Last November, ABC opted not to order any additional episodes of Eli Stone’s second season, effectively cancelling the drama. The series’ co-creator, Marc Guggenheim, held out hope that the network might still order a third round.
The chances of that happening were very remote and they were finally put to rest in May when ABC announced its new schedule and Eli Stone wasn’t on it. In April, the network announced plans to air the final four installments. They start running tonight.
Guggenheim recently told SCI FI Wire, “I have to say these four are among my favorite of the whole series run, quite frankly. I just feel like, ironically, we ended up getting cancelled right around the time we were really hitting on all cylinders.”
So, will the fans finally get some closure?
The series finale, titled “Flight Path,” is set to air on July 11th and will bring the series full circle. Guggenheim said, “For those people familiar with the pilot and fans of the show, we return to the Himalayas. That was in the very first episode. So there’s a sense of closure with that last episode. We returned to the scene of the crime, as it were.”
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The co-creator promises that the last episode will give an ending of sorts to the series. He noted, “We wrote it knowing that we were on the bubble, so we wrote it to work like it could be a mid-season finale or it could be a series finale. It has a real satisfying sense of closure.”
After all this time, Guggenheim is very happy that the final episodes of Eli Stone are finally being aired. He related, “I have to say the worst part about being canceled was the possibility that these episodes wouldn’t get aired. Because, first and foremost, a lot of very talented, hardworking people gave their all to write, produce and film these episodes.”
“Especially episode 13, ‘Flight Path,’ because that was produced when we knew we were canceled. We had written it beforehand, but it was actually filmed around the time we learned of our cancellation, and yet no one phoned anything in. You see the episode, and you see the level of ambition from the plane crash to the Himalayas to everything in between, and you go, ‘Wow! That was everyone trying to leave on the best note possible.’ I’m just really glad that everyone’s hard work is going to get a chance to shine.”
Though Guggenheim has moved on and is working on a new ABC series, FlashForward, he’s very grateful to Eli Stone’s loyal audience. To them, he wanted to say, “Just thank you for all your support. Thanks for watching. Thank you for posting. Thank you for creating Web sites. I’ve always said that I would rather have the number of viewers that we had — even though it wasn’t enough to keep us on the air — I would rather have the number of viewers that we had with all of them loving the show as they did, than three times the number of viewers — while that number might have kept us on the air — that didn’t care about the show as much as all the people who watched.”
Image courtesy ABC.
of all the junk they had to cancel, this is what they do away with. It’s just ridiculous. This was such a great show w/ such good actors. I hope some cable picks it up and revives it.
Sad to see a good show cancelled. I suppose we must be bombarded with the rest of TV’s junk.
I am just so sad this is the last episode. Of all the junk I TIVO, this was the show I watched first, every time it came on.
Wish ABC would reconsider.
It’s really sad that Eli Stone is not going to be with us: It’s sad that people dont appreciate a good program. Sad that ABC decided to cancel it, and sad because we have to return to bad programs.
I hope that we can have it again,
I’m very sad that this is the last episode of Eli Stone. My family loves this show. It was the only TV show that my sister actually watched. The cancellation of Eli Stone is not only a great loss for ABC but a great loss for television.
Maybe USA Network could pick it up . . . they’ve done very well with Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, etc. They have the goods right now.
ABC cancelling a show with a positive message? Astonishing! I wish someone making these decisions would have the back-bone to keep the good ones.
Very sad and disappointing to lose this show. No, we’ll not be watching its “reality” replacement.
I just watched the final episode as well, and feel a little sadden by the fact that there is no more Eli Stone. I, like many other people that posted here, feel that this was a great show with a very strong moral compas, and in this day and age, we could use a little more of that to show people what the human race is capable of. I am not in favor of any of the reality shows and find it harder and harder to find series on TV that I feel the need to tune in for. Not… Read more »
Thanks for airing the last four episodes and giving us some closure. Too bad you are cancelling your best show probably for some reality crap. Hope you guys get a clue soon.
WOW. Just watched the final episode, and it was wonderful. The series will be missed – sadly to be replaced by another reality show, maybe?
I just watched the last episode. I watch very few shows on TV, and in a sense I feel more disconnected than ever from the medium now. A brief glimmer of intellect on ABC, then it winked out to return to the inane monotony of yet another reality show or CSI clone. It makes me sad to think that we as humans are so shallow that we consider these things entertainment, and how dare a show make us think or expand our imaginations. ABC returns to the land of garbage TV, and I return to the Science Channel or History… Read more »
Just watched the final episode and it just plain makes me sad that I’m not going to see this awesome show anymore. Sad Sad Sad…
sure, “shows” like that celebrity jungle BS are so much better than a well written, well acted gem as Eli Stone. When will ABC (and the other networks for that matter) realize that “reality” shows have run their course and it is time for GOOD television again?
Eli Stone was my family’s favorite progam! Shame on ABC for taking a good quality show that has morale value off the air! Ditto so many other comments regarding another reality show or police show that highlights violence! I think ES should be brought back for another season and let us, the viewers decide!