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'Eli Stone' finally stops the lies (and the rain)
When last we saw lawyer-turned-prophet Eli Stone, our hero was facing disbarment for singing in the courtroom during last week's SUV rollover case. Come on now, wouldn't disbarment for eccentric behavior have decimated the good lawyers of Boston Legal (and its predecessors The Practice and Ally McBeal) years ago?
Spoilers will fall like rain.
Our hallucination this case is rain. It starts as a trickle while Eli tries to find representation at the disbarment proceedings. Go figure, nobody wants to stand up for the crazy. Especially when he asks about nonexistent water leaks. Eli returns to the office to find his cases being redistributed, though he's soon distracted by not George Michael but Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Who'll Stop the Rain?"
Once again, Jordan is leading the chorus, so Eli tries to work out how to ask for his boss's representation without admitting to said boss that our hero has a life-threatening condition. That's doubly true considering Jordan hates Eli for dumping his daughter. Taylor comes to the rescue, telling her father the engagement ended because she had an affair.
We're in session, with Holly Raines (geddit?) representing the California state bar. At first, Jordan-coached Eli performs brilliantly under examination. Then Holly calls Nate as a witness for signing off on Eli's physical. Oops! The rain hits Eli, a downpour this time, and he flashes back to his father wandering in a storm, shouting down the heavens.
That prompts Eli to claim he forged the signature on the physical -- because he wanted to hide the aneurysm. Cat, say goodbye to bag. Raines calls for Eli to immediately be stripped of his lawyerly powers.
Jordan, at first shocked, jumps into action: He files suit against the bar association for violating the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act, not assistant district attorney). Eli makes a very sweet plea for his job, and the decision is that Eli will submit to an evaluation every three months. Fair enough. But not fair enough for Jordan, who back at the office strips Eli of his office, assistant and caseload. Guess who gets the first two? Taylor.
The B-plot is barely worth mentioning: Keith and Dowd represent Jason Turk, a baseball player whose foul tip killed the team's third-base coach. The ADA (assistant district attorney, not Americans with Disabilities Act) is convinced the slugger's on cream or clear or some other steroid, and pushes for a murder charge. Especially after he learns Turk's wife was sleeping with the dead coach. We're left hanging.
Good episode, even if it was a bridge. Eli's condition is out in the open, so we get no more Three's Company-type sneaking around, and Eli's new low status means he really can work on pro bono cases without everyone whining about losing the firm's rainmaker. Oh, and we learned Dr. Chen worked for Eli's father right out of college... and that Eli's father could see the future, and knew Chen would eventually help Eli. Interesting.
What'd you think? Is it fair to insert Lost-style machinations into the show? Is the Turk case just a way to pay the rest of the cast? And when will George Michael return?
Love this show ... can't wait for next week episode ... the cast is wonderful and especially Mr. Garber and Jonni Lee Miller ... love this show and hope to have some more of it!
Erwin | Mar 6, 2008 8:41:56 PM | #Please ABC, renew this show.
It is so intertaining. Witty, and full of heart.
I like this show, I really do. The problem is that it's cut from the same cloth as Boston Legal and Ally McBeal (or at least like to pretend it is), but the difference is that those shows played out like an ensemble comedy/drama. Everyone's case felt like it was part of a larger tableau. In Eli Stone, it always feels like it's the Johnny & Victor show, with everyone else along for the ride. The secondary cases always seem like filler, to the point where its almost not even worth giving them screen time.
Also, Eli now being on the outs pretty much assasinates the presence of characters dependant on being around him and involved with his cases, such as Patti and Maggie.
Hopefully they iron out these problems and finish the season strong.
Sean | Mar 7, 2008 1:27:38 AM | #I love this show especially tonights ep - I blubbed like a baby. There was so much sensitivity tonight by men no less. The pain poor Eli's father must have gone through - I bet most of the time he wasn't drunk he just allowed people to pretend he was just to cover up the worst idea that he was crazy. Who says men can't be bitchy? Laugh it off and move on my eye! Jordon demoting Eli is just pure spite because he's feeling hurt, even though he understands Eli's reasons. He's a great Dad though, no yelling at his daughter or saying he's disappointed in her because she had an "affair" he's upset with her because she lied too.
I'm worried about Eli's mother though, wouldn't she have been in court with him supporting him and I can't remember if she knew he had an aneuyrism or not but finding out about it at the news conference would not have been great for her and she didn't appear all episode.
As for Maggie, what a selfish cow, I really don't understand how she's managed to get so far in life with her Pollyana attitude. It doesn't seem to have occurred to her that Eli became good because of his illness which happens to a lot of people. She holds Eli to a high standard of her own making why should he live up to her she's nobody. And she'll be out on her ear soon if she doesn't start generating funds for the firm.
I would have beaten up my boss if he leant me out to someone without asking how busy I was first - I was so waiting for one of Eli's and Patty's verbal exchanges on this one and for her to call in a temp which is what I would have done.
