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List Price: $29.99 | | Label: Touchstone / Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 15860
Released: September 2, 2008 |
| Our Price: $21.48 |
| Used Price: $15.49 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Follow Eli Stone (Jonny Miller) on his quirky quest for answers in this exciting and upbeat comedic drama. When Eli awakens to an unending George Michael soundtrack that only he can hear, gets dive-bombed by a WWI biplane on a busy San Francisco street, and faces a fire-breathing dragon outside his office window, there are two possible explanations: delusions caused by a potentially fatal brain aneurysm or the chance that something greater is at work. He might just be a prophet sent to change the world. Victor Garber and Loretta Devine lead an acclaimed supporting cast in this wonderfully wacky new series, ELI STONE: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON. Complete with every Season One episode, exclusive bloopers and behind-the-scenes footage, this 4-disc box set will surprise, inspire and leave you feeling like you gotta have faith.
Description of Eli Stone: The Complete First Season:
It takes a while for Eli Stone to hit its stride, but when it does (a little past the halfway point in this, its first season, with 13 episodes presented on four discs), this show is engaging, provocative, and flat-out entertaining. Of course, a lot of new series need some time to get themselves together, especially when breathing the rarefied air of high concept; and with its combination of drama (and sentimentality), comedy, special effects, and more, Eli Stone certainly fits that description. As the season kicks off, the eponymous hero (played Jonny Lee Miller, a Brit actor sporting a very convincing American accent) is a stereotypical lawyer, ambitious, materialistic, and snarky, helping his San Francisco firm’s corporate clients fill their coffers at the expense of the poor and downtrodden. But then he has a vision--specifically, George Michael singing "Faith" atop Eli’s coffee table. Many more such hallucinations will follow, including an earthquake, trench warfare in some unnamed battle, a hospital patient beseeching Eli to help him, and flashbacks of his own dead father; but whether they result from the brain aneurysm that’s discovered during the first episode or from the fact that he is, as his acupuncturist (James Saito) informs him, "a prophet," Eli realizes that a major change is in order. And so he decides to "fix the world, one lawsuit at a time," which translates into pro bono cases on behalf of an autistic kid, an infertile young immigrant, abused prisoners, and other unfortunates, some of whom have been victimized by the very companies Eli’s firm represents.
Much of the legal business is handled more with Ally McBeal whimsy than Law & Order seriousness, and cases involving, say, two "gay" chimpanzees add little to the show’s appeal. Nor do some of the ongoing personal relationships, like the cutesy-annoying interludes with Eli and the boss’ daughter (Natasha Henstridge) or a young associate at the firm (Julie Gonzalo), bring much to the party; much better are his dealings with his mouthy but indispensable assistant (Loretta Devine, excellent in a clichéd role) and brother (Matt Letscher), a conflicted physician. But Eli’s own arc, as he comes to accept what’s happening to him and how his newly-acquired powers of clairvoyance can best be put to use, is handled beautifully; from the eighth episode ("Praying for Time," probably the high point of the season, in which virtually every character experiences a major breakthrough or catharsis) onward, Eli Stone becomes the TV version of a book you can’t put down. Bonus features include audio commentary on two episodes, bloopers, and several brief but informative featurettes. --Sam Graham
Eli Stone: The Complete First Season Reviews:
Communication at its best! 
2009-10-27 - Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Finally a television series worth spending valuable time in seeing. Religion not crammed down the throat nor cast in some materialistic venue for those who take a stand in the name of God! No, it's not traditional in its portrayal of how any one communicates with the Divine. However, it does offer a plausible possibility of the Divine's interaction with humankind, and of humankind's response not being one of fear struck or blind faith submission. I wish television management had kept it going. The nature of the plot would have allowed it to be almost endless without becoming boring.
Best show since Joan of Arcadia
2009-10-12 - We're not overly religious people, but watching Eli Stone was a shot of faith in the arm. This is the best show we've enjoyed in a long time. We were so sad to see it go off the air.
eli stone
2009-09-16 - Thought the show was great. Just a cute show that was fun to watch. Got both seasons dvd's. Sorry the show was cancelled. K. Ca.
Eli Stone: The Complete First Season DVD 
2009-08-03 - Purchased item as a gift. It was a hit, for recipient had not been able to view many of the TV show's first season.
A disappointment 
2009-07-21 - I, too, started out liking this program but it started to head downstream fast. I cannot stand Eli's assistant who is snotty to everyone including the boss's daughter and still manages to keep her job. I would have had her kicked out when it first started. She isn't funny - just annoying. The other thing that bothered me was the Earthquake episode where at the end Eli rails at God for not sending him the earthquake to save face with his secretary. Huh? Even if an earthquake was still to come, isn't it kinder for God to wait until the residents had time to find new homes and move out? I get sick of TV shows like this where it is trendy to curse at God and elevate themselves as the so-called saviors. So cliche and it's bad.
