# William Shatner's Boston Legal Meta Joke

> William Shatner's 20-year-old Boston Legal meta joke remains TV's greatest meta moment.
- Title: William Shatner's Boston Legal Meta Joke · ScreenRant
- Summary: William Shatner's 20-year-old Boston Legal meta joke remains TV's greatest meta moment. William Shatner's Boston Legal joke about 'captaining his own…
- Keywords: boston legal, william shatner, denny crane, star trek, meta joke, tv history, entertainment, culture, William, Shatner's, Boston, Legal
- Source: ScreenRant — https://screenrant.com/boston-legal-william-shatner-denny-crane-spaceship-joke-best-meta-tv-comedy
- Author: Cher Thompson
- Published: 2026-10-20T19:30:18+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: boston legal, william shatner, denny crane, star trek, meta joke, tv history, entertainment, culture
## William Shatner's Boston Legal Role
William Shatner played eccentric attorney Denny Crane on Boston Legal, a show that ran for five seasons.
## Denny Crane's Meta Joke
Denny Crane joked about 'captaining his own spaceship' during a self-promotion moment on Boston Legal season 3.

> I once captained my own spaceship!
## Star Trek Legacy
Shatner's Star Trek role as Captain Kirk made him a science fiction icon before Boston Legal.
## Why the Joke Stands Out
Shatner's tongue-in-cheek delivery made the joke iconic despite Denny Crane's Alzheimer's condition.
## Key takeaway

William Shatner's Boston Legal joke about 'captaining his own spaceship' is still the best meta TV moment.