Jerry Espenson

Infobox character
name = Jerry Espenson


caption = Jerry "Hands" Espenson on "Boston Legal"
first = "Legal Deficits"
December 13, 2005
(Boston Legal, Season 2)
last =
cause =
nickname = Hands
alias =
species =
gender =Male
age =
born =
death =
occupation = Lawyer
specialty = Business law
title = Associate of Crane, Poole & Schmidt (From unkrown To 2006) (Rehire In (2007- )
callsign =Purrs,Makes Pop Sounds
family =
spouse =
children =
relatives =
residence =Boston
episode = 38
portrayer = Christian Clemenson
creator = David E. Kelley

Jerry Espenson is a recurring character in the ABC television series "Boston Legal," played by Christian Clemenson. He first appeared in the 2005 episode "Legal Deficits", in which he was also called "Hands" because of his awkward habit of keeping his hands stiffly attached to his thighs in front of him. Other bizarre characteristics include purring under his breath when he feels slighted and bouncing straight up when surprised. When he makes an incalculable or grievous error, he begins to "whoop" uncontrollably, almost to the point of hyperventilating.

Espenson is a brilliant lawyer who has Asperger syndrome, and possibly also Tourette syndrome, which interferes with his ability to interact socially with other people, but also makes him a masterful interpreter of the law and its language. His expertise is in financial law. Espenson has both a Juris Doctor and an MBA from Harvard Law School and Harvard Business School. He is a walking lie-detector, and a talented painter.

Early life

Little is known about Jerry's early life before Boston Legal, but he reveals that he was distant from both of his parents, who never hugged him as a child. His father was a "man of firm handshakes" while he had a somewhat tense relationship with his mother. Before working at Crane, Poole, and Schmidt, Espenson worked in an undisclosed profession where he had so little contact with other people that he dialed an information number just to hear a person's voice. He revealed that at one point during this period of isolation, he considered suicide.

Crane, Poole, and Schmidt

Prior to his first appearance, Espenson's Asperger's had gone undiagnosed. He makes his first appearance in the second season, when he is called in to help Alan Shore on a case. Shortly afterward, he is passed up for partnership for the third and final time by Shirley Schmidt despite fifteen years of loyal and exemplary service, due to "awkward social behavior". He subsequently loses control at an office party and holds a knife to Shirley's throat. Shore persuades Espenson to let Schmidt go on the condition that he represent him after he is charged. It is only after Espenson is on trial for the incident that his condition is diagnosed; Shore convinces Schmidt to drop the charges if Espenson agrees to receive treatment, which he does. Fired from Crane, Poole & Schmidt, Espenson opens his own law firm. Eventually, he is rehired by Schmidt.

In the third season, Espenson acquires through therapy a wooden stick shaped like a cigarette (though he does not smoke) that he describes as "a proprioceptive tool". Previously his awkward personality led to difficulties in negotiating in a courtroom, and even merely talking to others, but when the stick is in his mouth, he becomes a completely different person: He uses it as a tool to mask his social deficiencies with an uncharacteristic decorum of rude, abrasive, yet glib arrogance. Many attempts to rid him of this brilliant but annoying psychological crutch are usually met with intelligent and summary refusals.

Espenson becomes close personal friends with Shore, who is the first colleague to see beyond his eccentricities and who on several occasions helps him out of difficult situations, such as defending him against a charge of attempted murder, introducing him to a sexual surrogate,cite episode
title = Can't We All Get a Lung? | episodelink = | series = Boston Legal
serieslink = Boston Legal | network = ABC | airdate = 2006-09-19
season = 3 | number = 1 ] and providing him legal and moral support in his own court cases. However, in the episode "The Good Lawyer", Espenson and Shore's friendship is damaged when Espenson's newfound confidence pushes Shore to a breaking point, causing Shore to harshly berate Espenson, causing him to regress to the early stages of his Asperger's. During "Guise 'n Dolls", Espenson continues to use his arrogant, offensive persona against lawyers "like [Shore] ": The two compete in the courtroom when Shore pursues a case against a toy manufacturer that Espenson represents. After repeated pleas from Shore to drop the persona, Espenson does so when delivering his closing statement; ultimately, Espenson wins. While Shore acknowledges that Espenson's alter ego was "brilliant", he reveals Espenson's real self is "one of the best lawyers" he's ever seen; Espenson then happily forgives Shore for berating him earlier.

In "Guantanamo By The Bay", Espenson broke the "fourth wall" on "Boston Legal": When Schmidt admits him back into the Crane, Poole & Schmidt firm, he mentions that there is a "happy song" he cannot get out of his head. Schmidt asks him to hum a few bars in the song, and he sings the "Boston Legal" theme song as the opening credits roll. Further breach of the "fourth wall" by Jerry is when he alludes to the Writers Strike to explain the sudden occurrence getting into a serious relationship. Espenson becomes a main character in season four of "Boston Legal". He shares an office with Katie Lloyd, a new associate, in whom he eventually develops a romantic interest.

Romantic interests

Espenson was at one point attracted to Katie Lloyd, the associate whom he shares an office with. She told him she never considered him more than a friend, but appreciated his honesty in regards to how he felt. They remain close friends, and Katie often helps Espenson deal with his shyness around women.

At one point, Espenson had an on and off relationship with a client named Leigh Swift, who suffers from Asperger's Syndrome and suffers from "objectophelia", a sexual attraction to objects. Espenson briefly dates Leigh before she leaves him for an iPhone. Leigh later returns when she is fired from her teaching job for hugging a student in distress and asks Jerry to represent her when she sues the school to get her job back. They lose but end up hugging at the end. Jerry and Leigh begin dating again, but Leigh becomes increasingly paranoid of Katie, whom she (wrongfully) believes is trying to steal Jerry. Katie exposes that Leigh has been threatening her, they again break up, leaving Jerry heartbroken.

Jerry soon begins a new relationship with an attractive, younger girl named Dana but she sues him for sexual assault after she discovers Jerry is using a hormone inducing chemical drug which causes couples to become more trustworthy with each other and to bond easier. Under advice from Katie, Jerry apologises for using the drug and persuades Dana to drop the case and the two restart their relationship,cite episode
title = The Mighty Rogues | episodelink = | series = Boston Legal
serieslink = Boston Legal | network = ABC | airdate = 2008-04-15
season = 4 | number = 16 ] leading to Jerry losing his virginity. In "The Court Supreme", it is revealed that Dana is in fact a high priced call-girl in the employment of Lorraine Weller. An upset Jerry ends their relationship and refuses to speak to her, refusing to date an escort. In "The Gods Must Be Crazy" Dana returns and seeks Jerry's help after she is arrested for prostitution. Dana asks Jerry if there was any chance of getting back together, to which he answered no. A heartbroken Dana then bid him goodbye, and towards the end of the episode it is revealed she has disappeared; her current whereabouts are unknown.

References