The Drew Carey Show: Drew and the Conspiracy

Mimi and her unique fashion sense

The Drew Carey Show: Drew and the Conspiracy
ABC
September 23, 1998
Sitcom
VHS
C+

So I liked the supporting cast on DCS (not just Ryan) but not Carey himself.  This was the premiere for Season Four but was probably taped as a rerun, since it aired right before Whose Line Is It Anyway?  (More on that in awhile.)  This episode has Drew the victim of a nine-year conspiracy of revenge by fellow employees.  Meanwhile, Lewis sells Mimi mood makeup and she has a one-night stand with a man who turns out to be married.

Series regulars:

• Diedrich Bader as Oswald Lee Harvey
• Drew Carey as Drew Carey (except not Drew Carey the celebrity but a Drew Carey works in a department store)
• Craig Ferguson as Carey's boss Nigel Wick
• Kathy Kinney as Mimi Bobeck
• Krista Miller as Kate O'Brien
• Ryan Stiles as Lewis Kiniski

Maintenance Guy Jim O'Heir was Kelsy on Ellen the season before, while Kevin McDonald, who's Heller here, was Chuck at the radio station on Ellen that season.  The writer(s) and director aren't mentioned at IMDB so I'm omitting them, but they didn't ring a bell when I saw them onscreen.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 7.7

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 7.7
Channel Four
8 September 1995
Improv Game Show
VHS
C

The other formerly missing episode features Eddie Izzard and never seems to get going.  This doesn't really affect the C+ the average for Series Seven though.

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 7.4

Whose Line Is It Anyway?: Episode 7.4
Channel Four
18 August 1995
Improv Game Show
VHS
C+

Ah, so I do have Caroline's Whose Line debut after all.  The best thing here is probably Helping Hands, where Richard seems unsure whether he's going to provide piano accompaniment to Ryan-Colin's lounge singer act, although it's also fun to see the Press Conference where Tony's head has been attached to a dog.

Mad About You: Yoko Said

David Steinberg directs a bed-in.

Mad About You: Yoko Said
NBC
November 12, 1995
Sitcom
VHS
C

Well, before we leave the '90s behind, it's time to go through my unlabeled videocassettes.  This story co-written by Reiser isn't average because of Yoko but because of what's done with her appearance.  Paul stresses out and fasts and Yoko is more casual.  And some of the jokes fall flat.  I almost went with a C+ because it's interesting that this episode exists (and I had the feeling I had it on tape somewhere), but it's kind of meh in actuality.

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 6

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 6
TV Tokyo
March 26, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C

Yes, there's a Part 6 and, no, we don't get any real closure for the series:

• Arima's dark side darkens so Tonami decides to really befriend him;
• Tonami realizes that his plans for revenge have changed and he's attracted to Tsubaki;
• Arima and Yukino still haven't really processed that their relationship is now sexual, or for that matter the fallout of "being their real selves and pursuing their true happiness";
• We don't even see the damn play that Aya wrote!

His and Her Circumstances ranges from a B+ premiere to 2 C-s, averaging out to a B-.  It reminds me a little of Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, in that it's an animated show that starts strong but loses its way, although the decline is more dramatic here of course.  As I recall, the manga went beyond this point and gave a real sense of closure, in fact SPOILER showing Arima and Yukino as married with a teenage daughter.  It's disappointing that the focus couldn't stay on the main couple here, not that side characters are a bad thing, but they should remain on the side.  I'll compare and contrast this with the other anime I have the complete collection of, Fruits Basket, when we get there.

His and Her Circumstances: A Different Story from Up to Now

His and Her Circumstances: A Different Story from Up to Now
TV Tokyo
March 19, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
B-

Kano is being followed by someone, possibly a stalker.  Then it appears to be a female classmate, who might have a crush on her.  Then it turns out that the classmate thought Kano had a crush on her.  And meanwhile Tsukino had set up a prank that she had to adjust.  It's interesting that same-sex crushes are presented here as a normal phase, including for Mrs. Miyazawa apparently.  Yukino is mostly here to react to Kano's dilemma, while Arima only has one line, but if they have to focus on other characters, I'd much rather it was the younger sisters than more about Tonami and Tsubaki.

