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  The show opens with Ally looking out a window remembering
her past with her childhood sweetheart, Billy Allen Thomas. She recalls them as little kids, all the way up through
college. She remembers in detail their first kiss, and then their first time of lovemaking. During the voiceover
we learn that Ally really didn’t want to be a lawyer, she just followed Billy to law school. Ally said she must
have studied too hard, since she made law review before Billy. Billy decided to attend school in Michigan, so he
could clerk there just in case he didn’t make law review. Ally chose the law too, but in Boston.
 Ally is still recounting the past through
flashbacks, and remembers her old job working at the firm with Jack Billings. She liked her job just fine, until
her boss starting touching her buttocks. At first, it was so slight she thought it might just be her imagination.
Then one night when she was doing research (while standing on a stool) Jack approached her, and grabbed her buttocks,
and she yelled at him to never do that again. Ally went to the big boss to report about what Jack did, and he was
fired. Jack threatened to sue, and he did. Jack claimed that he was suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder,
which meant he felt compelled to grab women’s buttocks. The firm didn’t back Ally up, since Jack was their "rainmaker"
. Ally’s firm chose to keep Jack, and fire Ally.
  Now we’re up to speed. Ally is walking out of her law firm with her stuff, and runs into
an old law school buddy- Richard Fish. Richard is pleased to know that Ally was fired from her job- since he just
started his own practice. He wants Ally to join his firm- today. Ally is uneasy about the offer, she remembers
Richard’s main goal in life wasn’t law, it was making big piles of money. Ally decides to go for it, and Richard
shows her around the firm. He says that she’ll like his partner, John Cage, but she won’t be able to meet him today.
Ally is introduced to her secretary, a woman named Elaine Vassal. Elaine starts interrogating Ally on her preferences,
and Richard interrupts saying that they’re throwing Ally right into it, and tells her about the first case she’ll
take. A man walks in, and he’s introduced to Ally. His name is Billy Allen Thomas, and the look on Ally’s face
is indescribable, as she locks eyes with her former boyfriend and lover. Billy breaks the ice, saying that they
know each other. Richard finally makes the connection, and can’t believe he hadn’t sooner. Billy says it won’t
be a problem working with Ally, and Ally gulps, saying it will be fine. Ally excuses herself to go to the bathroom,
where she is still in shock over seeing Billy. Richard walks in, and Ally tries to get him to leave. He explains
that it is a unisex  bathroom, it’s  open to both sexes. Ally tells Richard about
her lawsuit against Jack, and he says it’s no problem to do it from his firm, they’d be happy to lead the charge.
Ally asks who is his best litigator, and of course it’s Billy. Richard says he doesn’t know the whole story behind
her lawsuit, but if she really wants to get this guy, she should go with Billy. Richard says (about Billy), "He’s your man."
  Ally is talking with her roommate Renee, while in the bathroom applying her makeup. Renee
doesn’t think it’s such good news to work with an old boyfriend, and tells Ally that she’ll spend a good half hour
in the morning on hair and makeup alone. Ally disagrees, but Renee says that’s why she is changing lip liner, and
wishing her breasts were bigger. Ally agrees with that, she wishes her breasts were a little bigger. She imagines
them getting bigger and bigger until they burst.
  Ally and Richard are talking about the upcoming case, and Elaine is trying to fill Ally
in on the material she’s prepared for her. Ally isn’t too pleased with Elaine, since she seems to be pretty full
of herself. Ally has a visual image of people like Elaine, she sees their heads get bigger and bigger. Richard
is talking about an upcoming case, saying that he thinks Ally could be a big help. Ally wonders how, thinking of
Richard’s two main tactics in landing clients.
One, he sympathizes with them, letting them be heard, and two, promising
anything to get what the client wants. Richard says that the client needs to believe   that
they’ll come out of this paying less taxes. Billy walks up to Ally, and suggests a cup of coffee. They take it
into Billy’s office, where he says that he will be handling her deposition. They catch up on each other’s lives,
and Ally sneaks in a pressing question, "Are
you seeing anybody?" Billy says he’s married, and Ally is
upset at hearing that. He says he doesn’t have kids. He asks if she’s ok with knowing that, and she assures him
she’s fine. (She’s definitely not.)
