I always thought Ellen DeGeneres was hilarious when I first
saw her stand up routine on HBO years ago. Parts of it I can recall to this
day. When she decided to take on television with a series we watched and enjoyed
that as well. And then she redefined what she wanted to do with that series.
Rather than be funny it became about her being a lesbian. That was important
the first episode she did it on but it soon wore thin when each week we were
having her tell someone else about it. It suddenly was more agenda oriented and
less funny. It wasn't long after that the show folded too much controversy. The
fact is the ratings weren't there.
Then in 2001 Ellen came back with a new series on a new
network with a new story. Sure she was a lesbian again, but it wasn't the focus
of the show. It didn't matter. What mattered was being funny and yes, she was
funny again. Unfortunately the series didn't bring back the viewers she had
lost and it only lasted one season. But for fans you can watch it now on DVD
at an affordable price from Mill Creek, just $9.98 (amazon.com price).
Here she plays Ellen Richmond, back home in the small town
she grew up in which is throwing a celebration in her honor as the most
successful person to have left there. Ellen has owned several businesses and
has one of the biggest dot.com businesses going. Until it collapses and she
goes bankrupt...just as she is about to attend the dinner in her honor for
being successful.
From their the series has her visiting with her friends and
returning home to start her life again. She lives with her eccentric mother
(Cloris Leachman) and ditzy sister Catherine (Emily Rutherford), a woman who
seems intent of picking the worst possible candidates for boyfriends. The man
who brought her home for the celebration is her old school teacher Mr. Munn
(Martin Mull), now the principal of the school. Her ex-prom date Rusty (Jim
Gaffigan) still thinks he might have a chance of winning her hand, even though
she's informed him of her sexual preference.
Even though things look bad, Ellen lands on her feet. Mr.
Munn offers her a counseling position at the school and she ends up having
people to talk and give advice to. This is where Ellen's talent lies, in the
back and forth conversations she has with people. It feels like it stems from
her stand up routines in spots and is actually pretty funny. And while one
running joke about being a lesbian keeps popping up (the ladies gym teacher
might be the only other lesbian in town), it never becomes the focus of the
series. Sure she mentions it now and then but each time the story continues
from there rather than dwell on the topic.
I have no idea why the series didn't do better. Perhaps it
was the competition it was up against. Maybe people were afraid it would be
exactly the same as her previous show. In any event it was funny and perhaps
better than a number of comedies we see on the air right now. But it didn't
last long and for fans the only way to remember it is by picking up this DVD
set now. Fans did eventually come to accept Ellen for herself and stop judging
her. Her talk show first aired in 2003 and continues successfully to this day
and she hosted the most recent Oscars. Ellen was and is a funny comedienne.
This set is proof that she was a funny comedic actress as well.
Click here to order.
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