His and Her Circumstances: A Different Story from So Far

His and Her Circumstances: A Different Story from So Far
TV Tokyo
March 12, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C+

Choppy, confusing yet nonetheless interesting episode, the first half of which has Arima and/or Yukino dreaming about her helping him confront his childhood traumas, while the second half has the theme song and recaps, including by Yukino's female friends.

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 5

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 5
TV Tokyo
March 5, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C

Plans for the Culture Fest continue, as do Tonami's plans for revenge.  Oh, and Yukino thinks kendo is sexy until she smells Arima after practice.  I think I was planning to give this a C+ but the fact that I completely forgot about watching it last night means a C makes more sense.

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 4

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 4
TV Tokyo
February 26, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C+

Yukino agrees to do the play and emotionally blackmails Maho into participating.  They get a teacher to sponsor them and start planning.  Asaba, whose class is doing all the planning for his "dinner show," including tie-ins (amusingly a manga called His and His Boyfriend's Circumstances is one product), offers to help with sets for the play.  Meanwhile, Yukino and Tonami bond further over their dark sides.  Arima feels left out and Asaba is sympathetic.

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 3

Aya

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 3
TV Tokyo
February 19, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C

Aya bribes Tsubasa and pressures Yukino and Maho to perform in her play, which is futuristic sci-fi about androids and their inventor.  Meanwhile, Tonami doesn't want Sakura to know who he is so that he can enact his revenge against her.  And Yukino goes along with it because she can relate to Tonami's remaking of himself.  So much for the girl-bonding.

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 2

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 2
TV Tokyo
February 12, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C-

Tonami gives his backstory, of how Tsubaki both bullied him and protected him from other bullies.  Only Arima protected him, and Arima is happy to welcome him back.  I might've gone with a C, but then there's the scene where Yukino and Asaba force Arima to eat something and then say they enjoy making people do things against their will.  At least the animation is back up to standard.  And, no, I don't know why they couldn't just give the episodes real titles, rather than drawing out "14 Days" to five parts!

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 1

His and Her Circumstances: 14 Days, Part 1
TV Tokyo
February 5, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C+

I don't remember the backstory on this but Hideaki Anno left as director, replaced by Kazuya Tsurumaki, and so we got this paper-doll version of the show.  Same voice actors though.  School is back in session and plans are in motion for the Culture Fest.  Meanwhile, a new student, Tonami (voiced by Ed Paulson), returns after an absence of three years, and Tsubaki used to treat him like a servant.  Note that the opening narration sets the story in the late '90s, one reason I decided to go with the original broadcast dates.

His and Her Circumstances: Progress

His and Her Circumstances: Progress
TV Tokyo
January 29, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

The title turns out to be an understatement, as this episode contains all of the following, any of which could've been a half or full episode in themselves:

• Arima and Yukino get to second base and he says he wants to make love to her someday, but also they manage to read and study a lot;
• They go to the beach with their friends;
• He goes to a family reunion where he's shamed as the son of the black sheep, but his adoptive father stands up for him;
• Arima and Yukino get caught in the rain and then seek shelter at his empty house, where they make love for the first time (represented symbolically by her chibi self losing her hat and his chibi self catching it, as well as dancing lights);
• He has nightmares because he's sought happiness.

Overstuffed but still good.

His and Her Circumstances: His Return

His and Her Circumstances: His Return
TV Tokyo
January 22, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C+

While it's nice that Arima comes back, this episode has dubious messages:

• Maho has a 28-year-old dentist boyfriend and this is only seen as a sign of how mature she is.  (No, this is not like "Mrs. Marcia Dentist" on The Brady Bunch.)
• Yukino worries that she's accomplished nothing over the summer but homework, while Arima got taller and won the Kendo championship, neither of them an accomplishment that's going to help Arima that much in life.
• Yukino worries that her life has no direction without Arima, but Maho says love is meant to make you feel uncertain and unbalanced.
• Yukino finds herself more in love and physically attracted to Arima when he returns but she has trouble sharing her feelings until he feels rejected and corners and yells at her.  Then everything's OK.

His and Her Circumstances: Eternal Interspersion

His and Her Circumstances: Eternal Interspersion
TV Tokyo
January 15, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
B-

The family goes to visit the paternal grandfather, leading to flashbacks of how Father and Mother grew up together and gradually fell in love.  We don't see much of Yukino, and Arima is only glimpsed in a photo.

