Making Spirits Bright

Season: 2

Episode: 10

Production Code: AM210

First Air Date: December 14, 1998

Director: Peter MacNicol

Writer: David E. Kelley

# of Times Richard said Bygones: ?

Guest Stars:

Mark Linn-Baker as Sheldon Maxwell
Richard T. Jones as Matt Griffin
Dyan Cannon as Whipper Cone
Lara Flynn Boyle as Helen Gamble
Lee Wilkof as Attorney Nixon
John de Lancie as Jackson Poile
Amy Castle as "young Ally" Lucy Liu as Ling Woo

Synopsis:

The David E. Kelley version of Miracle on 34th Street, with Ally McBeal as the sweet little girl and a unicorn standing in for Jolly Old St. Nick.

The episode unfolds with John Cage stealthily approaching his target underneath the mistletoe, only to mess up because Nelle already knew he was coming.

The Caseload: Sheldon Maxwell is the firm's biggest client and he was recently fired from his job as a bond trader because he mentioned to his co-workers that he saw a unicorn.

Meanwhile everyone's having their share of holiday problems, first Ling merrily arrives bringing Christmas presents for one and all, but her joy comes to a screeching halt when she's informed that no one believes she's a charitable soul. That night having been unable to resist her very own Billy, as she's been advising Ally to do all these months, Renee slips between the sheets with Matt, only to have Ally accidentally walk in on them. The next day they get passionate again inside a witness room.

Judge Cone presides inside the courtroom , as Billy argues that there is no cause for dismissal since Sheldon Maxwell was still capable on the job. Opposing council, Henry Nixon, says his competency isn't really the issue, it's what outside investors may think that counts. Later, Billy reminds Ally that once upon a time she told him she saw a unicorn too.

Renee confides in Ally about the latest developments in her tumultuous love life. First Matt hands her the good news that he's leaving his wife and then as a sort of afterthought he mentions that she's pregnant.

Back on the witness stand, Sheldon's boss Jackson Poile's testimony is turned upside down by Billy's clever plan. He asks the Catholic if it would be more acceptable if Sheldon had seen the second coming of Christ instead of a fairytale figment. Whipper's intrigued. Afterwards, Sheldon and Ally bond over their mutual sightings, she even admits that she patted the mystical creature, that means she has a pure spirit he tells her.

For his closing Billy says that it was probably just an hallucination, just the same, since unicorns symbolize hope, they shouldn't judge a person for looking for it in a strange place. The Whip agrees.

At the apartment, Matt informs Renee that he'd rather not go public just yet for his wife's sake. Only a moment before Ally had told her that if she's happy she should go with it, but she wisely decides he'd only destroy her and escorts him to the door.

Towards the end of the Christmas party, The Biscuit once again tries to slyly approach Nelle under the mistletoe, instead she catches him by surprise and plants a powerful kiss on him. The episode comes to a close with Ally spotting a unicorn and wishing it a Merry Christmas. Awww.

AM-210 ©1998 Almost Human