DVD Quote of the Day: Ellen

I re-discovered this show last week. I bought the Season 1 DVD of Ellen (last year? year before?), and we recently pulled it out last week. I ended up getting the Season 3 DVD after that and haven't stopped watching it. Season 1 wasn't as good because the characters hadn't been developed and the cast was a little bit different.

Ellen Degeneres is Ellen Morgan, a bookstore owner in L.A. The rest of the ensemble are her friends. Arye Gross is Adam in season 1, 2 and part of season 3, Ellen's roommate and photographer friend. I'm not sure why Adam left the show, but he was gone after about four episodes into the third season. The hotness that is Jeremy Piven rocks as Ellen's cousin from N.Y.C., who moves in to get his life sorted out after getting kicked out of his doctor residency. Joely Fisher came on after the first season as Paige Clark, Ellen's sort of selfish, sort of promiscuous "producer wanna be" friend. David Anthony Higgins was a more minor character in season one, but became one of the main characters between season 1 and 3. His character, Joe, is the sarcastic coffee master who works in Ellen's bookstore, and is actually from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (about forty minutes from me). I forgot Joe was from Canada, so it's funny to hear him say "Back in Moose Jaw...". Clea Lewis is Audrey, who made an appearance in season 1, and returned as a regular and different person. Audrey in season 1 wore dark clothes and was complaining and pessimistic, but in season 3 she's annoyingly sunny, perky and perpetually in pink. Excellent ensemble cast.


I forgot how much I loved this show. It's hilarious and Ellen is often compared to Lucille Ball, for good reason. Ellen's over eagerness to please people and concern for other people's feelings often have her getting involved in other people's business, making the situation worse. Her easygoing attitude is nicely juxtaposed with Paige and Spence's high strung neuroticism. For me, it's a good show if you get sucked into the environment and feel like you're there with them while you're watching. Also, if the characters and situations are interesting and fun enough that you wish you were there is another sign of a great show.


Some other people who have made guest appearances on Season 3 include Martha Stewart as herself, Carrie Fisher (Joely Fisher's sister) as herself shooting Paige's movie at Ellen's bookstore, Mary Tyler Moore as herself who comes to Ellen's aid over lobster rights, Ron Palillo (Welcome Back, Kotter's Horschak) as himself who starts dating Audrey, Janeane Garofalo as a fellow patient in a waiting room that Ellen wants to befriend, and Jamie Kennedy as Tad, the guy who rents Adam's apartment after he moves out.


Season 3 starts with an earthquake, the destruction of Ellen's bookstore and the arrival of Ellen's cousin, Spence (Piven). The first two episodes have Ellen feeling unsure about her future because of the bookstore in the earthquake's aftermath. I really like these two episodes because I think Ellen represents every person who goes through that indecision and doubt about their future and whether or not they are traveling the right path. At one point, she gets on a bus to search her feelings and think about whether she should rebuild the bookstore or not. She comes to a very strange store/museum with a strange man running the place and talks a bit about her search to him. I really like what he says to her. Here it is.....

Jake: The way I see it, if you get up every morning and you like where you go and who you see there.....then maybe, you've found your dream.

More ramblings to come.....