His and Her Circumstances: The Story So Far (Part 2)

His and Her Circumstances: The Story So Far (Part 2)
TV Tokyo
January 8, 1999
Anime, Romance
DVD
C+

After more flashbacks, we finally get back on track.  Arima and Yukino talk on the phone and miss each other.  Asaba comes over because he misses Arima, and we find out more about his background.  We also get some humor with the family, especially when the girls' father is understandably protective when Tsukino and Kano dote on "Asapin."

His and Her Circumstances: The Story So Far

His and Her Circumstances: The Story So Far
TV Tokyo
December 30, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
C-

On a live-action show, the characters sit around the living room (or workplace or what have you) and reminisce, while apparently in anime you just get a little narration linking clips in order that recap the "past five months."  I suppose this was tolerable when the show aired once a week, but watching on DVD?  Well, I confess I skimmed.

His and Her Circumstances: The Subjectivity of Happiness

His and Her Circumstances: The Subjectivity of Happiness
TV Tokyo
December 25, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B-

To her surprise, Tsubasa finds herself befriending her punk rocker stepbrother-to-be, Kazuma (voiced by Buddy Woodward), and thus accepting their parents' engagement.  Yukino is hardly in this episode and the focus of this series has really shifted in the second quarter.  So of course we'll get one-and-a-half recap episodes next!

His and Her Circumstances: The Location of Happiness

His and Her Circumstances: The Location of Happiness
TV Tokyo
December 18, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B-

"Sis gets involved in the problems of another household," as Tsubasa and a reluctant Maho sleep over because Tsubasa is angry at her widowed father for wanting to remarry.  It's nice to see the Miyazawa family, and a reluctant Maho, play Uno, but the focus here is more on Tsubasa's family, including her father slapping her for mouthing off.  Arima is seen only in flashbacks.

His and Her Circumstances: At the End of the First Semester

His and Her Circumstances: At the End of the First Semester
TV Tokyo
December 11, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

Although this aired in late autumn, it's set in summer, with vacation beginning.  Arima has to prepare for a kendo tournament, so he won't be able to spend time with Yukino, but she hangs out with her new female friends.  We first hear that Tsubaki likes cute girls, although it will later turn out that she's not a lesbian per se.  My favorite part here is the monster song at karaoke.

His and Her Circumstances: Everything Starts Now

His and Her Circumstances: Everything Starts Now
TV Tokyo
December 4, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

Yukino works out her problems with Maho and the rest of her class, and we get to know not only Tsubasa but her friends Tsubaki, Rika, and Aya (voiced by Lea Lane, Angora Deb, and Rachael Lillis respectively) a little better.  The series seems to be focused more on school than Yukino's family these days, which is fine, although I miss her sisters (they still do the synopses though).

His and Her Circumstances: Atonement for Postponed Debts

We've finally met everyone in this part of the opening credits.

His and Her Circumstances: Atonement for Postponed Debts
TV Tokyo
November 27, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

After one-third of a season with a rather skeletal regular cast (for anime), this episode introduces no less than five new recurring characters, all female.  Maho Isawa (voiced by Carol Jacobanis), who misses the popularity she had in middle school, stirs up gossip against Yukino, while Tsubasa Shibahime (Lisa Ortiz), who's had a crush on Arima since middle school, although he thinks of her as a kid sister, hates him having a girlfriend.  However, Tsubasa's three friends (whose names aren't really mentioned this episode) are friendlier towards poor Yukino.

His and Her Circumstances: Her Day

His and Her Circumstances: Her Day
TV Tokyo
November 20, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

Yukino and Arima share their second kiss after she accuses him of not being affectionate.  Then he flashes back to the day he fell in love with her, in April, when he saw her among the peach blossoms.  There's humor as well, especially with Asaba, so it's not just romance.

His and Her Circumstances: Their Estrangement

His and Her Circumstances: Their Estrangement
TV Tokyo
November 13, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

Despite the title, Arima and Yukino don't become estranged, but the principal and teachers try to separate them when they fall in the class rankings to respectively #3 and, gasp, #13!  They've been goofing off and having fun, so the faculty think they should wait till college to date and now concentrate on their studies.  Their parents, especially her father, take their side.

His and Her Circumstances: Your Voice That Changes Me

His and Her Circumstances: Your Voice That Changes Me
TV Tokyo
November 6, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

Arima and Yukino go on a lot of dates but it's only when they're alone at school during a rainstorm that he loses control and...hugs her tightly!  He feels dirty and she has a Pink Lady song ("S.O.S.") stuck in her head.  Their kiss later is gentle and sweet.  Asaba provides comic relief, including when he tans instead of studying.  Three months have now passed in this world.

