Friday, August 28, 2009

Eli Stone: The Complete Second Season

Written by Senora Bicho

Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller) is an attorney who begins having visions due to a brain aneurysm, which direct him to the clients he represents. Season one ended with Eli in a coma after surgery to remove the aneurysm. Season two begins with a vision-free Eli but he is soon confronted with the consequences of his decision as the aneurysm is passed to his brother. As the season progresses, Taylor (Natasha Henstridge) and Matt (Sam Jaeger) continue their romance while Jordan (Victor Garber) tries to keep his new law firm alive. In addition to the visions, Eli also struggles with relationships that include a brief romance with guest-star Katie Homes and his on-again, off-again love interest Maggie (Julie Gonzalo). Since the show was canceled midseason, they were not able to wrap up all of the storylines. However, they did offer some closure in the final episode, leaving me in tears as the show usually did, and wanting more.

The 13 episodes of the second and final season of Eli Stone are included in this DVD offering. The potential bonus features were the reason I was looking forward to it, but since ABC canceled the series due to the ratings not meeting their expectations, there was no need on their part to spend any money on extras. Therefore, it is a dismal offering. “Dancing in the Streets” offers a behind-the-scenes peak at one of the big dance numbers and the massive amount of work that goes into it. “Good Morning Eli with Sam & Julie” features the antics of Jaeger and Gonzalo on the set. There are also deleted scenes and bloopers. If you loved the show like I did, you will find the so-called extras to be a huge disappointment.

This show is what is seriously lacking on TV today. It offered thought-provoking ideas along with the question of morality and our individual roles in the world, all done with an air of lightness and humor. Maybe I am a sucker for a good dance number, but here they are pure joy and evoke instant happiness. While they are outlandish, the song choices elevate the episodes to another level and help to deepen the storyline. I will really miss this show. I am starting to consider an ABC boycott since this is just another interesting and original show that they have given up on. “Pushing Daisies” was another cancellation that broke my heart. Reality shows, crime dramas, and brainless sitcoms continue to grow in popularity and shows with imagination, intelligence, and depth are falling to the way side. I am still holding on to hope that somehow this will change, in the meantime buy this set and enjoy some of the best television that was on last season.