MovieChat Forums > Eli Stone (2008) Discussion > What did you think of the final episode?

What did you think of the final episode?

posted 15 years ago by foldedhat
10 replies | jump to latest

Someone care to explain the ending to me? I mean, is that it? What does it all mean?

[–] boisebigd 15 years ago

It means that ABC was (typically) stupid in cancelling a show WAY too soon and that, try as they might, the writers didn't get the opportunity they deserved to really flesh out the story.

[–] jeremylr 15 years ago

I'm a huge fan of the show, & although it's over after tonight (July 11th), I thought the show ended on a good note. No musical number, but they did play a George Michael song at the beginning as a nod to past episodes.

Great episode in my opinion. I enjoyed seeing Jaime Murray from "Dexter" on Showtime guest star as the atheist who needed a heart to live. She adopted an American accent this time instead of her native UK one.

Good courtroom case, too, one that made you think. People questioning &
in the process learning about their faith was a central theme. I'd
probably rate this case as being in the Top 5 of all those presented by
the show.

The vision that Eli had to piece together about the plane crashing was well-written. Basically, everything & everyone's connected. Grace (Katie Holmes) was mentioned repeatedly, although she didn't appear. Turns out she needed the heart after Jaime Murray died on the operating table.

It was particularly touching when Eli woke up in his hospital room to see Maggie sitting next to him. I really care about their on/off again relationship. They're meant for each other, but it's taken them awhile to realize that.

You got the feeling that they would eventually get back together like one of his earlier visions predicted during the 1st season (showed them married with kids as Eli was about to announce his candidacy for a public office).

Forward to Eli walking through the hospital corridor, where he comes upon a snow globe. He has another vision, & his dad (Tom Cavanagh) appears, beginning a conversation with Eli on everything that's happened to him in this episode. I found it very moving, especially when his dad told him that he was passing his "test" with flying colors & how proud he was of Eli.

His dad also mentioned how Eli still loves Maggie & how we wonder why God gave man free will. Once again, very well written & acted by all concerned. The show's emotional content often makes me think of "Highway To Heaven" that Michael Landon starred in in the 1980s.

The show then forwards to Eli back in the law firm, probably about to get another vision & case to win. He has pictures of all the people he loves, including his dad, brother, & Maggie. I wish there was more, but everyone involved with the show should be proud of how it ended.

[–] Shugaplum 15 years ago

AGREED! IT WAS FANTASTIC AND I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO UPSET AND SAD TO SEE IT END! BUT, THEY DID THE BEST THAT THEY COULD KNOWING THE SHOW WAS CANCELED, AT LEAST WE WEREN'T LEFT HANGING WONDERING ABOUT ANYTHING. BASICALLY MAGGIE AND ELI ENDED UP TOGETHER BUT WHY DO THEY MENTION GRACE AS HIS SOUL MATE, I HAVE NO IDEA?
BUT, ONCE AGAIN, GREAT ENDING!

[–] apriceaboverubies29 15 years ago

I was very satisfied with the series finale. I will miss the show, but good ole ABC has cancelled "Invasion", "Pushing Daisies", "Life on Mars", and this one.

My question is if all ABC is interested in is immediate ratings wonders and advertising revenue, why put these offbeat shows on the air with the full knowledge that the audience targets will be hit or miss.

[–] artichoke6 15 years ago

Had this show not been cancelled, this season finale sets up another season very well. Paving the way for Eli and Maggie to explore their growing feelings for one another. For Eli to have a greater understanding of why he has visions and prophetic powers. To feel more secure in his unique abilities. A possible reunion of sorts between Taylor's parents. A new baby as well and for Matt to completely turn around fans' first impressions of him!

But now that I know the show has been cancelled, I'm sad.

Sad because I took on another new show, getting into storylines, plots, plot twists, liking some characters, not liking others at first. Laughing at some on a weekly basis (gotta love Patty, especially when she sparred with Taylor in the beginning). Only to have it go two seasons.

Eli Stone joins so many other shows that were cancelled before their time: Studio 60, Journeyman, etc.

I'll miss you Eli Stone. It's a shame this show didn't take off.......