His and Her Circumstances: Day of Labyrinth

His and Her Circumstances: Day of Labyrinth
TV Tokyo
October 30, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B-

I'd give the first part of the episode, where Yukino and Arima are too busy and stressed out by the sports festival to spend together, a C+, but then an interesting character is introduced.  Hideaki Asaba (voiced in English by Liam O'Brien) wants to use Arima as bait to attract girls, so he resents Arima's new girlfriend.  However, Yukino and Asaba are friends by the end of the episode.

His and Her Circumstances: Her Difficult Problem

His and Her Circumstances: Her Difficult Problem
TV Tokyo
October 23, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B-

Yukino's difficult problem is she's unable to confess her feelings to Arima.  Her wise little sister Kano figures out that Yukino is afraid of getting hurt.  It takes awhile to get to the end, where Yukino wordlessly takes Arima's hand during a meeting, but I do like the background music, especially the '60s-pop-like instrumentals.

His and Her Circumstances: His Circumstances

Arima doesn't hit Yukino here; he's just shutting her out.

His and Her Circumstances: His Circumstances
TV Tokyo
October 16, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

Although much of this episode is still from Yukino's perspective, we do get insight into Arima.  Now that he's starting to open up and be his real self with Yukino, he's recalling memories of his real parents' physical abuse.  His "current parents" are his aunt and uncle (voiced by Bill Rogers and Kristen Nelson), loving but a little formal.  Arima likes the relaxed yet crazy atmosphere of the Miyazawa household.  I considered going with a B+, for the handling of darker, heavier issues, but then Yukino punched Arima in the face just to get a reaction out of him, yes, in a cartoony way but still.  The episode ends with Arima re-confessing his love.

His and Her Circumstances: Their Secret

His and Her Circumstances: Their Secret
TV Tokyo
October 9, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B

Arima blackmails Yukino into doing his committee work but the two nonetheless bond.  In Episode 1, he confessed his love to her before knowing what she was really like, but here she realizes she loves him as she gets to know his devious side.  In the end, they're friends, for now.

While this episode is still enjoyable, it does definitely have more questionable behavior.  Also, the family isn't as fun as in the premiere, although the sequence of her two kid sisters using "comic strips and fun music" to teach her a lesson is great.

His and Her Circumstances: Her Circumstances

His and Her Circumstances: Her Circumstances
TV Tokyo
October 2, 1998
Anime, Romance
DVD
B+

Housekeeping:

• I'm watching this series with an English dub and English sub (subtitles);
• Nonetheless I'm going with the original airdates rather than the 2002 release in English;
• I will do the same for Fruits Basket.

Based on the manga by Masami Tsuda, this is mostly directed by Hideaki Anno (but we'll get to that).  The American voice actors for this and most if not all episodes are as follows:

• Jessica Calvello as Tsukino Miyazawa
• Megan Hollingshead as Kano Miyazawa
• Rachel Lillis as Miyako Miyazawa
• Christopher Nicholas as Soichiro Arima
• Veronica Taylor as Yukino Miyazawa
• Oliver Wyman as Hiroyuki Miyazawa

This debut episode is funny and insightful, with visuals that include just about every anime style then possible.  The set-up of the girl obsessed with her image starting a one-sided rivalry has a lot of potential, although that set-up would quickly morph, even by the episode's end, where Mr. Perfect finds out she's not Miss Perfect.  The voice-acting is spot on and the music is bouncy and fun.  And I do recommend that you watch it with all the available subtitles on, because there are translated Japanese characters that add a whole layer of jokes and information.

As the title (translated from Kare Kano) suggests, we'll be getting "his circumstances," too, but not just yet....

Ellen: Vows

Ellen: Vows
ABC
July 22, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
B

In this Cohen & Pratt story, helping Ellen's parents prepare to renew their vows causes Ellen and Laurie to get caught up in the romance.  But when Ellen proposes to Laurie, Laurie says no because the ceremony seems empty to her as long as it's not legal.  It would be another fifteen years before California legalized gay marriage, and television and so much else would change by then.  In its own way, this episode creates TV history: the first time the main character on a sitcom proposes a same-sex marriage.

