We’ve got faith in ‘Eli Stone’ (and George Michael, too)
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- January
- 31
It’s probably inevitable that “Eli Stone” will be compared to “Ally McBeal.”
The main character routinely sees visions that inspire them to take action (and shake their booties), but thank God, there’s no creepy dancing baby in this version.
Instead, there’s George Michael.
Yup, the former Wham! frontman is making a comeback of sorts with cameos in “Eli.” And believe it or not, he plays an angel.
Sort of.
You see, Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller) is a San Francisco lawyer who just found out he could be a prophet.
Before he started having vivid hallucinations—like George Michael singing “Faith” in his living room—he worshiped the Holy Trinity. Except as Eli says in tonight’s premiere (10 p.m., ABC), his holy trio was “Armani, accessories, and my personal favorite, ambition.”
Eli works for a law firm that’s made its reputation by representing big companies that stomp on the little guys. But when Eli starts “hearing the music,” everything changes.
It’s not quite as wacky as it sounds. While Ally was half a head case, Eli’s visions may be caused by an inoperable brain aneurysm.
Or are they? When Eli goes to a Chinese acupuncturist for help, he realizes that a higher power may be calling on him to change the world—one legal case at a time.
It’s a spiritual twist on the law procedural, and in the hands of other actors or producers, “Eli” could have been cloying.
But a sharp script, snappy dialogue and great casting—Loretta Devine (“Boston Public”) is a standout as Eli’s sassy assistant—saves the series from just plain sniveling. Tonight’s final scene of Eli spreading his late father’s ashes in the Himalayas, vowing to be a better person, is teary without being overwrought.
Plus, from a peek at the next two episodes, I’m relieved to see how the series handles the George Michael situation.
I love GM as much as any gal who came of age in the “Wake Me Up Before You Go” era, but I worried that the pop star gimmick would wear thin. After all, what seems like a great hook in the beginning of a show can quickly turn into a noose.
Luckily, co-creator Greg Berlanti realizes this. (He didn’t work on “Everwood,” “Brothers & Sisters” and “Dirty Sexy Money” without learning a few things!)
And fortunately, Eli won’t dwell on George in every episode. Yes, he appears in the pilot, and pops up throughout the season.
But while next week’s episode features a boys’ choir singing the singer’s hit, “Freedom,” he’s nowhere to be found. And by the third week, the series has a different playlist altogether. (Look for “Good Lovin’” by the Rascals.)
Oddly, ABC has slotted the hopeful “Eli” to follow the increasingly dark and despairing “Lost” on Thursdays.
It seems a strange match, but maybe not: Both shows grapple with questions of faith, spirituality and how one individual can change the course of events.
As a “Lost” fanatic, I’ll certainly be tuning in to ABC at 9 every week. And I’ll likely stick around to see what “Eli” is up to: To paraphase Mr. Michael, I’ve got faith that this show’s a winner.
(Photos courtesy of ABC)
This entry was posted
on Thursday, January 31st, 2008 at 9:00 am by Heather Salerno.
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Are Prophetic Visions Real?
The ultimate bending space and time results in finding the opening to the
nearest parallel space and time. According to advanced researchers in
Physics, there are seven parallel Universes. These Universes are so
different in their perception that with conventional physics we can never
find where they are and how they are. However, the concept of accelerating
to speed much higher than light and take us to these parallels Universes
through an opening in our vicinity. You do not have to travel a thousand
light years into a black hole to go there; that is just one of the ways to
approach the parallel Universes. But our mind and spirit has the psychic
power that can make us travel through the nearest opening into the parallel
Universes. Those who have experienced near death experiences move into these
parallel Universes through the tunnel with a while light at the end of the
tunnel. All of those who had near death experience report similar
happenings. How can this be explained with physics?
Our spirit or soul is a source of electromagnetic energy that can
infinitively amplify if needed. Inner satisfaction of a soul results in
elevation of this energy. It is also true that we move into these parallel
Universes using intense electromagnetic flux with the help of dark energy.
We just do not know how to do that. The problem is that if we try to do it
using physical means we encounter a situation that is infinitely impossible
to achieve. But accelerating through a black hole or applying dark energy in
a suitable manner in the immediate vicinity theoretically can take us to the
parallel Universe. But a much better way is to traverse to the parallel
Universe through our inbuilt psychic power. When our spirit is allowed
freedom through death or through transcendental meditation, the unleashed
electromagnetic flux crates the miracle – it finds an immediate opening to
the parallel Universe in the close vicinity. Religious prophets in various
religions as well as those who have experienced near death experience the
parallel Universes. Most of them report part of oneness and tranquility.
They also report of completeness of knowledge.
Will we eventually find the electromagnetic fields and the change of that
runs this Universe? The other parallel Universes may not work the same way.
That is the reason what is energy or spirit in this Universe is part of
tranquility and eternity in another Universe. This has now been verified by
Transcendentalist Kurt Kawohl from the USA. When he had a near-death
experience in 1956 at age fifteen his soul traveled into a higher-level
parallel universe. What happens to us after death has now been made clear.
Kurt twice repeated this experiment in 2001 when he placed his body in
stasis and used his psychic power via transcendental meditation to again
access this parallel universe where spiritual life thrives. Some researchers
believe that parallel universes exist in our immediate vicinity.
Please feel free to visit http://transcendentalists.org to learn more about
Kurt Kawohl’s experience.