The Fox Television series Ally McBeal, concerning the lives of employees at a contemporary law firm in Boston, struck a chord with viewers soon after its premier in September of 1997. Focusing on the life of the title character, played by Calista Flockhart, the show provoked a cultural dialogue about its portrayal of young, single career women. Fans enjoyed the updated take on working women as real human beings struggling with insecurities; the character of Ally was called a modern version of 1970s television heroine Mary Tyler Moore. Critics, however, derided the miniskirted characters in Ally McBeal as female stereotypes obsessed with getting married and having children. The show also gained notice for its frequent use of computer-enhanced effects, such as exaggerated facial expressions and the dancing baby that haunted Ally as a symbol of her desire for motherhood.

Further Reading:

Heywood, Leslie. "Hitting a Cultural Nerve: Another Season of 'AllyMcBeal."' Chronicle of Higher Education. September 4, 1998, B9.

Kingston, Philip. "You Will Love Her or Loathe Her—or Both." The Sunday Telegraph. February 8, 1998, 7.

Kloer, Phil. "The Secret Life of 'Ally McBeal': 'Seinfeld' Successor?" The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. February 2, 1998, B1.

Vorobil, Mary. "What's the Deal with 'Ally McBeal?" Newsday. February 9, 1998, B6.