Finally, I keep coming back to that scene in the future Eli catches a glimpse of, Maggie is holding their daughter and smiles at "Daddy" - ie, Eli. So that's the image I'm going with - Eli and Maggie will have their happy ending. A life together, with one child.

Mary/artichoke6

[–] scooby_kim 15 years ago

loved the ending, wished i would have seen more of maggie and eli after the hospital scene, but just knowing he chose maggie over grace and him putting her pic up on his desk, gave me no doubt that they are together and will stay together as per his vision. I was scared at first..i thought maggie was gonna go with that guy at her new firm, but new something was up when she called to thank him for the bag and how she didn't look so happy to be leaving...i have ALWAYS loved them..

Yay on matt and taylor...so happy for them..

i wished however for a last dance/song number but hey...it's all good

[–] AlexMorgan13 15 years ago

i loved the ending since Eli and Maggie ended up together, which i was worried woudln't happen..

[–] mesmerized-1 15 years ago

I don't wanna rain on your parade, but Eli and Maggie seem to have ended up together, if youdon't believe me , watch Season 1 Episode 11 Patience, there's a flashforward and Dave Mosley is giving a speech, Maggie is holding a baby but I can't make out if it's a baby boy or girl.

[–] yems 15 years ago

Great Ending but unfortuneatly Maggie and Eli do NOT end up together.

The flash forward happened what what you didnt see was Nate turned up late and then pushed through the crowd to be with Maggie. Who Eli ended up with I do not know however Maggie ends up with Nate!!

Below is the full interview with Marc Guggenheim, the creator of the show who talks about what he had planned for Eli if another season had been green lit.

Source is EOnline:

Eli and Maggie: "The idea was going to be that Eli starts dating Maggie, and then just as things are going really great, there's a knock on the door. He opens the door to his apartment and there's Grace [Katie Holmes], who is back in town."

Eli Ends Up With Grace? "We didn't know whether or not he would end up with Grace. Obviously had we gone to series, it would've been difficult for him to end up with Grace because we didn't have Katie Holmes on a weekly basis. But we thought it would be nice to bring her back for an episode, and she was game. We wanted to end the season with her."

Maggie and…Nate?! "Maggie and Eli don't end up together. Maggie and Nate [Matt Letscher] end up together. In episode 11 of season one, when you saw Eli 40 years in the future in Times Square, the baby that Maggie is holding is her baby, but it's with Nate. We were going to revisit that flash-forward and return to Times Square. You would see that Nate arrived late, and as Eli took the stage, he was going to push his way through the throng of people to meet up with Maggie."

Dr. Chen and Nate: "They were going to go into practice together. We had Nate lose his job at the hospital and eventually Nate and Chen [James Saito] were going to open up an Eastern and Western medicine practice. It was going to be like The Odd Couple."

Matt and Taylor: "They were going to get married. Taylor would eventually have their baby. Matt [Sam Jaeger] was going to be the surprisingly good father. Taylor would find it difficult to balance work and motherhood, but Matt would show a surprising ability for being a dad."

Jordan, Taylor's Mama and the Firm: "Jordan [Victor Garber] was going to reconnect with Taylor's mother. We were hoping to get Goldie Hawn. That was the plan and hope. [Also], Wethersby Stone was going to continue to grow and prosper. Maggie would eventually come back to the firm."

Happy Eli Ending? "Eli gets a very happy ending. Basically the overall plan for the show was that with each season, Eli's profile would get bigger and bigger, until by the end of the series, he would be talking to crowds of thousands of people. His profile would grow until he actually found it difficult to practice law because he had so much notoriety. Then the show was going to shift from Eli being a lawyer to being more of an active prophet. One of the things we always said on the show was Abraham Lincoln was a prophet, Martin Luther King Jr. was a prophet, Gandhi was a prophet. All three people met premature ends. As Eli's profile grew, the danger grew to him as well."

[–] laura-827 8 years ago

I could take or leave all the stories of who ended up with whom. (And I think I'm glad the series ended before it could get bogged down in a lot of relationship angst, like so many others.) But I'm bummed not to get to see Eli's story played out as far as the creator had planned it. I liked the unique moral and spiritual elements of this show. The way they used the atheist character to highlight moral issues in the final episode was especially well done...like a modern riff on the good Samaritan.