| Genre: | Drama |
| Runtime: | 44 minutes |
| Creator: | David E. Kelley |
| Composer: | Danny Lux |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Company: | David E. Kelley Productions 20th Century Fox Television |
| Network: | Fox |
| Num Seasons: | 4 |
| Num Episodes: | 81 |
| List Episodes: | List of Boston Public episodes |
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]
Boston Public initially preceded Ally McBeal on Monday nights. 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]
See main article: List of Boston Public characters.
| Actor | Character | Seasons | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steven Harper | 1–4 | Principal | ||
| Scott Guber | 1–4 | Vice Principal | ||
| Lauren Davis | 1–2 | Social Studies teacher; left Winslow to teach at a private school | ||
| Harry Senate | 1–3 (episodes 1–49) | Teacher of "the Dungeon"; quit in episode 49 | ||
| Marla Hendricks | 1–4 | Social Studies teacher | ||
| Marilyn Sudor | 1–4 | English teacher and music instructor | ||
| Harvey Lipschultz | 1–4 | History teacher | ||
| Louisa Fenn | 1–2 | Secretary | ||
| Kevin Riley | 1 (episodes 1–13; special guest appearance in episode 18) | Football coach; fired in episode 13 | ||
| Milton Buttle | 1 (episodes 1–13; special guest appearance in episode 15) | English teacher; fired in episode 13 | ||
| Meredith Peters | 1–2; recurring in season 1 | Teacher | ||
| Ronnie Cooke | 2–4 | Teacher; assistant vice principal (end of season 3); guidance counselor (season 4) | ||
| Danny Hanson | 2–4 | Teacher | ||
| Brooke Harper | 2–3; recurring in season 2 | Student | ||
| Zach Fischer | 3 | Physics teacher | ||
| Colin Flynn | 3 | English Teacher | ||
| Kimberly Woods | 3 (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 | ||
| Marcy Kendall | 2–3 (not featured in opening credits but receives "also starring" billing); guest during season 2 | Principal's assistant and student | ||
| Natalia Baron | Carmen Torres | 4 | Physics teacher |
See main article: List of Boston Public 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]
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).
Boston Public received a total of 31 nominations from various award ceremonies, and won 8 of them.[6]
Emmy Awards
Peabody Awards
Emmy Awards
Television Critics Association Awards