THE MUCH-HYPED TRIAL OF 'THE BLACK WIDOW' (HEATHER LOCKLEAR) GETS UNDERWAY, ON ABC'S "BOSTON LEGAL"

"Schadenfreude" - In the midst of a media circus, the murder trial of Kelly Nolan (Heather Locklear), AKA 'The Black Widow,' gets underway with defense team Alan Shore, Brad Chase and Denny Crane. Can they pull off an acquittal in this seemingly un-winnable case, with the media playing judge and jury and a defendant who is unapologetically cold as ice? Meanwhile Denise Bauer, intent on avoiding alimony payment to her soon-to-be-ex-husband, enlists the help of junior associates Garrett Wells and Sara Holt to challenge the constitutionality of no-fault divorce; Holmes (Rupert Everett) convinces Tara (Rhona Mitra), who's desperately trying to avoid his charming advances, to help represent his client, Johnny Damon (Russell Andrews) -- Damon, singer Edwin Starr's nephew, wants to be allowed to sing his late uncle's trademark song, "War," at a club where the owner has deemed the song un-American -- and a frightened Catherine (Betty White) goes to the police when Bernard (Leslie Jordan) calmly tells her that he fantasizes about committing another murder, on "Boston Legal," TUESDAY,OCTOBER 4 (10:00 -11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Boston Legal" stars James Spader as Alan Shore, Julie Bowen as Denise Bauer, Mark Valley as Brad Chase, Rene Auberjonois as Paul Lewiston, Justin Mentell as Garrett Wells and Ryan Michelle Bathe as Sara Holt, with Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt and William Shatner as Denny Crane.

Guest starring are Heather Locklear as Kelly Nolan, Betty White as Catherine Piper, Rupert Everett as Malcolm Holmes, Anthony Heald as Judge Harvey Cooper, Shawn Christian as Tim Bauer, Leslie Jordan as Bernard Ferrion, Gregory Itzen as A.D.A. Todd Milken, Charles Chun as Dr. Jeffrey Wong, Vic Polizos as Detective Frank Richmond, Diane Kim as reporter, Russell Andrews as Johnny Damon, Francesca P. Roberts as Judge Jamie Atkinson, Helen Eigenberg as Atty. Tompkins, Paul Perri as Ronald Emmerich, Glen Walker as anchorman, John Thaddeus as Detective John Stephenson, Michael Brownlee as reporter no. 2, Derrick McMillan as security guard, Jill Brennan as Gracie Jane, Kurt Fuller as Reverend Donald Diddum, John Berg as Judge Robert Hober, Jason Brooks as Justin Murray, Ellen Crawford as Frances Stadler and Hugh Holub as jury foreperson.

"Schadenfreude" was written by David E. Kelley and directed by Arlene Sanford.

"Boston Legal" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound and Spanish subtitles via CC3.

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