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{{Short description|American television series}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = Boston Public (Fox TV series) David E. Kelley Productions logo.svg
| genre = [[Drama]]
| runtime = 44 minutes
| creator = [[David E. Kelley]]
| starring = {{Plain list|
* [[Jessalyn Gilsig]]
* [[Chi McBride]]
* [[Anthony Heald]]
* [[Nicky Katt]]
* [[Tom McCarthy (director)|Thomas McCarthy]]
* [[Loretta Devine]]
* [[Joey Slotnick]]
* [[Rashida Jones]]
* [[Sharon Leal]]
* [[Jeri Ryan]]
* [[Jon Abrahams]]
* [[China Shavers|China Jesusita Shavers]]
* [[Joey McIntyre]]
* Natalia Baron
* [[Michael Rapaport]]
* [[Kathy Baker]]
* [[Fyvush Finkel]]
}}
| composer = [[Danny Lux]]
| country = United States
| language = English
| company = [[David E. Kelley|David E. Kelley Productions]]<br />[[20th Century Fox Television]]
| network = [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]
| first_aired = {{Start date|2000|10|23}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2004|1|30}}
| executive_producer = {{Plain list|
* [[David E. Kelley]]
* [[Jonathan Pontell]]
* [[Jason Katims]]
}}
| num_seasons = 4
| num_episodes = 81
| list_episodes = List of Boston Public episodes
| related     = {{Plainlist|
* ''[[Boston Legal]]''
}}
}}

'''''Boston Public''''' is <!-- Please do NOT change to "was", see [[WP:TENSE]] -->an American [[drama (film and television)|drama]] television series created by [[David E. Kelley]] and broadcast on [[Fox Broadcasting Company|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."<ref>[https://greatshowsontv.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html Boston Public article], ''Great Television Shows Blog'', February 22, 2007</ref>

==History==
''Boston Public'' initially preceded ''[[Ally McBeal]]'' on Monday nights. However, [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] moved it to the [[Friday night death slot]] for its fourth season.<ref>[http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=5996 'Bernie,' 'Boston' Make Friday Switch on Fox]</ref> 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 (US TV network)|TV One]].<ref>[http://www.tv.com/boston-public/chapter-eighty/episode/295935/summary.html?tag=episode_header;next Boston Public: Chapter Eighty episode on TV.com]</ref> 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 Awards|Peabody Award]] for "Chapter Thirty-Seven".<ref>[http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?id=20060406abc01 The Futon Critic]</ref><ref name="peabody"/>

==Cast and characters==
{{main|List of Boston Public characters}}
[[File:Bp-cast.jpg|thumb|right|The first season cast of ''Boston Public'']]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Actor !! Character !! Seasons !! Role
|-
| [[Chi McBride]] || Steven Harper || 1–4 || Principal
|-
| [[Anthony Heald]] || Scott Guber || 1–4 || Vice Principal
|-
| [[Jessalyn Gilsig]] || Lauren Davis || 1–2 || Social Studies teacher; left Winslow to teach at a private school
|-
| [[Nicky Katt]] || Harry Senate || 1–3 (episodes 1–49) || Teacher of "the Dungeon"; quit in episode 49
|-
| [[Loretta Devine]] || Marla Hendricks || 1–4 || Social Studies teacher
|-
| [[Sharon Leal]] || Marilyn Sudor || 1–4 || English teacher and music instructor
|-
| [[Fyvush Finkel]] || Harvey Lipschultz || 1–4 || History teacher
|-
| [[Rashida Jones]] || Louisa Fenn || 1–2 || Secretary
|-
| [[Tom McCarthy (director)|Thomas McCarthy]] || Kevin Riley || 1 (episodes 1–13; special guest appearance in episode 18) || Football coach; fired in episode 13
|-
| [[Joey Slotnick]] || Milton Buttle || 1 (episodes 1–13; special guest appearance in episode 15) || English teacher; fired in episode 13
|-
| [[Kathy Baker]] || Meredith Peters || 1–2; recurring in season 1 || Teacher
|-
| [[Jeri Ryan]] || Ronnie Cooke || 2–4 || Teacher; assistant vice principal (end of season 3); guidance counselor (season 4)
|-
| [[Michael Rapaport]] || Danny Hanson || 2–4 || Teacher
|-
| [[China Shavers|China Jesusita Shavers]] || Brooke Harper || 2–3; recurring in season 2 || Student
|-
| [[Jon Abrahams]] || Zach Fischer || 3 || Physics teacher
|-
| [[Joey McIntyre]] || Colin Flynn || 3 || English Teacher
|-
| [[Michelle Monaghan]] || 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
|-
| [[Cara DeLizia]] || 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
|}

