The Ellen Show

The Ellen Show is an American television sitcom created by and starring Ellen DeGeneres that was broadcast during the 2001–02 season on CBS, airing from September 24, 2001, to February 22, 2002. It also starred Cloris Leachman, Martin Mull, Kerri Kenney, Jim Gaffigan, and Emily Rutherfurd, with Diane Delano recurring.

This article is about the 2001–02 CBS sitcom. For the 1994–98 ABC sitcom, see Ellen (TV series). For the talk show that aired from 2003 to 2022, see The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
The Ellen Show
GenreSitcom
Created byEllen DeGeneres
Mitchell Hurwitz (co-creator)
Carol Leifer (co-creator)
StarringEllen DeGeneres
Jim Gaffigan
Emily Rutherfurd
Martin Mull
Kerri Kenney
Cloris Leachman
Theme music composerJude Christodal
ComposerDavid Schwartz
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1[1]
No. of episodes18
Production
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time30 minutes[1]
Production companiesThe Hurwitz Company
CBS Productions
Columbia TriStar Television
(2001)
(season 1)
Columbia TriStar Domestic Television
(2001–2002)
(season 1)
Release
Original networkCBS
Original releaseSeptember 24, 2001 (2001-09-24) –
February 22, 2002 (2002-02-22)

It was DeGeneres' second attempt at a sitcom, following Ellen on ABC (1994–98), but it was unable to attract strong ratings and was cancelled after 13 episodes, leaving 5 unaired. Unlike many short-lived sitcoms, which often disappear and are hard to find, it lives on somewhat as it was released on DVD (twice) and is also available digitally in some markets.

Plot

After her internet company Homelearn.com goes bankrupt, Ellen Richmond decides to move back to her hometown to live with her eccentric mother, Dot, and scatter-brained sister, Catherine. At home, Ellen becomes reacquainted with her senior prom date, Rusty, who thinks they can pick up where they left off (which, since she is gay, seems unlikely), and her befuddled high school teacher, Mr. Munn. Though worlds apart from the people who love her, Ellen begins to adjust to a very different way of life and takes a job as a guidance counselor at her former high school.

Cast

Main

Notable guest stars

Production

The show was created by Carol Leifer and Mitchell Hurwitz, who co-wrote the pilot episode. The original title was Ellen Again.[2] DeGeneres came out as a lesbian in the later seasons of her sitcom Ellen. Her character on The Ellen Show, Ellen Richmond, was also a lesbian, although it was more of an aside, the show not focusing much on the character's sexuality.

Four cast members from The Mary Tyler Moore Show featured in the sitcom - regular Cloris Leachman, plus guest stars Betty White, Ed Asner, and Mary Tyler Moore herself,[3] the latter two reuniting in the same episode alongside Leachman (White appeared in a separate episode).[4] Moore had also appeared in two episodes of DeGeneres's previous sitcom, Ellen, and would also later appear as a guest on her talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show.[3]

Episodes

The Ellen Show produced 18 episodes, but was canceled 2/3 of the way through its season. The final 5 episodes were never broadcast, but are available on DVD.