Ally
Ally is walking to the courthouse, and talking to herself about Billy. A man bumps into her on the street, and
Ally goes ballistic on him when he attempts to say he was sorry.
Ally
  Ally is having flashbacks while listening to opposing counsel make his speech. The case
is about a minister who’s suing a magazine for things printed about him. Ally is remembering all the times she
watched her father in the courtroom. Ally takes her turn, and although she says she has the constitution on her
side, she loses the case.
  Ally is back at the office, where Richard is shocked that she didn’t win the case. Ally
uses the excuse, " The judge just seemed
to have an agenda, contrary to law." Elaine tells Ally that
she has already filed the appeal, and Ally sees Elaine’s head getting bigger as Elaine continues to talk. Billy
joins them, and   says that he’s sure Ally did her best. Ally gets defensive about
that, and tells Billy not to stick up for her. They exchange words, and Richard interrupts, saying, "Bygones"
and tells them they need to concentrate on the upcoming International case. Richard tells Ally to brush up on her
tax law.
  Ally is looking at some notes, as Billy comes into her office. He wants to know what happened
back there. He says the breakup must have left her with some residual feelings, and Ally says the residual feeling
was hope. She apologizes, and says she has a small problem adjusting to change. A blond haired woman comes into
the office, and Billy exclaims, "Georgia!". Billy introduces her to Ally, she is Georgia, his wife. Georgia reminds Billy
of their reservations, and he just wants two more seconds with Ally. He gives her some papers, and Ally says that
Georgia seemed nice. Billy says that they’ve known   each other long enough to
know that she was hoping that Georgia was ugly, or missing some teeth or something. Ally nods in agreement, but
says that Billy needs to give her something more. She’s trying to pry some "dirt" from Billy about Georgia.
This is obviously one of the private jokes between them. Billy finally consents, saying that Georgia snores, and
has a bunion. Ally looks satisfied with that.
  Ally and Renee are dancing at a bar after work. During a voiceover, you hear how Ally
and Renee talk about some of the people dancing. There are two dancing twins, that the girls like to dance with.
They are back at the apartment now, and Renee is telling Ally that she needs to get Jack Billings, to keep him
from grabbing other women’s buttocks. There is a knock at the door, it’s Georgia. Ally looks surprised to see her.
Georgia would like to talk to Ally alone, about Billy. Georgia says that Billy told her that they had gone out
on a few dates.   She thinks that Ally might still have some feeling about Billy,
and that makes her uncomfortable. Ally says it was more than just a few dates, they were exclusive in high school,
and at Harvard. Georgia is shocked when she learns that they were also lovers. Ally says that she shouldn’t worry,
it’s all in the past anyway. Georgia spots a picture of Ally and Billy on the mantle, and tells Ally she hates
her. Ally says that’s ok, she hates her too, and they both laugh.
  The next morning Billy has come to get Ally for the Billings deposition. Jack is representing
himself during the hearing. Jack doesn’t take the hearing very seriously, so they go off the record, where Jack
is still downplaying the buttocks grabbing episode. Afterwards, Ally and Billy go into the unisex, and argue about
the case, and she mentions Billy’s own downplaying tactics. Ally says that Georgia told her how he downplayed their
relationship, she thinks he should have told her the truth. The truth being that Billy loved Ally. She  then gets insecure, and asks if Billy did love her. He responds that he did, so much so that he would leave an
open phone line at night, just to hear Ally breathe. Richard then appears out of one of the unisex stalls, and
Billy is outraged that Richard heard that conversation. Ally goes flying out of the unisex, followed by Richard.
He brings up the airline case again, and Ally tells him she can’t do it. She says she has a problem with conference
room meetings, she gets insecure, and shrinks.