It's nice to see Kathleen Noone and Brian Doyle-Murray finally appear together as Ellen's Aunt Ferne and Uncle Burt, he of course a real scene-stealer.  It does seem odd that their son Spence couldn't make it to the wedding, but whatever.

Ellen in its fifth and final season ranges from C to B+, averaging out to a B-.  Despite the common opinion that the show got "too gay," the missteps of this season are when the writers (and DeGeneres) forgot that the biggest pro-gay statement they could make was showing the humanity of their imperfect but good-hearted lesbian protagonist.  The series was at its most universal when it explored the ways that same-sex relationships are first and foremost relationships.  Oh, and the radio station stuff never worked, but that's only two episodes.

Farewell Ellen, farewell ABC sitcoms, at least for now.

Ellen: When Ellen Talks, People Listen

Ed Begley, Jr. as himself

Ellen: When Ellen Talks, People Listen
ABC
July 15, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
C

Mike Larsen wrote this pointless episode in which he plays the Paper Suit Guy.  It's set at the radio station (KPOV), so Kevin McDonald and Susan Norfleet return as Chuck and Julie.  Ellen speaks out on her radio show about how people aren't willing to help each other, so she strikes a chord, transforming L.A. and helping Paige meet a nice guy played by Judge Reinhold.  But the experience sours and we're left with a message of what?  We should reach out to each other even though it'll probably go badly?  Someone else might've made this darkly funny, or at least sharpened the Begley self-parody, but it's understandable why this first aired during the summer.  (It's the penultimate episode.)

Old Woman Amzie Strickland was already playing old on two episodes of The Bob Newhart Show and one episode of Three's Company (as Gladys Moore, "Jack's Other Mother"), and she was on That Girl twice.  Diana Theodore, who had an unknown role on Roseanne in 1995, plays a Young Woman here.  And, yes, that's Jane Brucker being marginally funnier than she was on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, here playing the news reporter Mimi Samuel.

Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute

Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute
ABC
May 13, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Linda Ellerbee hosts this hour-long mockumentary about Ellen's career, going back to the 1920s, with this sitcom starting in 1959.  The writing by Tim Doyle, who wrote a couple Roseanne episodes, is uneven but I like the various pastiches of different eras and styles.  My favorites are the 1950s guess-the-Commie game show and the early '70s cartoon about "Ellen and the Fun Bunch" (in outer space with the Harlem Globetrotters, of course).

Celebrities I didn't tag include Jennifer Aniston, Bea Arthur, Orson Bean, Richard Benjamin, Diahann Carroll, Glenn Close, Tim Conway, Cindy Crawford, Ted Danson, Woody Harrelson, Christine Lahti, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Mary Steenburgen.

Steven Anderson, who was a Young Man on The Bob Newhart Show in 1976 and Higgins on Three's Company in '81, is a Bookish Man here.  Jim Doughan played Amazing Dave on Who's the Boss? and is a Camera Assistant here.  Phil Leeds, who was on a few Roseanne episodes, is one of the Comedians here.  Man #1 Gene Allan Poe played a Salesman before.  Dan Finnerty, who previously was a Doorman on this show, plays both Crew Member Dan and Tom.

Ellen: Hospital

Ellen: Hospital
ABC
March 4, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Anne Heche returns in this Berry & Swartzlander story, this time as Laurie's ex Karen, although this is not immediately apparent.  Laurie got in a car accident after having lunch with Karen.  The episode has an odd feel to it, not only because of the mind games Karen is playing but because of the offscreen relationship between DeGeneres and Heche.  (They'd break up in 2000.)

Tyler Layton returns as Laurie's sister Leah.  This is Kayla Murphy's last appearance as Holly.  Laurie herself does not actually appear.

Ellen: It's a Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay World

Ellen: It's a Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay World
ABC
February 25, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
C+

This is a somewhat heavy-handed story where Spence dreams that he's a closeted heterosexual in a world where homosexuals are the majority.  The best jokes here are name-drops of celebrities, but this episode feels like it needed a couple more drafts to make the writing, by David Walpert, sharper and/or subtler.

Bunny Summers, who was a Wardrobe Lady on That Girl and Mrs. Cassio on Who's the Boss?, is "Mom" here.

