New 'Girls' in Town

Image credit: Girl's Club: Timothy White

TIES THAT BIND Robertson, Leigh, and Mol break out of ''Ally'''s shadow

Ally McWho? Fox's promos for David E. Kelley's new legal drama ''girls club'' -- about a trio of female lawyers in San Francisco -- tout that it's ''from the creator of 'Boston Public' and 'The Practice,''' but there's no mention of Kelley's ''Ally McBeal.'' My, my -- is the network looking to distance itself from its groundbreaking (but recently canceled) series? A Fox spokesman says simply, ''We chose to only reference dramas that will be on the air this fall.'' Meanwhile, club coexecutive producer (and former ''Ally'' and ''Public'' director) Jack Bender understands the net's motivation. '''Ally' shouldn't be avoided, but I think [Fox] is doing their best to say the show is going to be different,'' he says. ''David is fully prepared to have everybody come out saying that [it's similar to 'Ally'].''

But it's not, says Bender: Kelley's latest take on legal eagles follows three Stanford Law School grads (''Rounders''' Gretchen Mol, Beverly Hills, ''90210'''s Kathleen Robertson, and ''That '80s Show'''s Chyler Leigh) who bunk together and score jobs at an old-boys law firm. ''These three women are associates, which is not an easy thing to be,'' says Bender. ''The pressure is on to survive with their dignity and humor intact within this metaphorical girls club versus boys club.'' Fine, but let's hope these lady lawyers don't have to endure a unisex bathroom.

(Additional reporting by William Keck)