SEASON PREMIERE

ALAN SHORE TACKLES A BIG TOBACCO COMPANY AND DISCOVERS THAT THE DEFENSE ATTORNEY IS AN OLD FLAME, AND DENNY CRANE'S FRUSTRATING LACK OF PERFORMANCE ISSUES ARE GETTING HIM DOWN, ON THE SEASON PREMIERE OF ABC'S "BOSTON LEGAL"

Ally Walker ("Profiler," "Tell Me You Love Me") Guest Stars as Alan's Ex-Flame, Phoebe Prentice

Led by an Emmy Award-winning cast, "Boston Legal" returns for its fifth and final season to tell the professional and personal stories of a group of brilliant but often emotionally challenged attorneys, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 (10:00-11:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. Sometimes irreverent and funny, sometimes intense and moving, "Boston Legal" prides itself on being at the forefront of issue-oriented television, often addressing issues that are underreported by the media. Fast-paced and wildly comedic, the series confronts social and moral issues, while its characters continually stretch the boundaries of the law.

Back-to-back Emmy Award winners James Spader and William Shatner play Alan Shore and Denny Crane, unlikely kindred spirits among the brigade of high-priced litigators at Crane Poole & Schmidt. In addition, Shirley Schmidt (five-time Emmy winner Candice Bergen), a founding partner of the firm, continues to help bring order to the chaotic office. She keeps a vigilant eye on all, particularly on Denny Crane, with whom she shares a checkered past.

On the season premiere episode, "Smoke Signals," Bethany Horowitz asks Alan Shore to help her out with a case against a large tobacco company. But when it turns out that the defense attorney is Phoebe Prentice (Ally Walker, "Profiler," "Tell Me You Love Me"), an old flame of Alan's, he finds himself distracted and fears that he won't be able to perform in court. Meanwhile, Denny is distraught over his own personal lack of performance in the bedroom.

"Boston Legal" stars James Spader as Alan Shore, John Larroquette as Carl Sack, Christian Clemenson as Jerry Espenson, Tara Summers as Katie Lloyd, with Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt and William Shatner as Denny Crane.

Guest starring in "Smoke Signals" are Ally Walker as Attorney Phoebe Prentice, Meredith Eaton as Bethany Horowitz, William Daniels as Judge Milton Brody, Wendy Gazelle as Maureen Rhodes, Philip Newby as Dr. Harvey Loper and Paul Collins as Lance Buttram. The episode was written by David E. Kelley and directed by Bill D'Elia.

"Boston Legal" was created by David E. Kelley. Kelley, Bill D'Elia, Mike Listo and Lawrence Broch are executive producers. The series, which premiered October 3, 2004, is produced by David E. Kelley Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television. The series is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1-channel surround sound and Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. A TV parental guideline will be posted closer to airdate.