"Ellen" Season 5, Episode 18. My Take

"Ellen" is a show I could easily write several books about, but this episode is all I'm covering today! By season five, Ellen Morgan was way out of the closet. This installment in Ellen's life involves the boring girlfriend she's been seeing most of the season. The girfriend's so boring that this episode is bogged down by her- and it's just about her- she's not even there! Also- this episode features a truly Important Story about hospital visitation rights for gay couples. But like so many 'message episodes' that preceded it- (Example: When on "Golden Girls," Rose was tested for HIV)- truly messages sometimes dampen the festivities of a usually fun sitcom.

In a hallmark of "Ellen" season five, Ellen's friends are sadly nowhere to be seen. Here, she's stuck in the hospital waiting to find out how her boring girlfriend is doing after a car accident. Anne Heche guest stars as the boring girlfriend's ex and other mother of Ellen's boring girlfriend's boring daughter.  Anne Heche might've driven more people away from the show than towards it, but would have been a far more entertaining choice to play Ellen's full-time lady love (on the show as well as in real life, circa then). But that's not all . . .

I totally understand the feeling behind telling the character Ellen's love story, BUT as I may have mentioned: the character (and no offense to the actress), but also the actress: boring. BORING. Ellen was always a kind of silly character- very much like a 90's Lucy Ricardo. She deserved a girlfriend with a single personality trait more memorable than 'brunette.' Above see Ellen's mom- oddly, Ellen's parents are seen in the last season just as much as the friends Ellen had been hanging with since season two.

But alas: Ellen's lovable friends Paige, Spence, Audrey, and Joe may have popped up from time to time in Ellen's last season- but not here. Sorry to bum you out!!! There were plenty of laughs in the final season (mostly in other episodes). My take: Ellen should not have attempted "Lesbian Mad About You." If you want to see a much, much funnier episode from that season, watch the one pictured above. Find it HERE! (It guest stars a sensible Oscar winner!)

Final Fun Fact: It's strange to think that many episodes from "Ellen" season five carried a Viewer Discretion Warning when they aired on ABC. All because of Ellen kissing or holding hands with her boring girlfriend! After so many years of "Glee," it's crazy to think of how far we've come! Many, many thanks to Ellen herself!