When Eli Stone came back this season, it came back strong. Really strong. It looks like the viewers and the network don’t care, since beyond the 13 episodes that have already been shot, no more will be ordered. Sounds like a cancellation to me. Anyway, from Eli surviving the aneurysm surgery to Nate inheriting the visions to Eli taking them back, it was incredibly well done.
I’m not so sure about all the changes going on at Wethersby, Posner and Klein and Stone, though. Eli Stone seems to have lost its way a bit. Four things in particular are jumping out at me lately:
– Where’s Nate? Part of the charm and depth of Eli Stone is the relationship between these two brothers, and how they navigate their past with their unusual dad. By burning the notebooks, did Eli also destroy that entire storyline?
– Maggie’s admission that she loves Eli was probably a big mistake. Sure, they haven’t gotten together, but still, gone is the daily interplay between the two characters that was lighthearted and entertaining. Did Maggie really need to grow up so much so fast?
– Taylor’s pregnancy is the biggest shark-jump-like moment for me. Why force the Matt / Taylor relationship? And why add a baby to the mix? That isn’t really what this show is about, so I don’t know why they’d do it. They can gain nothing from a bundle of joy at this point.
– It seems that we are leaving Nate and the other former main characters to get to know some of the supporting ones. This is great when it is done in context, like when Eli and Matt worked on the green card case together last week. But what was the deal with Keith dating Patty’s daughter? They were a cute couple, and I know they’ve set it up for some conflict now, but why couldn’t we get to know Keith (a character I do love) through his interactions with Eli or Jordan?
Granted, shame on ABC for not giving Eli Stone a fair chance. Don’t they remember that the writer’s strike screwed lots of show up last season? But then again, they aren’t willing to bet on Dirty Sexy Money or Pushing Daisies, either. It makes me sad that these three unique shows will just end up in our memories, and on IMDb and Wikipedia of course. And hopefully TV on DVD.
So, it looks like there will be lots of room on ABC’s winter schedule for The Bachelor, According to Jim, and whatever other run-of-the-mill sitcoms and reality shows they can dream up. Or if we’re lucky, maybe we’ll get another formuliac procedural.
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Nov 21, 2008 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
I’m really shocked with DSM and Eli Stone. I figured DSM would be moved at least because it fit into the soap opera bullshit that ABC loves. Eli Stone is an interesting lawyer show and they don’t have any lawyer shows now. Pushing Daisies… well come on, did anyone think that would last?
I’m pissed about Eli Stone. Truly.
I don’t think, however, that the secondary plot lines have had that much affect.
I actually like grown-up, non-irritating Maggie. Though I do agree that throwing in a baby storyline = meh. Not that we’ll see it anyway, though.
Yeah, annoyed this got canceled, but it was another show that would have been outright canceled if not for the writer’s strike, so at least we got this much.
Eli Stone was probably the best thing on tv right now (with Life)… said from someone who watch almost all the shows.
Its a shame they let go a so uplifted show.
Eli Stone imploded for me when Tom Cruise’s wife showed up. She really really looked like someone who should be rescued.
I’d rather watch more Everwood than this crap. Cancel it, I don’t care.
Everwood?! Everwood is crap, same regurgitated stuff that has been over played in other shows… all ways is, all ways will. Same with LOST, which is an adult version of Land of The Lost mixed with Lord of the Flies (which even though they get off the isle all ways seem to come back), and several other bigger shows. I only watch TV just for Eli Stone. Oh well, guess it is for writing angry hate mails to the pieces of garbage in scheduling and the jokes of executives at ABC. Anybody ever get the feeling that these morons never give enough time for a story to develop cause they base a lot of show on 1 season contracts when it take 2 seasons to get a good grasp. As a writer you write based upon what time is given so alot of shows go 1 season writing for an end and then there is a renew and it gets all messed up from there. So since you get a second year contract you design the show to go longer only now to leave people hanging in the end due to some corporates not renewing. Shoot the corporate heads, they know nothing.