Eli Stone: Just another reason to stop giving network television a chance

When I look at this year’s slate of the networks’ new offerings, it’s pretty disappointing. When I compare it to the 2007 slate, it’s downright depressing. What makes the whole thing suck more (and suck is the right word here), is that so many of the shows I instantly fell in love with that year were canceled quickly (Journeyman, K-Ville), or were given just enough rope to hang themselves in the second season (Life, Sarah Connor Chronicles).

There are also those other shows that I’m now giving a second chance (Moonlight) and those that as much as I might have liked them in the beginning, I won’t miss (Pushing Daisies). For the record, I’m not recognizing Private Practice, as I just don’t think it deserves it.  Oh, Chuck and Gossip Girl rule.

Eli Stone fits into the category of shows that were thankfully given a second chance, but never quite caught on. Shows like Stone, Life, and Journeyman really make me question what today’s television viewers want out of their programming. None of these shows were perfect (Though Journeyman may have been close), but it’s surprising to me how none of these (or any of the aforementioned shows) could catch on.

The cast is great. Jonny Lee Miller has crafted Eli to be such a unique personality. He’s not the sleazy lawyer he once was, nor has he turned into the “do-good” hero lawyer that is so stereotypical these days. Stone really is just a guy who doesn’t exactly know what’s going on, but wants to try to help people. He is an everyman who might just have an extraordinary gift. Or he could just be wacky. I don’t think we’ll ever really know.

Victor Garber also stands out, but let’s be honest; he does most of the time. The show’s staple was, quite honestly, the great musical numbers, and Garber was the anchor of the main cast in that department. He also gets the opportunity to play a dad with an interesting relationship with his daughter, though, let’s be honest, nothing compared to his last on-screen little girl. Garber plays the role with elegance and gravitas, and his is a talent that needs to find its way back on to the small screen sooner rather than later (Oh, thanks Glee!).

This week’s episode spends time focusing on one of my favorite parts of the show — the crazy relationship that is Eli and Maggie. Their relationship completely works, but is “cute” more than is necessarily “sexual tension.” Not to say they don’t have chemistry, but theirs is not a story that is rightfully based on them getting together and then ruined when they are together. The fact is that the writers never really got that, and kept engineering reasons for them to be apart. Tonight’s installment is all just a misspoken and misunderstood moment. Not keeping these two together was the only disappointment I ever had with the show.

I am glad that ABC is finally airing the remaining episodes, though viewers should not expect a pat little ending. There are three episodes remaining after tonight’s installment that push the overall storyline on a little, but not to an extent that we really feel comfortable with where it ends. That being said, however, it’s still much better that we do get to spend a little more time with the show, the characters, and the music.

Clacked by Ivey West
on Jun 21, 2009 @ 14:00 EST5EDT