I read somewhere (could have been zap2it's tv news page) that there is a whole mythology to Eli Stone which will be revealing itself as the week's go by. I can't wait. Of course, it won't be like Lost but it's nice to know that there is method to the madness. And I hope that Eli Stone teams up with Pushing Daisies one day, i so want to see a Jordon and Olive duet. Victor Garber's pipes are still so sweet.
Glad you said we were left hanging on the "B" plot. I thought I fell asleep during that part.
I do like the show though, and hope it returns.
In retrospect, these are the writers that should have transformed "Viva Blackpool" for U.S. TV.
steve paris | Mar 7, 2008 4:08:12 AM | #This was a great episode, did you notice at the beginning when Eli is trying looking for a lawyer to represent him , the actor was Alan Rachins from L.A. Law, and the office window in the background said McKenzie/Brackman,the firm on L.A. Law....very cool.....
drewgo - you beat me to the shout out to McKenzie Brackman! When I saw Alan Rachins last night, I immediately thought of LA Law and was trying to make out the lettering on the front window, and just googled LA Law.
Good catch!
And good episode...love how snarky Patti is to Taylor! And I also enjoy the bond between Eli and his brother.
Ginni | Mar 7, 2008 10:15:08 AM | #Drewgo and Ginni - I'm as much of a sentimentalist as the next guy but the name of Alan Rachins firm on Eli was called McKinley Brackman NOT McKenzie Brackman! I assumed that Douglas (Rachins) had the name changed after Leland McKenzie died. At the end of that show everyone's name was appearing in the title!
Watch Eli again on abc.com - the name is perfectly clear, your love of LA Law has clearly blinded you this time!
Solly - Patty didn't seem busy and was obviously on a personal call when Taylor asked about the draft. And I think Eli knew she had the time since he wasn't working on a case this week, thus no working flowing down to her.
I think the Patty-hates-Taylor reasons the writers came up with aren't convincing. They need to either come up with better reasons or make Taylor a total b!tch or something so that all the Taylor-hate is justified or at least believable. As is, Patty hates Taylor because she hates who Eli became when he was with her. But as Taylor stated, Eli's been with the firm 6 years and I don't believe he was doing pro bono work and fighting for the "little people" as he does now for the first 4 years and then all of a sudden, becomes a heartless lawyer when he hooked up with Taylor in the last 2 years.
The Patty-hates-Taylor angle is the only part of the show I don't like. Well, hate, actually! Maggie's reaction to Eli's brain aneurysm was unexpected, but I think that'll just turn out to be her way of coping with the sad news. That said, I hope they don't use that as an excuse to hook up her with Eli. I can just see Eli going after her, doing whatever he can to get on her good side again and they end up together. I really don't want that to happen!
| Mar 7, 2008 1:58:04 PM | #I would also love to see a Jordon-Olive duet!
That's my long rant above about Patty's hate for Taylor. If you see where the hate's coming from, please let me know. Maybe I'm just missing something.
jen | Mar 7, 2008 2:09:27 PM | #I thought Patty's reasons for hating Jordan were ridiculous. Even if Eli did change that much when he was with Taylor, isn't he resposible for his own actions? Also, regardless of her feelings toward Jordan, Patty was completely unprofessional by blowing Taylor off. If she had a problem with Eli handing her off, talk to him, but stil...do your job!!
Also, I hope Maggie is just acting out of grief b/c really. How ridiculous was her speech? She and Patty are two peas in a pod. Make no sense whatsoever.
Other than that, loved the show. Nearly cried more than once!!
Lindlee | Mar 7, 2008 6:31:06 PM | #Like the show but hate the idea of Taylor and Eli together. EWWW...they just don't mesh well together at all ...that's why I love how Patty hates her.
Sirius, Drewgo, and Ginny,
All you guys are right. I noticed this too, it was a very cool shout out to L.A. Law. The window did say McKinley/Brackman, so it was not the same firm nor character (cause L.A. Law was in L.A. obviously) but it was most definitely a wink and nod to observant fans like us. Just a simple play on words, but a cool one.
| Mar 8, 2008 4:02:14 AM | #Sirius, Drewgo, and Ginny,
All you guys are right. I noticed this too, it was a very cool shout out to L.A. Law. The window did say McKinley/Brackman, so it was not the same firm nor character (cause L.A. Law was in L.A. obviously) but it was most definitely a wink and nod to observant fans like us. Just a simple play on words, but a cool one.
Mike | Mar 8, 2008 4:02:24 AM | #I agree that the whole Patti-Taylor dynamic is thin but remember that Jordan and Patti have a history, a steamy one. There may be something that we just don't know, yet.
Andrew | Mar 9, 2008 9:52:16 AM | #It's not Jordan and Patti with the history; it's Patti and the other partner. But while it might not have the *same* effect, it could certainly make the situation with Jordan and Patti difficult.
Lisa | Mar 10, 2008 2:26:08 PM | #
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