Overrated

Critics,are you kidding us

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The first episode of Eli Stone angered many people. I am one. But it is not the whole story.The 1st episode plot focused on and promoted some fears about preservatives in immunizations. Those fears and years of ensuing real life drama were based on a vigorously debunked medical study which purported to link a preservative used in some immunizations with autism. I nearly stopped watching the show right there. I have young family with autism, which is a very difficult, very distressing condition. I loath the pseudo science and propaganda which raised the hysteria about this (I repeat) debunked link.However I believe that the first Eli Stone episode was written and produced before the fundamental flaws in that study were revealed in scientific reviews, before a retraction was published, and before other studies failed to show any scientific correlation or link, between immunizations (with or without the preservative) and autism. There is no science justifying the fears, and many scientists have looked. It has been a few years; now, we have many parents not immunizing their children "just to be on the safe side", and as a result - we have some major outbreaks of measles... which can and does kill people. It's a tragedy. It's ironic, and very sad.But that is not the fault of the television series Eli Stone. And I have now watched the entire series, every episode, two years worth. And it is - was - a wonderful television series.The writing was nuanced, provocative, open minded on matters of faith and doubt, belief and disbelief. It was funny, and touching. Many topical issues were approached with respect, and without any "here's the one *right* answer to this dilemma" - and that rings true, because life does not run that way either.The direction led really fine actors into giving consistently excellent performances. The character development was very human, realistic and wonderful and flawed, showing generosity, pettiness, fears, hopes, illusions, jealousy, and great beauty and strength in the human condition.What is living a good life? The show doesn't ask that question, let alone offer a nice snappy summation that one could see and nod and walk away from. Instead, the show Eli Stone and all its characters delivered thoughtfulness and compassion and questioning, with humor, and on occasion with some excellent pizazz. The musical pieces are superbly done. Every character who sang in this show, as I recall, sang really beautifully - and those performances added depths to the characters they played in "normal" life.I wish Eli Stone was still in production. I would love to see these characters more, I would love to see these actors and directors working in the beautiful broad sandbox of life they created. But - it is done.I am so grateful that I took the ride, of watching the entire series. I encourage others, even those who like me, were really annoyed at the first episode, to - yes, I will say it - have a little faith, or curiosity, and take a further look.

This show was amazing. I felt an attachment to the characters. I looked forward to every episode. every episode was warm hearted, light, not too serious.. Never depressing me to the point of hopelessness and fearing to go to bed b/c some stranger will break into my apartment and rob or worse, kill me.. Basically, that is the majority of television shows here in the U.S. and abroad. at least Eli Stone you can finish watching the show, and have pleasant dreams of wonder and hope! It was a perfect blend of characters with writing. The casting directors nailed it. the writing of the show nailed it.. But, America failed!! People were actually calling this show "exploitive", filled with "mis-information" and too "political". OMG! Holy Cow! Wow! I mean, I can go on and on with 'explitives' but this is just insane..I am so sorry to the people who thought this show was exploitive and misinformed, giving the viewers a false sense of security that there is or is not a God and you can not be cured or saved by a prophet.Seriously, I have read reviews where people were complaining about the misinformation in the show.. Such as the first episode on autism. I am sorry folks, it is FICTION! Since when did Fictional Television become your Evening News? It's actually very disturbing that these viewers were so wound up that they felt the views that some lawyer can be a prophet were so outrageous and that Autism can be caused by vaccines, that in effect it was a show filled with misinformation and false hope.. (which, by the way, has not been 100% disproved that vaccines are indeed causing Autism b/c really, we just don't know.. but it seems too coincidental that Autism rates rise the same time we have put more chemicals in our foods, at the same time we use more and more medications).. either way, I shall repeat myself again.. it is a TV show. Ya know, the stuff of fairy tales and imagination!! If people weren't so wound up, had a sense of wonder, hope, dreams, imagination, amazing shows like this would last for years!! Instead b/c America likes violence, likes when people fail and kill each other.. only dramatic, serious, violent shows succeed. Some comedic shows did very well..tho this show could be more characterized as a quirky, drama with some comedy.. anyways, some other shows that can be characterized in a similar fashion have done well.. but seems to come on at different times, different years where the collective mood of the country rises and falls with each passing week.. the success of these shows, really depends on the mood of the country and what is making headlines..Yes, many of them were good.. but a show like Eli Stone gives a comedic insight to a drama filled world. gives you a sense of wonder and hope.. Not that the show was intended to be funny, b/c its not.. but it does have a light drama / comedy tone too it.. with the sequences when "Eli" having his visions and dancing or talking to himself.. or clapping while staring at some blank wall.. It is writing like this, that opens up the mind to hope, dreams and a world that doesn't exist.People, typical viewers are too wound up and have no sense of wonder or imagination.. unfortunately this represents approx. in my opinion, perhaps 70% of the public.. the other 30% like myself, don't take television 'life' so seriously and can watch just about any show without prejudice, realizing that it is not some evening news show filled with "misinformation".. that I'm not going to watch an Episode of Eli Stone, and go to my doctor and ask him how come I'm not having visions to save my autistic child! Absolutely ludicrous! Misinformation? Uggh Sorry, I just found some of those comments so sad.. but it genuinely reflects a part of todays society.. where they will watch Fox News or MSNBC talk shows, very biased, one sided in nature as pure fact.. taking some giant leap into this new world of journalism and believing it. then, turn on a show like Eli Stone and call it some Liberal Media bias.. that its so off kilter, blown out of proportion and incorrect that it should be held to a higher standard that actual news stations like CNN, MSNBC or Fox News! Please America.. in this day in age, now 4 years after the show was canceled.. after we have gone through an awful economic downturn with no end in sight no matter who's the President - Please, I beg you America, PLEASE lighten up for the sake of Man Kind!!Eli Stone was a great show.. and deserved more seasons! It's always the shows that I love, that get canceled way to early. I seem to be one of the few who fall for the shows that don't last..

I really can't understand all the controversy around Eli Stone... It's a WONDERFUL show, I think one of the best I've seen since... a long time. My mother an I love it, we started watching from the beginning to (what seems) the very end. It's horrible they've taken it out. Who cares about the subject of one of the episodes? If people believe what they see in TV series, the problem doesn't come from the show but from the people, really. For example, in Boston Legal (another series), they talk about a cure to Sida. It doesn't mean anyone has it (yet), or anything of the sort. IT'S A SHOW, JEEZ! And above all, who looks for reality in a show where the main character has hallucinations where he sings along with George Michael and sees the catastrophes before they happen? I just hope they will change their mind... They can't leave us like they did in the last episode!! They can't stop Eli Stone!

A quick flip through the network channels on any given weeknight is a stroll through a gallery of bloody murders, shaky camera work, and crying people dealing with horrible consequences to stupid actions. "Eli Stone" is a welcome relief, specializing in lovable characters, amusing visual effects, and a conspicuous lack of gory flesh wounds. After you have finished watching an episode, the viewer will realize that the show also included ethical questions, and very real discussions about very difficult current issues--presented in a manner far more engaging than that of your local NPR station (no offense...).If you, like me, are hooked by the controversial pilot episode, make the effort to watch the entire season before watching the season finale. You will have been entertained, and--surprisingly in the current television "wasteland"--you will have learned something about the people around you in the United States of America.