It is hard to believe the idea and opportunity that was squandered by the producers of this show. The show started out wonderfully in 1993, entitled "These Friends of Mine." The show was witty and featured Ellen and her kooky friends that lived across the hall from her. (Doesn't this sound familiar?) They had the idea a full year before the premier of "Friends".
When the show returned from hiatus, it was revamped, retitled, and focused on the main character, Ellen. While not as entertaining as the original version, the show coasted along with decent ratings and quite a few laughs.
Somewhere between the shows infancy and maturity, something awful happened. The show took a complete right turn and started focusing on Ellen's lesbianism and gay lifestyle. While I hold nothing against Ellen DeGeneres for coming out, and celebrating the lifestyle she chooses to live, the American viewing public was simply not ready for that kind of focus. Viewers became alienated, and ratings plummeted. I feel that ABC was generous in leaving it on the air as long as they did.
In the end, when the show was canceled, I felt that ABC unjustly took a lot of heat for not supporting what some deemed as a "ground-breaking show". On the contrary, ABC supported the show longer than any other show suffering from such poor ratings. In the end, it was the writers, and the lack of a viewing public that killed this show.
When the show returned from hiatus, it was revamped, retitled, and focused on the main character, Ellen. While not as entertaining as the original version, the show coasted along with decent ratings and quite a few laughs.
Somewhere between the shows infancy and maturity, something awful happened. The show took a complete right turn and started focusing on Ellen's lesbianism and gay lifestyle. While I hold nothing against Ellen DeGeneres for coming out, and celebrating the lifestyle she chooses to live, the American viewing public was simply not ready for that kind of focus. Viewers became alienated, and ratings plummeted. I feel that ABC was generous in leaving it on the air as long as they did.
In the end, when the show was canceled, I felt that ABC unjustly took a lot of heat for not supporting what some deemed as a "ground-breaking show". On the contrary, ABC supported the show longer than any other show suffering from such poor ratings. In the end, it was the writers, and the lack of a viewing public that killed this show.