==Episodes==
{{Main|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.<ref>[http://www.thefutoncritic.com/showatch.aspx?id=boston_public Shows A-Z Boston Public on Fox | TheFutonCritic.com]</ref>
{{:List of Boston Public episodes}}

===Crossover with ''The Practice''===
{{See also|The Practice#Crossovers}}
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).

==Awards and nominations==
''Boston Public'' received a total of 31 nominations from various award ceremonies, and won 8 of them.<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247081/awards IMDd: Boston Public]</ref>

===Awards won===
'''[[Emmy Award]]s'''
* Outstanding Art Direction for a Single Camera Series (2001)

'''[[NAACP Image Awards]]'''
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series&nbsp;– [[Loretta Devine]] (2001, 2003–2004)

'''[[Peabody Award]]s'''
* Peabody Award for Episode "Chapter Thirty-Seven"<ref name="peabody">[http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/boston-public-chapter-thirty-seven 62nd Annual Peabody Awards], May 2003.</ref>

'''[[Young Artist Award]]s'''
* Best Performance in a TV Series&nbsp;– Guest Starring Young Actor&nbsp;– [[Thomas Dekker (actor)|Thomas Dekker]] (2004)

===Nominations===
'''[[Emmy Award]]s'''
* Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series&nbsp;– [[Kathy Baker]] (2001)

'''[[NAACP Image Awards]]'''
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series&nbsp;– [[Rashida Jones]] (2002)
* Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series&nbsp;– [[Loretta Devine]] (2002)
* Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series&nbsp;– [[Vanessa Bell Calloway]] (2002)
* Outstanding Drama Series (2002–2004)

'''[[TCA Awards|Television Critics Association Awards]]'''
* Individual Achievement in Drama&nbsp;– [[Chi McBride]] (2001)

'''[[Young Artist Award]]s'''
* Best Performance in a TV Drama Series&nbsp;– Guest Starring Young Actress&nbsp;– [[Ashley Tisdale]] (2001)
* Best Family TV Drama Series (2002)
* Best Performance in a TV Series&nbsp;– Guest Starring Young Actor&nbsp;– [[Miko Hughes]] (2004)

'''[[Teen Choice Awards]]'''
* Choice TV Breakout Star Female&nbsp;– [[Tamyra Gray]] (2003)

==Availability==
In 2023, ''[[TVLine]]'' called ''Boston Public'' "lost in the digital age," noting its unavailability on either [[DVD]] or streaming services.<ref>{{cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Ryan |date=July 10, 2023 |title=The 10 Most Requested TV Shows Not Available on a Major Streaming Service — and Where to Potentially Find Them |url=https://tvline.com/lists/tv-shows-not-streaming-watch-homicide-moonlighting-knots-landing/ |website=[[TVLine]] |access-date=April 18, 2025}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0247081}}
* {{epguides|BostonPublic}}

{{David E. Kelley}}
{{GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Individual Episode}}

[[Category:2000 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:2004 American television series endings]]
[[Category:2000s American drama television series]]
[[Category:2000s American high school television series]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Peabody Award–winning television programs]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Boston]]
[[Category:Television series about bullying]]
[[Category:Television series about educators]]
[[Category:Television series by 20th Century Fox Television]]
[[Category:The Practice]]
[[Category:Television series created by David E. Kelley]]
[[Category:Fox Broadcasting Company television dramas]]