Vonda Shepard is singing at the bar where Ally and Renee are at. Ally is telling Renee her troubles, and Renee
thinks Ally should quit the job. Ally says she won’t do that, she would appear weak. Renee tells Ally to stop being
in love with Billy, and find someone else. The music is triggering some flashbacks about Billy to Ally, and she’s
not so sure she can let go of him.
walking on the stree
walking on the stree
Ally is walking on the street, with a cute little scarf around her neck. Ally is in court, doing her appeal on
her case. She is on a roll, and really gives an impressive speech.
walking
on the stree
walking on the stree
  Ally is now back at the office, and spots Richard talking to Jack Billings. Ally is outraged,
and goes in to see what’s up. Richard explains to Ally that he has offered to double Jack’s salary if he’ll join
their firm. Jack is the kind of lawyer that is better on their side, than against it, since he is so convincing
  with his tricks. Ally says that she’ll quit if Jack is hired at the firm. Ally and Richard
argue about Jack, and Richard says that he assumes Jack made up the whole OCD thing, and Jack confesses that he
did, but he didn’t hear that from him. Richard then produces a tape player, and looks victorious. The whole thing
was an excellent set-up! Richard says that the lawsuit will continue, along with this wonderful little admission.
  Ally is elated while talking to Renee on her cell phone. She says that Jack will have
to settle. She is going to meet Renee, but first goes into her office. She goes in to find Georgia sitting in her
office. Georgia says she shouldn’t have gone to Ally’s apartment, she was wrong about that. She just wanted to
  admit a difficulty about Ally working in the firm. She is sure that it will get better
with time. Elaine and Renee interrupt them, and Renee gets mouthy with Georgia. Richard butts in too, while Elaine
fills him in. Billy then comes in, and Richard says they need to all go to lunch and then concentrate on the airline
case. Georgia apologizes to Ally before leaving.
 Billy is talking with the clients on the
airline case. Ally is watching him from the other end of the table, thinking how cute he is. She speaks up, with
her plan of action, and everyone looks pleased with her thoughts. Next, Richard, Ally, and Billy, are toasting
each other, they have landed the client. Billy brings up a toast to Ally, for joining the firm. Ally excuses herself,
and goes to her office. Her thoughts are interrupted by Billy, who comes in saying that things won’t work out.
Ally says that Billy should leave the firm then, but he says he came all the way from Michigan. Ally says "Well if you hadn’t gone to Michigan in the first place."
Ally says she still loves Billy, and isn’t afraid to admit it.
He says he still loves her, but he also loves the woman he’s   married to. Ally excuses herself
to get some work done, and Billy leaves. Ally goes to close her door, and repeats the mantra while hitting her
head on the door, "I have my health." Ally leaves to go home, and Richard joins her in the elevator. Richard says that
love is something you can’t bank on, the only thing you can is- money. " Make enough money, everything else will follow." (This is Richard’s first Fishism)
 Ally
is walking home while Vonda is singing her song, Neighborhood. Ally is having flashbacks about Billy. Ally is talking
through a voiceover, and says that she isn’t sure she even wants to be happy, what else is there when you’re content.
She’s just happy now with the quest, and that keeps her going for now.
going for now.
Errant thoughts:
I’m writing this summary after viewing it for the second time. I tried to remember the thoughts I had back then.
- I felt so bad for Ally, you could just feel the tension
between Ally and Billy. It seemed to me that Billy has some residual feelings of his own to deal with.
- Ally and Georgia tried to pretend that they hated each
other, but they can’t deny that they both have the same good taste in men.
- Elaine comes off as such a busybody, just watching this
show from the start. Glad that she’s developed into more than that.
- Renee is outspoken, but obviously loyal to her friends.
- Richard is so funny, and on the hunt for the big money.
Some great lines:
- Richard, to Ally . "I’m
nothing if not redundant. I also repeat myself."
- Ally, about Billy, "Men
are like gum anyway, after you chew, they lose their flavor."
- Ally, about herself, "Sometimes
I’m more persuasive when I lack conviction."
- Richard, about the Jack Billings case, "It’s not just winning, it’s winning ugly that matters."
summary by allyfan98.
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