TCA Sneak Peek - Eli Stone

Eli Stone is hands-down one of my favorite shows on ABC, so the fanboy in me was really psyched to see the cast and get a glimpse as to what’s coming up this season.  It sounds incredible.  Would you like to hear the inside scoop?  Of course you would!  That’s why I’m here.

Johnny Lee Miller, Victor Garber, and the entire Eli Stone posse joined producers Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim onstage for a Q&A session that offered us a glimpse as to what the future holds for everyone’s favorite lawyer/prophet.

Let’s get the big news out of the way first:  Katie Holmes herself is going to guest on the show this season, which is a pretty big deal.  Katie plays an attorney and yes, she sings and dances.  It wouldn’t be Eli Stone if they didn’t make her sing and dance.  Look for her on the second episode this year.

The upcoming season is going to deal with the ramifications of a) the operation which removed the brain aneurysm and b) the very public way Eli revealed his prophetic powers  to the outside world.  Oh, and the Golden Gate Bridge is totally gone, wiped out by the mega-earthquake Eli predicted.  In the world of Eli Stone, commuting in the Bay Area just got 10,000 times more difficult.

Berlanti said that Eli’s visions are “sort of his super power.  He commits to his powers and this year is going to be all about the trial and errors of that commitment.”

Something big happens at Eli’s law firm as well that changes the way they do business, but that’s all the info I could glean from them.  Maybe Katie Seagal returns this season?  It’d be nice to see her back in her role as the sort-of villainous senior partner of the firm, and it would be a good chance to showcase her amazing singing voice.  She used to sing back up for Bette Midler – true story.

Speaking of singing, what about George Michael?  The Man Himself appeared on a ton of episodes last season and, needless to say, his music played a crucial role on the show.  The producers are talking to GM about returning – he really enjoyed working on the show and the creators really want him to come back, but right now it’s up in the air.

Big changes are in store for the people around Eli as well.  Nate Stone, who is sort of on the opposite side of the whole science/faith spectrum from Eli’s spiritual advisor Dr. Chen, will be forced to visit Chen for a significant and “Eli-like” condition, Berlanti said.  Hmm, what could that mean?  I was happy to see Chen and Nate finally meet last season, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they interact and relate to each other.

One thing that struck me was how everyone on the cast seemed so excited to be part of such a positive show that dealt with big issues like faith and sprituality.  Victor Garber said he was really drawn to the show's positive outlook and unique vision, and Julie Gonzalo, who plays Maggie, said, "It's a pleasure to be a part of something like this... I don't think there's anything out there that talks about faith and religion and God in such a unique way."

I second that sentiment.  I am stoked  - yes, stoked - about the return of Eli Stone - I have a feeling they are going to totally nail it this fall.

--Dave Campbell

Comments

[Les]

"Nate Stone, who is sort of on the opposite side of the whole science/faith spectrum from Eli’s spiritual advisor Dr. Chen, will be forced to visit Chen for a significant and “Eli-like” condition"

Ooooh!!! Thanks, Dave. All of this sounds interesting, but you just made my day with that sentence. I know the show is called Eli Stone and that it's mainly about him, but I love the character of Nate as well. I can't wait to see what the "Eli-like" condition turns out to be. Bring on the second season!!!