Well, that's an interesting question. My first day, I came in late. So I felt like everyone knew each other and it was my first day at a new school. Everyone was very, very sweet and we were all relatively polite to each other. And that fell apart very quickly. We all have the same childish sense of humor -- so you just assume that everyone is kidding all the time. It feels like a family -- I mean we tease each other like brothers and sisters. I don't know if that's created by the long hours or that the material's so good that it creates this intimacy just by doing it. It's a great place to work.

I asked this yesterday to your male co-stars -- do you think you understand women any better at the end of a season? I'll ask you the same -- do you appreciate or look at men differently after one season at "Ally McBeal?"

It's interesting -- I think I do because the men here are so kind. You know, the men I work with on set and behind the scenes -- it's really a great group of men. It's a very safe place to work. And also, they're doing David [E. Kelley]'s writing- so it's even kinder.

What kind of reaction have you been getting from fans this year — have they been along the lines of "Stand by your man," or more like, "How dare you stand between Ally and Billy?"

People who talk to me probably have a different take from what they say to Calista — "You guys were meant to be together" — while to me, they take the party line — "How can you let her do that?" Now, I think the triangle's done. One of David's strengths as a writer is he gets bored of a storyline before the audience does. With the triangle fading, they're discovering Billy and Georgia's relationship, and that is fun. They had thought a lot about why Billy and Ally couldn't be together, and they thought about why Ally and Georgia should be friends, but they sort of forgot why Billy and Georgia should be together. Now, we're starting to do that.

You had decided to sit out a year when David Kelley called. Were you looking forward to a break? If that was your mindset, how difficult was it to hop back into things?

It was tough. For one thing, I wanted a year off because I was tired. So tired. And here I was, coming on a new show, everything was new. As an actor, you either have no hiatus, or a four-year hiatus — you have to be grateful for what you have. But this first year was an extraordinary experience, in the writing, the energy and the friendliness of the cast, the unity of the crew. I do not think I would have made it if it hadn't been for that. That made up for my lack of physical energy — it was intellectually stimulating and emotionally challenging, and that made it easier for me.

You've gone from Melrose Place, a show where the writing...

Careful... [laughs]

[Carefully] ... wasn't considered one of its strong suits, to this highly acclaimed show. How would you compare the atmosphere on the respective sets?

They're extraordinarily different in every way. Melrose does what it does extremely well. We looked for ways to make it light and fun. We were playing, creating this surreal world. On Ally, we're doing that as well, while we're searching for the tone. It's exaggerated in a different way. Melrose was melodrama, Ally is comedy and straight drama. Melrose had 15 very separate storylines — once you would see one to the end, something would explode and people would die. (laughs) Here, we work as a group more, which is more fun. I love that. There were some times on Melrose where you'd have scenes with just one other actor for weeks and months at a time. In this first year of Ally, we're all playing off each other, getting the tone of scenes. It's fun, and creates a sense of unity amongst the cast. People would come on Melrose, like Lisa Rinna — I don't think I ever had a scene with her. I can't say that about anyone on Ally.

What was your favorite subplot involving your character on Melrose?

I had the most fun. I liked when she was drinking, because I got to go hysterical — she got mad and had some backbone. Otherwise, she just whined a lot. And who wouldn't — look at her life.

Georgia is certainly different from your last role in a Kelley production, the Laker Girl on L.A. Law.

I was told she was an aspiring actress. Then, the first day, I walk into wardrobe, and there's this tiny leotard. 'Oh,' they told me, 'she's a Laker Girl.' I had no idea, but there I was.

And you didn't even make the cheer-leading squad in high school.

Yes, thanks for bringing it up. [laughs]. At the time, it was a big scandal. I think I found out they had filled in all the spots by the time I tried out. It was not fair. At the time, it was dramatic and terribly important — everyone else was on the squad, but I wasn't. But I ended up in the drama department.

What has been the reaction of the cast and brain trust to the endless deconstruction of Ally McBeal in the media? What is it about this show that has touched such a nerve?