Sorry, Kristin Chenoweth fans, but I bear very bad news. Variety reports that NBC has declined to pick up the Pushing Daisies dynamo’s David E. Kelley pilot called Legally Mad.

Rumors had been flying that was the case since the network failed to mention the potential show during its “infront” announcement last Monday. The event was scheduled to tell the world about the slate of new series NBC intends to give a chance during the 2009–2010 season.

In addition to Chenoweth, the cast of the would-have-been drama included Eli Stone alumna Loretta Devine, as well as Charity Wakefield, Hugh Bonneville, Jon Seda, and Kurt Fuller. What I would have given to see Kristin and Loretta on the same show each week.

Tonight’s “Help” is a very special episode of Eli Stone for Seal fans. The musician also known as the husband of supermodel and Project Runway host Heidi Klum guest stars as himself in a storyline featuring Taylor and Matt, the last of whom scores tickets to his concert.

Elsewhere, Eli, played by real-life recent first-time dad Jonny Lee Miller, gets a hookup, courtesy of Chen, who fixes the attorney up with a patient on a blind date to help him combat what the acunpcturist perceives as loneliness.

Fairly famous actress Bridget Moynahan is a guest star, as well, so I’m guessing she’s involved with this particular segment, especially since she and her character Ashley makes a return appearance on next week’s episode “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” Eli could definitely do worse.

However, the best plot of all, in my opinion, is the one that’s been evolving for the last couple of episodes, namely Patti’s aspiring doctor daughter Angela (Taraji P. Henson), whom we were first led to believe has an alcohol and then cocaine problem — and she very well still might — but then later learned has actually been dismissed from her hospital job. More details emerge about that ugly situation, and I can’t wait to find out what happened there as Eli and Keith represent her on drug charges.

Take a look at the trailer for “Help” after the jump. And, yes — that’s a big old hearty slap Patti delivers to what looks like her daughter’s face. Ouch!

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Original Air Date: October 14, 2008

On the season opener of Eli Stone, Eli is back, alive, and in a pretty foul funk. It’s been six months since the Season One-ending brain surgery on his aneurysm, and although the operation appears to have worked, removing all traces of the medical problem and the accompanying divine visions, Eli has clearly lost his “faith and prophecy” mojo as a result.

The episode begins with a stark change for Eli. As he walks down the street, he hears music for the first time since before his surgery. It’s Patti belting out Martha and the Vandellas’ classic party tune “Dancing in the Streets,” while every pedestrian in the vicinity provides backup dancing and harmonizing. Uh-oh — that’s not supposed to be happening.

Eli has been seeing seeing a therapist (Sigourney Weaver) weekly for the last three months. However, their relationship is far from smooth, as Eli repeatedly asks her to sign his “permission slip” — the recertification form for his law license — and she repeatedly ignores that request in favor of asking more deep questions and making more biting observations.

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When we last saw the title character of Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller) back in April, the lawyer-prophet was fresh out of brain surgery with an uncertain future ahead.

When he returns to the tube tomorrow night for a deserved second season that kicks off with “The Path,” not only will Eli have Oscar winner Sigourney Weaver along for the ride — she plays a therapist — but he’ll be alive and vision-free for a miraculous six months. Great news!

Unfortunately, more disaster is still in the cards. An accident is going to occur that will leave Jordan Wethersby (Victor Garber) trapped inside a building and Eli’s doctor brother Nate (Matt Letscher) with a vision and a brain aneurysm of his very own.

The legal part will come into play when Eli and and his ex-fiancée Taylor (Natasha Henstridge) disagree about her father’s precise location in the building. I’m guessing after all he went through during the first season, Eli will be firmly on his brother’s side.

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This is the best development I’ve heard in the last couple of days: ABC has made a wise decision and renewed one of my favorite new shows, the Jonny Lee Miller dramedy Eli Stone, for a second season.

However, just like The CW’s renewal of Reaper, the news comes with a downside because the pickup is for a midseason-sized run of only 13 episodes, which matches the number of installments in the freshman season.

