Boston Legal (2004 - 2008) is a dramedy set in the fictional law firm of Crane, Poole and Schmidt in Boston, Massachusetts. It is a spin off of The Practice, which was created by David E. Kelley.
▍Season 1, Episode 1
▍Part 3
Conference Room of Crane Poole & Schmidt
Dr. Sharon Brant: You got another hearing?
Brad Chase: That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is we probably won’t win it.
Sally Heep: But, it at least gives us leverage to get your ex-husband in a room.
Dr. Sharon Brant: Woo-woo. What are you talking about?
Brad Chase: We want to take a shot at a settlement. Now, if your ex cares anything about these kids, then . . .
shot [C, usually sing.] shot (at sth / at doing sth) (informal) the act of trying to do or achieve sth 尝试；努力
e.g. The team are looking good for a shot at the title.
看来这个队力争夺冠的势头不错。
I've never produced a play before but I'll have a shot at it.
我从来没有写过戏剧，不过我要尝试一下。
I'm willing to give it a shot.
我愿意试试。
Just give it your best shot (= try as hard as you can) and you'll be fine.
只要尽自己最大努力，你就会有好的结果。
took a shot at losing weight.
采取一项减肥的尝试
settle·ment [cn]（通过赔偿等达成的）庭外和解 A settlement is an agreement to end a disagreement or dispute without going to a court of law, for example by offering someone money.
Dr. Sharon Brant: He doesn’t. This is all about getting me. Have I not been clear about that? He doesn’t even know the kids.
Brad Chase: I’ve dealt with bad ex-husbands before.
Dr. Sharon Brant: Mr. Chase, no offense, but you have never dealt with this one. Trust me.
Courtroom #1
Atty. Smith: This is Little Orphan Annie, for God’s sake! If she doesn’t look the part . . .
Little Orphan Annie was a daily American comic strip created by Harold Gray and syndicated by the Tribune Media Services. The strip took its name from the 1885 poem "Little Orphant Annie" by James Whitcomb Riley, and made its debut on August 5, 1924, in the New York Daily News.
look [v] To have an appearance of conformity with 符合，看起来与……一致
e.g. He looks his age. She dressed up to look the part.
他看起来与他的年龄相符。她化了妆以便看起来合乎身份。
part [cn] a role played by an actor in a play, film / movie, etc.; the words spoken by an actor in a particular role 角色；台词
Alan Shore: I didn’t realize we did racial profiling for our comic strips.
ˌracial 'profiling [un] (NAmE) the fact of police officers, etc. suspecting that sb has committed a crime based on the colour of their skin or their race rather than on any evidence 种族形象定性（指警察等因肤色或种族而不是证据怀疑人犯罪）
'comic strip (also car·toon) (BrE also ˌstrip car'toon) (NAmE also strip) [cn] a series of drawings inside boxes that tell a story and are often printed in newspapers（常登载于报纸上的）连环漫画
Atty. Smith: These are private investors. There is no state action involved.
Alan Shore: How would the story change if Annie were black?
Atty. Smith: Your Honor, are you serious?
Judge Rita Sharpley: Counsel, we are talking about adoption here. Daddy Warbucks isn’t the biological father. Exactly how would the story change?
bio·logic·al /ˌbaiəˈlɔdʒikl; NAmE -ˈlɑːdʒ-/ [adj.]（父母）生身的，亲生的 A child's biological parents are the man and woman who caused him or her to be born, rather than other adults who look after him or her.
Atty. Smith: Little Orphan Annie is an iconic character based . . .
Judge Rita Sharpley: I want to see her.
Atty. Smith: Excuse me?
Judge Rita Sharpley: The girl who got the role. I want to compare.
Atty. Smith: Your Honor, is that really fair to the other little girl?
Judge Rita Sharpley: Well, counsel, if she can sing eight times a week in front of 3000-plus people a night, she can sing in front of me. Get her in here.
Lori Colson’s Office
Ernie Dell: I want the private investigator.
Lori Colson: sighs The thing is, Ernie, the photographs will have no legal relevance. They can’t facilitate an annulment.
rel·e·vance /ˈrɛləvəns/ [un]（对……的）重要性，意义，相关性 Something's relevance to a situation or person is its importance or significance in that situation or to that person.
fa·cili·tate /fəˈsiliteit/ v to make an action or a process possible or easier 促进；促使；使便利
an·nul·ment /əˈnʌlmənt/ [u, c] 废除；取消；宣告无效 The annulment of a contract or marriage is an official declaration that it is invalid, so that legally it is considered never to have existed.
Ernie Dell: I am the customer here, Lori.
Lori Colson: Customer isn’t always right.
Lori Colson and Tara Wilson exchange conspiratorial looks.
con·spira·tor·ial /kənˌspirəˈtɔːriəl/ [adj.] (of a person's behaviour 个人的举止) suggesting that a secret is being shared 会意的；心照不宣的
e.g. 'I know you understand,' he said and gave a conspiratorial wink.
