Quirky 'Ellen' brings 'Must-See TV' to ABC

So is she or isn't she ... Lebanese? Why care, as long as talented comedian, actress and best-selling author Ellen DeGeneres and her beloved character of the same name continue to deliver quality laughs on ABC's hit television series, "Ellen."

REVIEW
	Ellen ABC Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m.

Not only does it have an extremely talented cast and some very funny and interesting characters, it also has incredible writing behind it and ingenious episode premises.

"Ellen" follows the life of one bumbling Ellen Morgan, a single woman living in the heart of Los Angeles. Kind-hearted and with good intentions, Ellen can always get herself into some of the most awkward and often traumatic situations known to man.

This season, Ellen has been looking at her life and has decided that she's due for a change. This includes buying a new house, selling her bookstore to finance the purchase, entering therapy to deal with her parents' divorce and clumsily handling the crazy characters and matters that come careening into her life. Looks like there isn't going to be a single dull moment in her life ... or on the show!

But Ellen Morgan isn't the only character who has all the fun. Also returning this season are Joe Farrell (David Anthony Higgins) and Audrey Penny (Clea Lewis), two goofy employees at Ellen's literary café, Buy the Book, and Ellen's uptight cousin Spence Kovak (Jeremy Piven), who is involved in a volatile romance with her best friend, Paige Clark (Joely Fisher).

With the addition of DeGeneres, who brings her trademark intelligent observational humor and wry wit to the show, this comedy team is to television, what the Chicago Bulls have been to basketball in the last few years. In other words, this show is unbelievably stacked and in a league of its own.

One point of interest on the show is the creative way in which each episode of Ellen opens. Each week, a new title sequence is presented with guest appearances by a variety of celebrities. Like Executive Producer Vic Kaplan says, "It's like the 90-second version of 'The Ed Sullivan Show.'"

This season, people can look forward to more hilarious openings such as John Tesh reprising his role as a color commentator for gymnastics, RuPaul demonstrating to Ellen how to walk in a formal gown and Ellen flying into camera view as Peter Pan.

"Ellen" is probably one of the most amusing and entertaining sitcoms currently on television. It has an abundant supply of humor, which it generously deals out, and rarely disappoints laughter-seekers with each energetic episode.

Unlike NBC's having to use numerous shows to grab audiences, ABC needs only "Ellen" to create a night of absolutely "Must See TV."

The cast of "Ellen" offers crazy humor on Wednesday nights on ABC.

04-11-97