David E. Kelley seems to be obsessed with polygamy.
Kelley, of course, is the Emmy-winning creator/writer/executive producer of such TV shows as "Ally McBeal," "The Practice," "Chicago Hope" and "Picket Fences." He's one of the most talented - and certainly the most prolific - writers working in television today. And he's also married to actress Michelle Pfeiffer.So what's with this polygamy obsession?
You may recall that, some years back, Kelley wrote an episode of "Picket Fences" in which the teenage daughter, Kimberly (Holly Marie Combs), believes one of her friends is being sexually abused by the girl's father. However, it turns out that the girl is actually a polygamous wife of the supposed "father."
(This was the episode that caused KSL-Ch. 5 to yank "Picket Fences" off the air, despite a strong statement by one of the show's characters that the LDS Church does not condone the practice of polygamy.)
You may also recall that just last year Kelley wrote an episode of "Ally McBeal" that featured a case involving multiple wives. In this case, the law firm petitioned the court to allow a man already married to one woman to marry another who had been living as his de facto second wife.
And on this Sunday's episode of "The Practice" (9 p.m., Ch. 4), Kelley has written a plot line in which Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott) takes on the case of a young woman who claims she was forced into a polygamous marriage.
This has got to be more than a coincidence. Although when you write as many episodes of a weekly TV series as Kelley does, it's not too surprising that themes get re-used.
But what is his obsession with polygamy? And should Michelle Pfeiffer be worried?
AN UGLY INCIDENT: What could possibly be worse than when Donny Osmond kissed Larry King on the lips on "Donny & Marie" earlier this week?
How about when King commented that, given the fact that his wife is LDS, he's apparently attracted to Mormons of both genders?
Larry King. Ick.
The Osmonds' new daytime talk show is decent, but if something like that ever happens again I'll never watch it again. As it is, I may never be able to look at Donny the same way again.
HAPPY 100TH: The upcoming 100th episode of "Touched by an Angel" - scheduled to air Sunday, Nov. 15 - will feature a pair of singing stars. Wynonna will play a mother whose son is dying of cystic fibrosis; Celine Dion will play herself.
Oh, and both of them will sing.