The Ellen Burstyn Show
The Ellen Burstyn Show
| 20 September 1986 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
  • 1
  • Reviews
    Ceticultsot

    Beautiful, moving film.

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    Lollivan

    It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

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    Claire Dunne

    One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

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    Payno

    I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

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    archergal918

    I think one of the reasons this show didn't get picked up for more episodes and seasons was that it was too smart for it's time. It relied on witty dialog and clever turns of phrase, which likely sailed over the heads of many people. Sorry, but it is true. When you look at the "dumbed-down" fair offered by the plethora of other shows offered in this year - this jewel was obviously cast among the swine. There seems to be more room these days for smart shows - I think of "The Big Bang Theory" as a fine example. Some of the quick dialog on that show will go missed if you aren't a bit of a technical geek, or someone who loves to watch Nova or the Science Channel. But if you do "get it", it is incredibly smart and funny.

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    pbbrown1116

    Ellen Burstyn (Ellen) and Elaine Stritch (Sydney) made for a terrific show. I still remember one of the best lines I ever heard on TV. Sydney came rushing in and Ellen said to her, "I can't talk now, I'm teaching class." To which Sydney replied in her gravelly voice, "That's silly. You can't teach class. You've either got it or you don't!" That simple exchange between two wonderful actors has kept me giggling for all these years. Elaine Stritch is such a wonderful character, even as herself. And Ellen Burstyn gets better with age. If people would give her the credit she deserves for great comedic timing and theatrical professionalism, and someone would develop a series for her, there is a growing element of the country calling out for quality. Actors like Burstyn, Stritch, et al. would be a marvelous addition to what is becoming what Marshal McLuhan once called the "vast wasteland" of television. The "Ellen Burstyn Show" was creative, well-acted, and uproariously funny in a very subtle sense. I'm surprised studios don't have people begging for shows which make the viewer think. Or would that bee too much to ask? One can't say enough about marvelous actors like Mss. Burstyn and Stritch. There are others too who, unfortunately, are equally ans wonderful, but no one is writing for them. Is there an automatic cut-off of, say, 40? I think Geena Davis proved she could carry a show. Let's get some of that generation on television!

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    bsebesta

    The only reason I noticed this show at all was my long term obsession with Lucille Ball and her anxiously awaited return to a new sitcom, however I was disappointed since they had her doing the same old things in her 70's that she did in her 30's...not pretty. So I was more than entertained by the show that followed!! The Ellen Burstyn show was witty, funny and above all showcased the comedic talents of Elaine Stritch! If they had given it a few more episodes or changed the time slot it may have worked, and even though I love Ellen Burstyn and Megan Mulally ,(hello who doesn't), they really were just straight men for Elain...hmm maybe it should have been called "Elaine!". If you can find any of the episodes, watch it with an open mind, I think you will love it!

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    budikavlan

    This was a terrific little show, well-made and gently funny, which was doomed from the start. Ellen Burstyn agreed to do a series, but the show was stuck with a terrible lead-in ("Life With Lucy") and a terrible timeslot (on Saturday night), and Burstyn, while a fantastic actress and movie star, wasn't the kind of star likely to draw a large audience from name-ID alone. With Megan Mullally as her daughter (about as far from her "Will & Grace" character as you can get) and Elaine Stritch as her mother, plus one of the cutest child actors ever as her grandson, Burstyn was ably supported in this family sitcom. Unfortunately, no miracle occurred, and the show was cancelled in a matter of weeks.

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