Ellen season 5

Ellen
Season 5
No. of episodes22
Release
Original networkABC
Original releaseSeptember 24, 1997 (1997-09-24) –
July 22, 1998 (1998-07-22)
Season chronology
← Previous
Season 4
List of episodes

The fifth and final season of Ellen, an American television series, began September 24, 1997 and ended on July 22, 1998. It aired on ABC. The region 1 DVD was released on November 28, 2006. Although Disc 2 of the Region 1 DVD release has "The Funeral" before "Womyn Fest", the content of the next two episodes suggests that "Womyn Fest" goes before "The Funeral".

Cast

Main cast

Only Ellen appeared in all 22 episodes. Though listed as regulars, other cast members were seen on a less frequent basis:

Episodes

See also: List of Ellen episodes
No.
overall		No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateProd.
code		U.S. viewers
(millions)
881"Guys or Dolls"Gil JungerRic SwartzlanderSeptember 24, 1997 (1997-09-24)C40211.99[1]

An old boyfriend, Dan, shows up, making Ellen think she might be bisexual. (Dan previously appeared in the season 2 episodes "30-Minute Man" and "30-Kilo Man").

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell and Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney
892"Social Climber"Gil JungerMike LarsenOctober 1, 1997 (1997-10-01)C40117.32[2]

Ellen climbs a difficult mountain to impress an athletic woman.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell and Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney
903"Roommates"Gail MancusoDan Cohen & F.J. PrattOctober 8, 1997 (1997-10-08)C40315.08[3]

Ellen's friends teach her the gay codewords.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell
914"Gay Yellow Pages"Gil JungerTod Himmel & Lisa K. NelsonOctober 15, 1997 (1997-10-15)C40515.53[4]
Ellen hires a plumber out of the gay yellow pages.
925"Just Coffee"Gail MancusoMaxine LapidussOctober 29, 1997 (1997-10-29)C40413.36[5]
Ellen meets Laurie Manning, her mortgage banker (Lisa Darr) for coffee.
936"G.I. Ellen"Gil JungerMike LarsenNovember 5, 1997 (1997-11-05)C40712.61[6]

Ellen plays a soldier in a Civil War re-enactment. Angie Dickinson guest stars.

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark, David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
947"Public Display of Affection"Gail MancusoDavid WalpertNovember 12, 1997 (1997-11-12)C40614.78[7]

Ellen has trouble expressing her affection for Laurie in public.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
958"Emma"Gail MancusoLawrence BrochNovember 19, 1997 (1997-11-19)C41013.72[8]

Paige gets Ellen a job as Emma Thompson's personal assistant and Ellen learns Emma's most shocking secret.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
969"Like a Virgin"Gail MancusoJane EspensonNovember 26, 1997 (1997-11-26)C40811.24[9]

Ellen is anxious about her first time being intimate with a woman.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell
9710"All Ellen, All the Time"Gil JungerRic SwartzlanderDecember 3, 1997 (1997-12-03)C40914.15[10]

Ellen gets a job at a radio station.

Absent: Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven As Spence Kovak
9811"Break Up"Gil JungerMatt BerryDecember 17, 1997 (1997-12-17)C41112.83[11]

Laurie misunderstands Ellen's 1-month gift as an invitation to move in.

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark
9912"Womyn Fest"Lorraine Sevre-RichmondJane EspensonJanuary 7, 1998 (1998-01-07)C41312.86[12]

Ellen, Paige and Audrey go to Womyn Fest (a fictionalized Lilith Fair), where a fortuneteller convinces Audrey that Ellen will meet a new soulmate at the festival and forget about Laurie. Guest appearances by Sarah McLachlan and the Indigo Girls.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell
10013"The Funeral"Gil JungerMatt BerryJanuary 14, 1998 (1998-01-14)C41211.83[13]

Now back together, Ellen helps Laurie deal with the death of her father.

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
10114"Escape from L.A."Gil JungerLisa K. Himmel & Tod NelsonJanuary 28, 1998 (1998-01-28)C41511.02[14]

Ellen and Laurie go on vacation, but Laurie is annoyed that Ellen won't follow the vacation itinerary. The two of them hang out with an interracial straight couple.

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark, David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
10215"Ellen in Focus"Gil JungerLeif SandaasFebruary 11, 1998 (1998-02-11)C41710.27[15]

Paige gets Ellen on a focus group so Ellen can convince the others that Paige's idea for a TV show featuring a tall cop and a short cop is a good idea.

Absent: Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
10316"Neighbors"Gail MancusoStory by : Kit Pongetti
Teleplay by : Cynthia Greenburg & Charmaine Noel Dixon		February 18, 1998 (1998-02-18)C4168.49[16]

Ellen gets off on the wrong foot with her new neighbors, the Patels, an immigrant couple from India, when a variety of circumstances conspire to make Ellen look like a fool in front of them.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
10417"It's a Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay World!"Gil JungerDavid WalpertFebruary 25, 1998 (1998-02-25)C4149.58[17]
After an accident, Spence imagines a parallel Earth in which gays are the norm. Spence rejects Joe's advances because he's straight.
10518"Hospital"Gail MancusoMatt Berry & Ric SwartzlanderMarch 4, 1998 (1998-03-04)C41912.32[18]

Ellen goes to the hospital after getting the news Laurie was in an accident. There, she meets Laurie's ex, Karen (Anne Heche).

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark, David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
10619"Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute"Gil JungerTim DoyleMay 13, 1998 (1998-05-13)C4219.91[19]
10720C422
A mockumentary traces Ellen's career from her days in vaudeville to the present. Guest stars include Cindy Crawford & Helen Hunt as auditionees for the role of Ellen and Woody Harrelson as Ellen's husband. Guest starring as themselves are Phil Donahue, Jennifer Aniston, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Kathy Najimy & Bea Arthur.
10821"When Ellen Talks, People Listen"Gil JungerMike LarsenJuly 15, 1998 (1998-07-15)C4206.34[20]

On her talk show, Ellen suggests that everyone should reach out to their neighbors with a helping hand. This winds up having negative consequences.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
10922"Vows"Lorraine Sevre-RichmondF.J. Pratt & Dan CohenJuly 22, 1998 (1998-07-22)C4185.58[21]

Ellen's parents renew their vows in a special ceremony. Ellen asks Laurie to marry her but Laurie is reluctant.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak

References

  1. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times. October 1, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  2. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 29–Oct. 5)". The Los Angeles Times. October 8, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  3. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 6–12)". The Los Angeles Times. October 15, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  4. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 13–19)". The Los Angeles Times. October 22, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  5. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 27–Nov. 2)". The Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  6. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1997. Retrieved April 17, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  7. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 10–16)". The Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  8. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 17–23)". The Los Angeles Times. November 26, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  9. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 24–30)". The Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  10. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 1-7)". The Los Angeles Times. December 10, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  11. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  12. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 5–11)". The Los Angeles Times. January 14, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  13. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 12–18)". The Los Angeles Times. January 21, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  14. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 26–Feb. 1)". The Los Angeles Times. February 4, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  15. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 9-15)". The Los Angeles Times. February 19, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  16. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 16-22)". The Los Angeles Times. February 25, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 23–March 1)". The Los Angeles Times. March 4, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  18. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 2–8)". The Los Angeles Times. March 11, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 11–17)". The Los Angeles Times. May 20, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (July 13–19)". The Los Angeles Times. July 22, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon
  21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (July 20–26)". The Los Angeles Times. July 29, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.Free access icon