Ellen: Neighbors

Ellen: Neighbors
ABC
February 18, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
C+

The story is by Kit Pongetti, who played a Ticket-Taker on Roseanne, while the teleplay is by two people who didn't write for any other of my shows.  The story behind the story is that all season DeGeneres had been butting heads with ABC over how much they could show of the romance with Laurie, and so she rebelled by making an episode with contrived sitcom devices, like misunderstandings and a chicken suit, as if the episode had been made 40 years earlier.  (Well, plus lots of jokes about what a slut Paige is.)  It doesn't exactly work as entertainment, but it's interesting.

This is the 600th show I've reviewed for the '90s.  It's unlikely that we'll hit 700.

Ellen: Ellen in Focus

Ellen: Ellen in Focus
ABC
February 11, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This is the only Ellen story by Leif Sandaas, who did four for Roseanne, and it has some mild satire of television, modern and older.  Paige comes up with a cop show where one cop is short and then she pressures Ellen to become part of the focus group of ordinary people evaluating the pilot.  Ellen is very persuasive, but then Paige's short boss wants her to replace the short cop with his busty blonde starlet girlfriend.

Roger Eschbacher, who's Derek here, was a Cop on the show in '95.  This is the 100th Ellen episode.

Ellen: Escape from L.A.

Ellen: Escape from L.A.
ABC
January 28, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
B-

This Himmel & Nelson story has Ellen and Laurie going on vacation together, to San Diego, and finding that they have very different travel styles, but things are more fun when they're together.  I was surprised the communication was so bad compared to usual, but I do like that, except for the mix-up over a king-sized bed, this episode is more about universal issues for couples than specifically lesbian issues.

In a nice touch, the couple that they hang out with one night is interracial, with no mention of that in the dialogue; the actress Candy Ann Brown was Cindy on What's Happening!! in ''79.  Larry Cedar, who was a nameless Soldier on M*A*S*H in '80 and Bradley on Who's the Boss?, plays the Desk Clerk.  This is DeGeneres's 100th show I've reviewed, since she was also on an episode of Roseanne.

Ellen: The Funeral

Ellen: The Funeral
ABC
January 14, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
B

In this Matt Berry story, Ellen finds out that Laurie's father, who rejected Laurie when she came out, has recently died and Laurie doesn't want to go to the funeral.  Ellen is sweet and supportive throughout the episode.  And she also realizes that there are times to make a statement and times when there are other things going on.  Kayla Murphy returns as Holly and I like the continuing thread of her grandfather-granddaughter relationship with Ellen's dad, as well as the contrast between Ellen's supportive family and Laurie's family where only her sister has accepted her.

This is the 98th Ellen episode and it aired in '98.

Ellen: Womyn Fest

Ellen: Womyn Fest
ABC
January 7, 1998
Sitcom
DVD
B

In this Jane Espenson story, Ellen, Paige, and Audrey go to an all-woman musical festival where they hear the Indigo Girls and Sarah McLachlan (as themselves).  Ellen meets an attractive waitress but she realizes she misses Laurie, so she returns to her ex and they reconcile.  Meanwhile, Paige realizes that her relationship with Spence, which is based on sex, isn't going anywhere, so she breaks up with him, but they still have sex.

Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's...: Lunch in the Park

Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's...: Lunch in the Park
ITV
21 October 1997
Sketch Comedy
DVD
B

This has a slow start but stay with it, as the two-person show gradually moves from small talk to shared confidences to confessions of love to...treason?  Paul and Josie again work very well together and it's a pity they didn't appear more regularly as a team on television.  (Even on Whose Line is It Anyway? it was never more than a couple times a year.)

Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's...: Sealed with a Loving Kiss

Paul Merton in Galton and Simpson's...: Sealed with a Loving Kiss
ITV
16 February 1996
Sketch Comedy
DVD
B

The concept behind this programme was that Paul would act in updated G & S scripts that had been performed more than 30 years earlier.  As I haven't seen the earlier versions, I won't compare them.  On its own terms, this is solid, not only giving Paul/Josie shippers much fodder but being an interesting character study.  The humour is gentle and, yes, a bit old-fashioned.  Note that both characters lie and their lies are never revealed, but at some point she'll presumably see photos of his father and the truth will come out.  And, amusingly (in light of Caroline Quentin's Room 101 items), Paul's character refers to a Teasmade.

This is sort of the 200th British show I've reviewed, although I guess I should've counted the music videos of Paul McCartney, the Spice Girls, etc. as well, but not all of those were shot in Britain, despite the national origins of the performers.  It gets a bit murky sometimes with the tags.

