me.
Kelley has never cared about ‘shared universe continuity’ with his shows. He never had a crossover episode with The Practice on Boston Legal even though many recurring actors returned.
In the same episode of Ally McBeal that Lara Flynn Boyle crossovers as Helen Gamble, an episode of the Practice plays in the background. Lara later returned playing a new character on the show.
A character mentioned Boston Legal on the Practice despite the two-part crossover taking place weeks earlier.