When Ally McBeal aired, Ally wasn't exactly hailed as a feminist hero. There was plenty of criticism directed at Flockhart's character, and it was all too easy for people to conflate Ally's personality with Flockhart herself. As the Los Angeles Times recalled, some people viewed Ally as a "neurotic, man-hungry female that is a setback for intelligent, liberated women." Of course, this wasn't a pleasant experience for Flockhart, and she took it personally. Why wouldn't she? It was her first major role.
People who have worked with Flockhart admit that the media has often been too hard on her. "Wherever she shows up, for whatever reason, she's such a lightning rod for media and scrutiny and a certain kind of resentment, and I don't think that's always easy for her, but she's doing it," said Brothers & Sisters executive producer Ken Olin told the Times. "She's had to be tough. That hurts her feelings."
