An Ally McBeal Sequel Is In The Works At ABC That May See Calista Flockhart Return
When "Ally McBeal" premiered in 1997, creator David E. Kelley was right in the midst of his law drama era. Kelley finished writing for "L.A. Law" in 1992, and also launched another legal drama,"The Practice," around the same time as "Ally McBeal." But the practice of law was secondary in this new comedy/drama, with the focus really being on its titular character Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart), a neurotic woman finding her way through love and life while working at the most quirky law firm in Boston.
Thanks in no small part to a fantastic ensemble cast that included Peter MacNicol, Jane Krakowski, Portia de Rossi, and others, the show won an Emmy Award for best comedy series in 1999. The show also saw actors like Lucy Lui, Regina Hall, and a pre-"Iron Man" Robert Downey Jr., who was later written off the series, join the cast at various points. "Ally McBeal" came to an end in 2002 after five seasons.
The show definitely inspired some interesting conversations concerning women in the workplace — culminating with a TIME magazine cover captioned "Is feminism dead?" But thanks to the fact that every season of "Ally McBeal" is available on streaming, many old and new fans have been able to watch the '90s dramedy. Now that Deadline is reporting that ABC is in the early stages of creating an "Ally McBeal" follow-up, fans are no doubt wondering if Ally McBeal herself will return.
Calista Flockhart may return as her signature character, but the sequel series is set to focus on a new lead
When David E. Kelley was asked by The Hollywood Reporter in 2018 about a potential "Ally McBeal" reboot, he told the publication that he'd be open to the idea — but not by him. "If it were going to be done, it really should be done by a woman," he said. "If it's going to be new, it should be new and different."
Now, it looks as though that might just happen. According to Deadline, an "Ally McBeal" sequel series is in the works with word that Karin Gist, showrunner of "Mixed-ish" and "Our Kind of People," is writing the pilot and will serve as executive producer. Furthermore, it seems that there is talk of Calista Flockhart reprising her iconic role and serving as executive producer on the series, however, it sounds like nothing has been set in that regard just yet.
Unlike the original, the sequel will focus on a young Black woman who joins the iconic Cage & Fish law firm. The woman will also reportedly be the daughter of Ally McBeal's roommate, Renée Raddick (Lisa Nicole Carson). It sounds like a fresh direction that would both tie into the original show nicely, while still allowing this potential sequel series to shine on its own.