“Watching Ellie” marks the latest attempt by a former “Seinfeld” cast member to make it on television.
Expectations concerning the success of NBC’s midseason replacement sitcom starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus are high but also hesitant.
In her new sitcom, the former “Seinfeld” cast-mate is once again portraying an outspoken, determined, funny, single woman. However unlike “Seinfleld’s” Elaine Benes, Ellie Riggs lives in Los Angeles, working as a struggling nightclub lounge singer. Moreover, Ellie’s life is the show’s main focus, while co-stars such as Ellie’s sister, a superintendent, an ex-boyfriend and a love interest act as supporting characters rather then additional main characters, like Elaine, Kramer and George did to Jerry on “Seinfeld.”
The structure of “Watching Ellie” is also drastically different from “Seinfeld” and any other show on network television past and present, with the exception of Fox’s current thriller, “24.” The show takes place in “real time,” which is monitored by a digital clock in the corner of the screen that counts down the show’s 22-minute duration. It is also shot with a single camera, no studio audience and without a laugh track, making the production of “Watching Ellie” more like a movie then a typical network-television sitcom.
Despite the show’s innovative format, the success of “Watching Ellie” remains to be seen. The show has high expectations after the failures of Michael Richards’ “The Michael Richards Show,” which lasted for only four episodes on NBC in the fall of 2000, and Jason Alexander’s “Bob Patterson,” which ran for an equally unimpressive five weeks on ABC in the fall of 2001.
The disastrous outcome of Richards’ and Alexander’s attempts at starring in their own sitcoms is oftentimes blamed on what many critics have called the “‘Seinfeld curse.” The term refers chiefly to the elevated expectations surrounding Richards, Alexander and Louis-Dreyfus’ attempts to return to network television after being a part of one of the most successful comedic shows of the 20th century.
The rejection of her two prior co-stars’ sitcoms presents Louis-Dreyfus with the dual challenge of proving that she is not only capable of successfully headlining her own series, but also establishing herself as a new character and not being eternally thought of as Elaine from “Seinfeld.”
In the hopes of alleviating some of the pressure surrounding the success of the new show, Louis-Dreyfus and husband Brad Hall, who is also the producer/creator of “Watching Ellie,” have made some unusual requests of NBC with regards to the show’s scheduling. For instance, instead of asking to be placed in the highly coveted Thursday night “Must See TV” lineup, the couple opted to be a midseason replacement in a less glamorous Tuesday night position.
Additionally, Louis-Dreyfus and Hall will produce only 15 episodes per season instead of the regular 22 episodes. These specific requests, which are usually enforced on unsuccessful shows as opposed to brand new ones, are meant to give “Watching Ellie” time to develop creatively and afford Louis-Dreyfus and Hall ample personal time.
Although “Watching Ellie” will most likely find the majority of its initial audience comprised of “Seinfeld” fans, it might also eventually find an audience of cable television viewers who watch shows such as “The Sopranos,” “Six Feet Under” and “Sex and the City.” Each of these HBO programs presents its audiences with unique and innovative storytelling devices rarely seen on network television.
“Watching Ellie” could be the show that finally breaks the conservative mold of non-cable entertainment television.
“Watching Ellie” airs tonight on NBC at 7:30 p.m.