Oh, well. Fans will have to learn to appreciate the fact that we’ll at least get to see Eli and company again in the near future, rumored to be as soon as the fall. I, for one, can’t wait to learn what happens with the whole aneurysm situation post-surgery.

Cheers to the Eli Stone team!

This is it, Eli watchers, the big season finale. Let’s all hope that it’s not the series finale, as well. That’s why if you enjoy the show — and I don’t understand why anybody wouldn’t like this charmer — you’ve got to show your love tonight by watching it.

On Eli Stone’s April 17 episode, “Soul Free,” the time arrives for Eli to undergo the dangerous surgery to remove his brain aneurysm. Since this is a season finale, complications occur, of course, and we’ll probably be left hanging at the end as to whether Eli survives or not. I’m guessing if the show is renewed, he does, and if the show isn’t renewed, he doesn’t.

On a more positive note, pop star George Michael returns, but this time he plays a different role — God. Something tells me he likes that change of pace just fine, too.

The first-season finale of Eli Stone airs Thursday, April 17, on ABC at 10pm EST, two minutes earlier than the usual time.

This is just a quickie reminder that an all-new episode of Eli Stone airs tonight on ABC at 10:02pm EST, immediately following the first new post-writers strike episode of Desperate Housewives. After last Thursday’s stellar outing, I can’t wait.

The show’s regular time slot is Thursdays at 10-ish, of course, and on April 17, it will still come on at that time to present the first-season finale.

Tonight, fans will get the penultimate episode “Waiting for That Day,” which features the return of former guest star Katey Sagal as feisty partner Marci Klein. Dear Marci would be very at home on Wisteria Lane.

Original Air Date: April 10, 2008

I was looking forward to this episode beforehand because Married with Children mom Katey Sagal is a guest star. Then I started watching and got even more excited.

Why? Because Eli’s impossible client of the week is played by Sterling K. Brown, otherwise known as tortured demon hunter Gordon Walker on The CW’s Supernatural, military husband Roland Burton on Lifetime’s Army Wives, and bulimic cop Adam Williams on FX’s love-it or really-really-hate-it Starved. His presence makes this episode a huge standout because the guy can A-C-T.

Vision Number One

It’s Tuesday, October 16, 2018, according to the newspaper announcing the United States’ complete withdrawal from Iraq. Eli is standing in what looks like Times Square as a huge crowd repeatedly chants “Live Brave” as if they’re in awe of a rock star. The focus of their adoration seems to be DAVID MOSLEY (Brown), up on a podium.

Eli returns to reality then and a thoroughly sour CHEN, who notes dryly that the rock stars in Eli’s visions are usually “older, whiter, and more British,” before offering the obvious advice that Eli should find David Mosley. The acupuncturist is clearly peeved about Eli’s continuing dilemma over whether his visions are medical-related or divine.

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This is it, Eli watchers, the big season finale. Let’s all hope that it’s not the series finale, as well.

On Eli Stone’s April 17 episode, “Soul Free,” the time arrives for Eli to undergo the dangerous surgery to remove his brain aneurysm. Since this is a season finale, complications occur, of course, and we’ll probably be left hanging at the end as to whether Eli survives or not. I’m guessing if the show is renewed, he does, and if the show isn’t renewed, he doesn’t.

On a more positive note, pop star George Michael returns, but this time he plays a different role — God. Something tells me he likes that change of pace just fine, too.

The first-season finale of Eli Stone airs Thursday, April 17, on ABC at 10pm EST, two minutes earlier than the usual time.

Mark your calendars now, fellow Eli fans. The twelfth episode of Eli Stone’s freshman season airs on the atypical day of Sunday and at the typically odd time of 10:02pm EST.

On “Waiting for That Day,” former guest star Katey Sagal returns as invincible W.P.K. partner Marci Klein.

Klein not only partners with (annoying) newbie associate Maggie on a case, but she takes on Eli in court during said case, which involves shutting down the Golden Gate Bridge in advance of an earthquake that only Eli and one other person have predicted.

Sure, I feel bad for poor Eli always getting stuck with the impossible. But, I’m still rooting for him because his “visions” haven’t done him wrong yet.

Eli Stone normally airs Thursdays on ABC at 10:02pm EST.