Room 101: Caroline Quentin

Room 101: Caroline Quentin
Channel Four
15 September 1995
Talk Show
DVD
B

I was going to go with a B- on this, but the closing clip of a horribly choreographed '60s rendition of "Dancing in the Streets" bumped it up.  Poor Caroline gets only one item (rats) into the Room, but it is interesting to know that she was in the chorus of the first cast of Les Miserables, and that her then hubby Paul Merton was bad at gift-giving.  (The Teasmade does not make it into the Room either, but it is nice to finally see one after Tony Slattery referred to the product on an early Whose Line Is It Anyway? episode.)

Room 101: Tony Slattery

Room 101: Tony Slattery
Channel Four
8 August 1994
Talk Show
DVD
B

Host Nick Hancock has celebrities bring in a list of pet peeves that might be banished to the title location (a 1984 reference).  Tony fails to get his bad '80s soap Gems in there but does manage Snoopy and a couple other peeves.  This episode is laugh out loud funny, but I of course didn't get every reference, so B is as high as I can go.  Contains an adorable photo of "mean, moody, and magnificent" Tony at 16.  (Note, I would've reviewed this sooner but I was thinking all my Room 101 episodes were from the later Paul Merton era.  Obviously it would've been interesting to see Paul and Tony reunite but it was not to be.)

Ellen: Break Up

Ellen: Break Up
ABC
December 17, 1997
Sitcom
DVD
B

While Laurie's behavior annoys me as much as it did almost twenty years ago, it is handled realistically and this is a good episode, the first of three written by Matt Berry, who also wrote three for Roseanne.  Ellen and Laurie are celebrating their one-month anniversary and Laurie is already ready to move herself and Holly (Kayla Murphy again) in.  Then Ellen feels this is rushing things, and can't promise, when Laurie asks, if she'll still be around when 12-year-old Holly goes to college.  While we get some insight here and in the previous episode of why Laurie feels the way she does, it feels unfair for her to pressure Ellen like this, and then break up with her.  But the episode is intelligent and bittersweet, and it does mock ABC at least twice (with a Laverne & Shirley joke and a reference to warnings on TV programs).

Tom Jones: Episode 1.5

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling: Episode 1.5
BBC
7 December 1997
Historical Comedy, Romance
DVD
B+

After more drama, Tom and Sophia find their happy ending, and the series ends as well as it started.  This episode is more focused and features more of such characters as Squire Allworthy, Aunt Western, Jenny Jones, and indeed Henry Fielding himself.  It's a nice touch to make the blind judge in Tom's case Fielding's real-life brother, beyond the symbolism of course.  Characters are punished or rewarded as they deserve, with Blifil sniveling and blaming others, and Partridge looking relieved that Mr. Allworthy has finally admitted the injustice done to Tom's supposed father.  (Beesley plays his own father in flashbacks.)  Overall, this adaptation averages out to a B and I recall the 1960s movie paling in comparison.  Also, as a fan of Honour (the character) I was pleased that she gets more to do in this last portion of the story than in the novel, where Fielding just pushes her aside with one admittedly funny farewell letter.

Ellen: All Ellen, All the Time

Ellen: All Ellen, All the Time
ABC
December 3, 1997
Sitcom
DVD
C

Ric Swartzlander wrote this episode that doesn't really work.  Ellen gets a job at a radio station, where she meets Julie and Chuck (Susan Norfleet and Kevin McDonald, both of whom would return).  Julie is the boss but doesn't like dealing with people, while Chuck sexually harasses Ellen in what's meant to be a comical way.  (I'll admit I do like the Gene-Shalit mustache, which is also on his T-shirt caricature.)  When she bluntly tells him no, he runs off and she has to do the show for the next four hours.  I can see that they were trying to set things up so that Ellen could sort of do a one-woman performance piece, but it's clumsily handled and I don't buy that someone that for three and a half years we've seen as being too nice would choose to be obnoxious to draw in listeners.  The Ellen established on the series would've rambled about her childhood or sung a capella.  Nonetheless, she's a hit with the radio listeners and keeps this job.  (And Chuck comes back, not having learned his lesson, as the tag proves.)

DeGeneres's then girlfriend, Anne Heche, plays the Woman at Next Table who refuses to give her a napkin, and Heche would return in a different role.