"我知道你明白。"他说道，会意地眨一眨眼。
Tara Wilson: May I . . . make an observation? I really don’t know you, Mr. Dell, but I suspect there’s a reason why all these younger women want to marry you.
ob·ser·va·tion /ˌɔbzəˈveiʃn; NAmE ˌɑːbzərˈv-/ [cn]（通常指观察后发表的）评论，言论 If a person makes an observation, they make a comment about something or someone, usually as a result of watching how they behave.
Ernie Dell: It’s called money.
Tara Wilson: You’re wrong. It’s called power. And you derive a lot of that power not just from being handsome and sexy, but from being dignified. Hiring a private investigator is beneath you. There are many young, beautiful women out there, who would love to jump into your . . . wife’s place. I know this sounds crazy, but . . . you might want to look at this as an opportunity.
de·rive /diˈraiv/ [v] de'rive sth from sth (formal) to get sth from sth （从……中）得到，获得
e.g. He derived great pleasure from painting.
他从绘画中得到极大的乐趣。
The Hallway of Crane Poole & Schmidt
The camera follows an angry Paul Lewiston to an office door, which he opens, entering Denny Crane’s Office
Denny Crane: Paul.
Paul Lewiston: You and I go back a long way, Denny. Completely mindful of the fact that you helped build this place, the partners here will not allow you to dismantle it with your buffoonery.
go back a long way [idiom] If people go back a long way, they have known each other for a long time.
mind·ful /ˈmaindfl/ [adj.] mindful of sb / sth | mindful that... (formal) remembering sb / sth and considering them or it when you do sth 记着；想着；考虑到
dis·man·tle /disˈmæntl/ [v] to take apart a machine or structure so that it is in separate pieces 拆开，拆卸（机器或结构）
buf·foon·ery /bəˈfuːnəri/ [un] 滑稽；插科打诨 Buffoonery is foolish behaviour that makes you laugh.
Denny Crane: What did you say to me?
Paul Lewiston: I don’t think you want to hear me say it again. To have an affair with the wife of one of our biggest clients—it disrespects both Ernie Dell and this firm.
Denny Crane: We have other clients.
Paul Lewiston: Not like Ernie. But your point is well taken. Everybody is fungible.
fun·gi·ble /ˈfʌndʒəbəl/ [adj.] (Law) Returnable or negotiable in kind or by substitution, as a quantity of grain for an equal amount of the same kind of grain.（法律）可代替的，以同类物或替代物形式归还的或磋商的，如一定数量的谷物可以用相同数量的同种谷物代替
Ernie Dell walks in as Paul Lewiston opens the door to leave.
Ernie Dell: Lori Colson won’t tail my wife. I want you to do it.
Paul Lewiston: Ernie.
Ernie Dell: I’m not talking to you. Get it done, Denny.
Ernie Dell and then Paul Lewiston leave the room.
The Buddha Bar
Alan Shore: Denny, I’m having a bit of an identity crisis. I’ve always prided myself on being . . . well, nuts. But in this firm, I find myself falling into the sane category.
iˈdentity ˌcrisis [cn] a feeling of unhappiness and confusion caused by not being sure about what type of person you really are or what the true purpose of your life is 性格认同危机：常发生于遭受矛盾心理压力和为期望所驱使的青少年身上的，表现为本源错位和角色混乱并引起极度焦躁的一种社会心理状态或形式
pride yourself on to be proud because of having (an ability, quality, etc.)
e.g. I pride myself on my math skills. [=I am proud of my math skills]
The restaurant prides itself on having the best pizza in town.
Denny Crane: laughing You think I’m nuts, do you?
Alan Shore: Are you scared?
Denny Crane: Scared? What would I be scared of?
Alan Shore: Edwin Poole is a friend. To see him just go off the high dive?Denny Crane: Edwin Poole’s problem is he doesn’t like being Edwin Poole. From time to time he’d look in the mirror and ask, “What’s the point?” I never do that. Questions like that’ll kill you.
Alan Shore: Questions like, “What’s the point?”
Denny Crane: Look--take you for example. Tomorrow, you’re gonna go into court and argue that some little fat black kid should be able to play a little skinny white one. What’s the point? Pause You don’t ask—that’s the point. You gonna win, by the way? The world wants to know.
Alan Shore: I’m afraid not. There’s no state action. We’ve asked for a specific performance with no clear evidence of discrimination. I don’t like losing, especially when there’s a wager involved.
specific performance [n] (Law) The performance of a contract as specified in its terms. 特定履行：按照合同详述的条款履行合同
wager / ˈweidʒə(r) / [cn] (old-fashioned or formal) an arrangement to risk money on the result of a particular event 打赌
Denny Crane: Well, don’t, soldier. Pull a rabbit out of your hat. Motions with his index finger for Alan Shore to lean closer. Then, conspiratorially That’s the secret of both trial law and life.
pull a rabbit out of a hat [mainly journalism][phrase] to do something very clever and unexpected that solves a problem
Alan Shore: Rabbits?
Denny Crane: nods Oh, yeah.
— END —