Boston Public

Last updated
Boston Public
Boston Public-logo.jpg
Genre Drama
Created by David E. Kelley
Starring
Composer Danny Lux
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes81 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Running time44 minutes
Production companies David E. Kelley Productions
20th Century Fox Television
Original release
Network Fox
ReleaseOctober 23, 2000 (2000-10-23) 
January 30, 2004 (2004-01-30)
Related

Boston Public is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. Set in Boston, the series centers on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school in the Boston Public Schools district. It features a large ensemble cast and focuses on the work and private lives of the various teachers, students, and administrators at the school. It aired from October 2000 to January 2004. Its slogan was "Every day is a fight. For respect. For dignity. For sanity." [1]

Contents

History

Boston Public initially preceded Ally McBeal on Monday nights, became revered and received critical acclaim for its drama and ethnically diverse cast. However, Fox moved it to the Friday night death slot for its fourth season. [2] Viewership declined as a result and it was canceled after the 13th episode aired on January 30, 2004. Production halted after the 15th episode was completed. The final two episodes aired on March 1 and 2, 2005, later in syndication on TV One. [3] Neither episode wrapped up any character stories.

The title of each episode was a numbered chapter, similar to that in a high school textbook, and each character appeared in a given story arc, with the professional and personal lives often intersecting.

Boston Public was the winner of the 2002 Peabody Award ("Chapter Thirty-Seven") from the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. [4]

Cast and characters

The first season cast of Boston Public Bp-cast.jpg
The first season cast of Boston Public
ActorCharacterSeasonsRole
Chi McBride Steven Harper1–4Principal
Anthony Heald Scott Guber1–4Vice Principal
Jessalyn Gilsig Lauren Davis1–2Social Studies teacher; left Winslow to teach at a private school
Nicky Katt Harry Senate1–3 (episodes 1–49)Teacher of "the Dungeon"; quit in episode 49
Loretta Devine Marla Hendricks1–4Social Studies teacher
Sharon Leal Marilyn Sudor1–4English teacher and music instructor
Fyvush Finkel Harvey Lipschultz1–4History teacher
Rashida Jones Louisa Fenn1–2Secretary
Thomas McCarthy Kevin Riley1 (episodes 1–13; special guest appearance in episode 18)Football coach; fired in episode 13
Joey Slotnick Milton Buttle1 (episodes 1–13; special guest appearance in episode 15)English teacher; fired in episode 13
Kathy Baker Meredith Peters1–2; recurring in season 1Teacher
Jeri Ryan Ronnie Cooke2–4Teacher; assistant vice principal (end of season 3); guidance counselor (season 4)
Michael Rapaport Danny Hanson2–4Teacher
China Jesusita Shavers Brooke Harper2–3; recurring in season 2Student
Jon Abrahams Zach Fischer3Physics teacher
Joey McIntyre Colin Flynn3English Teacher
Michelle Monaghan Kimberly Woods3 (episodes 49–57; not featured in opening credits but receives "also starring" billing)Teacher; transferred to a school in another state to avoid a dangerous, obsessed student in episode 57
Cara DeLizia Marcy Kendall2–3 (not featured in opening credits but receives "also starring" billing); guest during season 2Principal's assistant and student
Natalia BaronCarmen Torres4Physics teacher

Episodes

Boston Public ran for four seasons, consisting of 81 episodes. Each season contained 22 episodes, except the fourth season which had 15 episodes due to cancellation. [5]

SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
1 22October 23, 2000 (2000-10-23)May 21, 2001 (2001-05-21)
2 22October 29, 2001 (2001-10-29)May 20, 2002 (2002-05-20)
3 22October 21, 2002 (2002-10-21)May 12, 2003 (2003-05-12)
4 15September 19, 2003 (2003-09-19)January 30, 2004 (2004-01-30)

Crossover with The Practice

In The Practice episode, "The Day After" (season 5, episode 14), Kevin Riley asks Ellenor Frutt to represent him in a school board meeting when he's fired from Winslow High School, which takes place in the Boston Public episode "Chapter Thirteen" (season 1, episode 13). After Boston Public was canceled, Chi McBride reprised the role of Steven Harper on an episode of The Practice spin-off series Boston Legal in the episode "Let Sales Ring" (season 1, episode 16).

Awards and nominations

Boston Public received a total of 31 nominations from various award ceremonies, and won 8 of them. [6]

Awards won

Emmy Awards

NAACP Image Awards

Peabody Awards

Young Artist Awards

Nominations

Emmy Awards

NAACP Image Awards

Television Critics Association Awards

Young Artist Awards

Teen Choice Awards

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