The Ellen Show – The Complete Series
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: C+
After her first hit series built up to one of the most
important TV situation comedy moments in 25 years, when her character revealed
her sexuality in a truly great show, Ellen did not seize the moment,
going into decline and silliness instead.
This included slowly dumping the original cast and plummeting in the
ratings. The Ellen Show began
with the premise that the character was lesbian and went on from there. The show only lasted 18 half-hour shows, but
had its moments with a cast that included Martin Mull and the great Cloris
Leachman as her mother.
Ellen DeGeneres plays an executive who is getting very
bored with her corporate life, so when she goes back home for an award and to
see her family, with everyone still stuck in their dysfunctional roles. While visiting, her employer implodes and
goes into bankruptcy. While trying to
figure out what to do next, she stays a while.
The concept is good and the humor not bad, but it becomes
apparent at the mid-point that it is a good idea with very few places to
go. I like the production, cast, some
of the jokes and situation has its potential, but the writers and creators play
it too safe and that ultimately did the show in. Ellen can be funny when she wants to be and does not allow her
routines to become shtick, but like the corporation her character worked for,
the show implodes. There are enough
laughs here for anyone interested, though.
The anamorphically enhanced 16 X 9/1.78 X 1 image
originated in digital High Definition video and has the usual detail and color
limits as a result, but plays fine and is clean enough. The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo has no
surrounds and captures dialogue just fine, but there are no extras.
- Nicholas Sheffo
