Eli Stone – The Path

ABC

(Season 2, Episode 1 – Season Premiere)

I’ve really been looking forward to Eli Stone‘s return. Can we expect the same quirky fun as we did in season one, complete with musical numbers (if not the ol’ sport George Michael himself), far out visions and courtroom antics?

I hope so, and if this episode is any indication of the season to come, then we are off to a holier-than-huge start. Way to come roaring back into our livingrooms, Eli Stone.

Can you believe the awesomeness of this episode? I don’t even know where to begin. Maybe the beginning…. We got our gratuitous musical number, which really had to be included in the season opener. That Jonny Lee Miller sure is light on his feet….

The message throughout this episode was that everyone misses Eli’s visions in some way, because when he was crazy vision guy, he changed everyone he came in contact with. Eli, of course, missed all of this, just as he didn’t realize that he was a lot happier having the visions.

The only semi-lame bit in tonight’s episode was Taylor’s reaction to her father’s accident and her subsequent anger toward Eli. Plot #57 in the book of overused plot cliches.

But the twist? Wow, I did not see that one coming at all. A three-month long vision is unprecedented for Eli, and the monumental importance of it in teaching Eli how he needs to proceed with his life was astounding. I can’t say enough about how well-written this episode was. So now, they’ve set up the season to do a few things:

• Eli is not going to hide his visions, nor fear them.
• The people in Eli’s life will be more inclined to believe him, too, which will change the dynamics in a very interesting way.
• Jordan seems to be the one most changed (or “invigorated,” as he says) by Eli’s visions. This is going to play a huge part in where this season takes us. My prediction? Eli and Jordan will rent the vacant office that the vision of Sigourney Weaver was using, and start their own ethical law practice. It sure would be a fun twist anyway.

Other things I noticed or wonder about:

• When Eli was meeting with his “shrink” in the beginning, the writers chose a clever way to re-acquaint us with the major plot points of last season, and bring us up to speed with them four to six months later.
• The name of the bank Jordan got trapped in was Credit Dauphine — nice shout-out to Victor Garber’s former show, Alias. C’mon Alias fans, tell me you caught that!
• Best line of the night goes to Nate, at the acupuncturist’s office: “If I start getting stalked by the other guy from Wham….”
• Will Sigourney Weaver continue to make appearances throughout the season as God’s fiduciary? I would welcome that; I enjoyed her role in tonight’s episode.
• Am I not recalling correctly, or did Jordan not have a wife last season? She just came out of nowhere for me.
• I was feeling a little sad that Nate was going to be the keeper of the visions; very glad they resolved that situation the way they did.

How are you feeling about Eli Stone‘s premiere? Do you share in my elation?

Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Oct 14, 2008 @ 23:02 EST5EDT