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Pilot"Andy AckermanCarol Leifer & Mitchell HurwitzSeptember 24, 2001 (2001-09-24)
An Internet entrepreneur returns to live in her hometown after her new business venture suddenly collapses.
2"Walden Pond"Andrew D. WeymanCarol LeiferSeptember 28, 2001 (2001-09-28)
Ellen decides to make some decisions about her future, hoping to find inspiration by sitting by a pond and reading Walden by Henry David Thoreau.
3"Chain Reaction"Andrew D. WeymanCarol Leifer & Chuck MartinOctober 5, 2001 (2001-10-05)
Ellen tries to rally the town against a new restaurant that features scantily clad waitresses.
4"Vanity Hair"Andrew D. WeymanRic SwartzlanderOctober 12, 2001 (2001-10-12)
A profile in Vanity Fair gets Ellen thinking about a new hairdo.
5"The Move"Andrew D. WeymanRob LaZebnik & Mitchell HurwitzOctober 19, 2001 (2001-10-19)
Ellen's moving home causes friction, leading to her sister Catherine moving out to live with a new boyfriend.
6"Muskrat Love"Andrew D. WeymanCarol Leifer & Chuck MartinOctober 26, 2001 (2001-10-26)
As she looks to rid the yard of a pesky raccoon, Ellen is asked to help a lovesick high school student.
7"Joe"Andrew D. WeymanMitchell Hurwitz & Rob LaZebnikNovember 2, 2001 (2001-11-02)
Ellen's search for the perfect cup of coffee reveals some disturbing news about her mother Dot's new boyfriend.
8"Cathy's Taffy"Andrew D. WeymanStory by : Sue Kolinsky
Teleplay by : Carol Leifer & Chuck Martin		November 9, 2001 (2001-11-09)
Ellen launches a new business to sell her sister Catherine's delicious homemade taffy.
9"Missing the Bus"Andrew D. WeymanStory by : Jim Gerkin & Ric Swartzlander
Teleplay by : Ric Swartzlander		November 16, 2001 (2001-11-16)
Ellen's efforts to honor a longtime district employee ends up costing the aging school bus driver (special guest star Betty White) her job.
10"Alive and Kicking"Andrew D. WeymanCarol Leifer & Chuck MartinDecember 10, 2001 (2001-12-10)
Ellen tries to counsel the school's troubled kicker on the eve of a championship football game.
11"Ellen's First Christmess"Andrew D. WeymanDarin HenryDecember 17, 2001 (2001-12-17)
Ellen's plan for her Aunt Mary's (special guest star Mary Tyler Moore) surprise Christmas appearance exposes some ill will between Dot and her famous sister. (Also features a special appearance by Ed Asner in a nod to The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which starred Moore, The Ellen Show regular Cloris Leachman, and Asner.)
12"A Bird in the Hand"Andrew D. WeymanSue KolinskyJanuary 4, 2002 (2002-01-04)
When Dot gives Ellen an heirloom brooch, Catherine is jealous and Ellen is less than excited. Matters only get worse when she loses the brooch and has to fess up.
13"Just the Duck"Andrew D. WeymanJim GerkinJanuary 11, 2002 (2002-01-11)
Ellen discovers Catherine on a secret date with Rusty and is invited to join them; with an imminent breakup, a surprise rebound may be in the works.
14"Shallow Gal"Andrew D. WeymanHarold KimmelJanuary 18, 2002 (2002-01-18)
When Ellen realizes she was the unpopular geek in school, she gets desperate and befriends the ex-head cheerleader. Is Ellen now the snob? (Guest star Kaley Cuoco also played a young Ellen in her previous sitcom Ellen.)
15"Gathering Moss"Andrew D. WeymanBill KelleyJanuary 25, 2002 (2002-01-25)
Catherine and Ellen attend a self-actualization session where they learn to "see it, want it, take it." They instead discover they can't take each other! Special guest star: John Ritter.
16"A Matter of Principal"Andrew D. WeymanDarin HenryFebruary 9, 2002 (2002-02-09)
After Ellen is left in charge of the school, her alternative approach leads to chaos. With a student body in complete anarchy, Ellen finds out a secret.
17"Where the Sun Doesn't Shine"Andrew D. WeymanChuck MartinFebruary 16, 2002 (2002-02-16)
When Ellen lobbies for her mother Dot to receive the annual town Sunshine Prize, Ellen discovers that she's also up for the prize, and is the favorite to win.
18"One for the Roadshow"Andrew D. WeymanStory by : Mitchell Hurwitz & Rob LaZebnik
Teleplay by : Darin Henry & Bill Kelley		February 22, 2002 (2002-02-22)
Ellen discovers that the board game her Aunt Mary gave her years ago that has never been opened is worth thousands of dollars, enough for Ellen to move out.

Home media and streaming

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 in a 2-disc box set on July 11, 2006.[5]

In 2014, Mill Creek Entertainment acquired the rights to the series and subsequently re-released the complete series on February 4, 2014.[6]

Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment, in partnership with CBS Home Entertainment, owns the international rights. The complete series was released in Region 4 (Australia) as a 2 DVD set on February 1, 2017 by Umbrella Entertainment.

As of 2023, all episodes can be seen for free on Crackle and Fubo in the US and on CTV in Canada.[7][8] The show is also available for purchase on Apple TV and Amazon in the US.[7]

References
  1. "The Ellen Show (TV Series 2001-2002)". IMDb. IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
  2. "Ellen's Return". The Advocate. June 5, 2001. p. 24.
  3. January 25, Shirley Li; EST, 2017 at 04:24 PM. "Ellen DeGeneres Remembers Mary Tyler Moore: She 'Changed the World for All Women'". EW.com. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  4. "THE ELLEN SHOW (CBS 2001-02)". Rewatch Classic TV. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  5. "The Ellen Show DVD news: Front & Back art for 2001 sitcom". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 2013-12-19.
  6. "The Ellen Show DVD news: Re-Release for The Ellen Show - The Complete Series". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22.
  7. "The Ellen Show - streaming tv show online (US)". JustWatch. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
  8. "The Ellen Show - streaming tv show online (Canada)". JustWatch. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
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