"ELI STONE: FINAL SEASON"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: ***1/2 (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **1/2 (out of 5 stars) STARRING Johnny Lee Miller as ELI STONE Julie Gonzalo as MAGGIE DEKKER Victor Garber as JORDAN WETHERSBY Natasha Henstridge as TAYLOR WETHERSBY Sam Jaeger as MATT DOWD Loretta Devine as PATTI DELLACROIX James Saito as DR. CHEN Not Rated Studio: ABC Studios Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
After shark lawyer Eli Stone (Johnny Lee Miller) set out to change his life last season following a series of divine visions resulting from an aneurysm, things have settled a bit. Eli begins season two with his aneurysm removed and his mind vision-free. However, when his brother starts to have his own visions, Eli must offer himself up again as the chosen one. Eli has left a fiancée in the dust and changed the corporate structure of his old money-grubbing law firm. In this season, Eli searches for more answers, finds some new ladies in his life (including guest star Katie Holmes) and discovers more about his family history and why he has these visions.
WHAT I LIKED
Once you get past the sometimes overbearing and at times very preachy political messages of the episodes of “Eli Stone” (which range in issues of autism to issues of gay marriage, and everything in-between), there’s a definite warmth to this series. It’s heart is totally in the right place, and even the most cynical SOB can’t help but find a personal connection with someone in this series.
In general, I don’t dislike any of the characters, although some do get on my nerves at times (like Patti, who’s played by Loretta Devine). But even then, the more irritating characters are buffered by everyone else. “Eli Stone” is really a cute show with very good intentions. It manages to work in show-stopping musical numbers in some of the most clever ways since “The Drew Carey Show.”
The second season – which happens to its unfortunate final season – gives some depth to the characters who were more two-dimensional last year, in particular Matt Dowd (Sam Jaeger). The favorites stay the same for me, in particular Jordan (Victor Garber) and Dr. Chen (James Saito).
Were “Eli Stone” to have been allowed a third season or more, we would have learned more about Eli’s relationship with Maggie (Julie Gonzalo), whether the Stone-Wethersby law offices would stay open and what sort of relationship might evolve with Taylor (Natasha Henstridge) and Eli. It’s sad that we’ll never find this out.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
My biggest gripe with this series was its ability to become preachy from a political standpoint. In the process of this political posturing, the show set up strawman arguments from the opposing side. I’m not one to heap love on corporate greed, but these storylines did wear a bit thin on the series.
And with this socially relevant bent, “Eli Stone” often spent more time on the issue of the week than with the more interesting interpersonal relationships, which I found more interesting. There are notable episodes that deviated from this path (most obviously “Sonoma,” which forced Taylor, Matt, Eli and Maggie to deal with their love quadrangle), but I wish I could have seen more than this.
DVD FEATURES
This DVD set comes with all the episodes from the second season, including deleted scenes and a set of bloopers.
There’s also a feature on one of the big dance numbers, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at the series by Sam Jaeger and Julie Gonzalo. Rounding out the special features are an assortment of deleted scenes from throughout the season.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of the show and anyone who wants a good-hearted lawyer show.
