Ally McBeal, the popular Fox legal dramedy that ran for five seasons from 1997 to 2002, is reportedly being considered for a revival, according to Deadline. The report, which repeatedly makes it clear nothing is yet officially moving forward on such a series, says as of this writing the idea of bringing Ally McBeal back is only being “explored.”
Unnamed sources have told Deadline that original series creator David E. Kelley (Netflix’s The Lincoln, ABC’s Big Sky) is “expected to have some involvement in the project, but likely not as a writer.” Calista Flockhart, who became a household name in the titular role, “has been approached about reprising her role, but there have been no formal talks.”
In the largely pre-internet and pre-Marvel Cinematic Universe, the series had both the distinction of commanding over 11 million viewers on average across its first three reasons, and also casting Robert Downey Jr., before he ultimately bowed out due to substance abuse issues. In 2021, the series is likely best remembered for it launching Lucy Liu’s career, plus featuring a co-ed bathroom and vivid fantasy sequences, including the early internet sensation dubbed “Dancing Baby.”
An Ally McBeal revival is not at all that far-fetched. It would be following in the footsteps of–just to name a few–Dexter, Party Down, King of the Hill, Beavis and Butt-Head, and on and on. It may be more expedient to instead list what shows are not getting revivals.
