With the writers’ strike forcing many scripted shows into reruns, there are a number of new shows premiering at midseason.
This is one in a series of Media Life previews of those programs.
Name of show “Eli Stone”
Timeslot ABC, Thursday 10 p.m.
Plot synopsis “Eli Stone” follows Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller), a San Francisco corporate lawyer who starts to have hallucinations, beginning with George Michael--yes, that George Michael--performing his hit “Faith” in his living room.
Stone's neurologist brother Nathan (Matt Letsher) discovers that the hallucinations are caused by an inoperable brain aneurysm. Then Stone finds an acupuncturist, Dr. Chen (James Saito), who can probe Stone's mind to remember key moments from the past. Dr. Chen suggests that Stone might be a prophet.
Stone takes this notion and runs with it, incorporating his newfound outlook on life into his work as a lawyer. Of course, the situation is not easily explained to his fiancée, Taylor (Natasha Henstride), or her father, Jordan Wethersby (Victor Garber), who happens to be Stone’s boss and mentor.
The somewhat fantastical legal drama also stars Loretta Devine as Stone’s assistant, Patti, Sam Jaeger as co-worker Matt Dowd, and Julie Gonzalo as junior associate Maggie.
Outlook “Eli Stone” takes over the Thursday 10 p.m. timeslot where “Big Shots” averaged a dismal 3.3 rating among viewers 18-49 this season, losing more than half its “Grey’s Anatomy” lead-in. This timeslot has been a nagging problem for ABC over the past year and a half, with four dramas rotated through without much success.
But there are a couple of factors that could work in “Stone's" favor.
First, the show leads out of the hit “Lost,” which tonight moves to the Thursday 9 p.m. timeslot, and that show should perform well considering it’s one of the few returning scripted shows with new episodes remaining.
The hope for ABC is that “Lost” returns big and that viewers hang around for “Eli Stone.”
Also, the 10 p.m. timeslot isn’t as strong as it once was, in part because of the writers’ strike.
ABC won’t have to worry about competition from NBC’s longtime hit “ER,” which ran out of originals and has been taken off the schedule. It faces instead the second half of “Celebrity Apprentice” this week and then the new drama “Lipstick Jungle” beginning next week.
“Jungle” isn’t expected to draw a huge audience. A similar show on ABC has already done poorly.
On CBS, "Stone" will face repeats of “Without a Trace,” which are drawing less than a 3.5 rating.
The buzz While still a drama set in the world of law, the general sense about “Eli Stone” is that its lighter tone will help balance the legal side of things. “It’s intelligent and quirky,” says Tracie Chinetti, senior buyer/planner at Blitz Media in Boston. “I think it’s one of those shows that bridges both comedy and drama.”
Chinetti says ABC had held "Stone" for the midseason so it could release it a less-cluttered environment, and of course the writers’ strike has made the environment even sparser.
She says that lack of new scripted fare will help “Eli Stone” but that it very well could survive against even stiff competition. There's room for it.
“There was room for both 'Without a Trace' and 'ER,' so I think there’s room for more than one strong drama in that time period,” she says.
“I do think it’s the type of show people are remembering from the promotions, so that helps.”
What critics are saying
“Greg Berlanti (‘Brothers & Sisters,’ ‘Everwood’) and Marc Guggenheim (‘Brothers & Sisters,’ ‘The Practice’) have concocted a fanciful story that may ring truer with former hippie baby boomers than with Gen Y overachievers. An imaginative premise built around a likable lead makes this a welcome hour when so little else is beaming through during the strike. Still, it may be too woo-woo for those who like their TV lawyers more ‘Shark’-like.” – Joanne Ostrow, Denver Post
Seriously, though, I liked the pilot quite a bit, and the cast is just stellar. But a lot of reviews I've read say that the early episodes are rather formulaic. Might be an attempt to appeal to the mainstream early on, and hopefully it'll break out of that shell as it goes on. I think one of the problems with the promos is that it's pretty hard to tell that this is actually a legal procedural. So a lot of the wrong people may sample it, and a lot of people who would like it may never give it a shot.
The really good news is that ABC has 13 of these stockpiled.
Originally posted by spotupj: Nice job removing the two negative reviews.
Seriously, though, I liked the pilot quite a bit, and the cast is just stellar. But a lot of reviews I've read say that the early episodes are rather formulaic. Might be an attempt to appeal to the mainstream early on, and hopefully it'll break out of that shell as it goes on. I think one of the problems with the promos is that it's pretty hard to tell that this is actually a legal procedural. So a lot of the wrong people may sample it, and a lot of people who would like it may never give it a shot.
The really good news is that ABC has 13 of these stockpiled.
I had them initially, but I honestly disagree with them, so since it was my post I felt I wanted it to tell my perspective, which the article writer plus the one reviewer stated. I frankly see this as a much better show than either Ally McBeal or Boston Legal.
I know it may sound vein or conceided, but I use my own judgment as a barometer for how new shows will do, and 95% or the time I'm right (the networks are much worse at that ). I like what I see, and formulaic is not necessarily bad for ratings -- look at all the CSIs and L&Os). If it's good, viewers will watch it, and I believe this is a good show at a time there is little else to watch.
Originally posted by Chimera: I like what I see, and formulaic is not necessarily bad for ratings -- look at all the CSIs and L&Os.
Yes, ABC is probably hoping that all the promos' talk about faith will attract a more conservative crowd that likes a little predictability. So it's likely a calculated move to get an early audience. I like to think Berlanti is not the kind that will settle into a formula long-term.
And I have a feeling that it will take awhile for any formula involving Miller and Garber to get old, anyway.
Originally posted by Chimera: I like what I see, and formulaic is not necessarily bad for ratings -- look at all the CSIs and L&Os.
Yes, ABC is probably hoping that all the promos' talk about faith will attract a more conservative crowd that likes a little predictability. So it's likely a calculated move to get an early audience. I like to think Berlanti is not the kind that will settle into a formula long-term.
And I have a feeling that it will take awhile for any formula involving Miller and Garber to get old, anyway.
Absolutely -- Berlanti being involved is a good sign, and Garber is excellent in everything he's in. Don't know much about Miller but he seems very promising.
I'm not hopeful. The premier of Eli Stone inches ahead of the Without a Trace repeats by less than a million, but it beat the new episode of ER by about 3 million. Depending on how well the pilots look, when the writers return, will decide if it gets a mid season slot. I guess compared to how Cashmere is doing, ABC is content--not happy.
). I like what I see, and formulaic is not necessarily bad for ratings -- look at all the CSIs and L&Os). If it's good, viewers will watch it, and I believe this is a good show at a time there is little else to watch.
