ELI STONE: TWO MINISTERS (TV)
Summary
One in this drama series about a San Francisco attorney that experiences potentially prophetic visions after being diagnosed with an inoperable brain aneurysm. In this episode, having experienced a vision of Beth calling off the wedding, Eli tries to talk Nate out of eloping to Vegas, but Nate instead asks him to be the minister. Eli tells a disapproving Patty that he will find a way to prevent their split, while elsewhere Keith is visited by Reverend Michael Stills, formerly Michelle, who explains that he was unjustly fired from his church, also Keith's church, for being transgendered. Keith convinces Eli to take the case, knowing his interest in social justice causes. Matt observes that Taylor is still not speaking to Jordan, and when Eli questions Nate about problems in his relationship, Nate guesses that he has had a vision about the upcoming wedding. Before the trial, Michael requests to address his congregation to explain his gender reassignment, but his former boss, Dr. Conroy, refuses. Taylor and Matt are shocked when the doctor tells them that their unborn child may have a chromosomal disorder, and Nate talks to Chen about Eli's strange behavior, wondering what his latest visions have shown.
Eli talks with Beth as she attempts to write her vows, and they seem to share a moment as she plays a song on the piano for him. In court, Conroy states that Michael is no longer the same person they hired and is therefore no longer under contract, stating that he did not reveal his true identity when hired and cannot lead the congregation as a "liar." Matt is surprised when Taylor states that she is debating a "big decision" about the pregnancy, not having considered abortion an option for them. As Keith and Eli debate Michael's case, Beth arrives with her groom's gift for Nate and Eli finally asks her if she can think of anything that could stop the wedding from happening. Later, he visits Dr. Lee again and has a vision of himself kissing Beth in Vegas, prompting her to end things with Nate. Dr. Chen catches him outside her office and chastises him for undergoing the dark truth again, reminding him that it is dangerous because of his aneurysm. Eli, desperate to stop the breakup, heads to Vegas with Beth and Nate, and Keith finds Michael and joins his Bible study, realizing only belatedly that it is a transgender group. Michael talks about the power of forgiveness, and Keith comes to a new understanding about "equal access" to God.
Eli goes in search of the misplaced wedding rings and encounters Beth in her wedding dress, just as in his vision. She tells him that she cannot go through with the marriage after all because of her ongoing feelings for him, and though Eli lies and claims that he does not love her back, Nate finds them together and Beth runs out, ending the relationship. Back in California, Keith asks to handle Michael's case and prompts him to give his would-be final sermon on the stand, and Michael speaks eloquently about finding his true self and about Christ's message of tolerance. Taylor confides in Patty, who urges her to consider her own feelings about the pregnancy first, and Chen tells Eli that even with his visions, he cannot control fate or other people's feelings. Taylor and Matt agree that they must converse more openly about their parental issues, and they are both deeply relieved when the doctor reveals that the fetus is healthy. Michael wins his case and is allowed to return to his pulpit, and when only a handful of congregants turn up, Keith assures him that they will "come around" in time. Eli tries to apologize to Nate, but Nate angrily points out that he knew of Beth's feelings in advance and manipulated the situation unfairly. Eli protests that he was trying to "save" his brother again, but he then suffers a nosebleed, hinting that the dark truth has harmed him after all. Includes commercials and promos.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: December 30, 2008 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:06
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 101827
- GENRE: Drama, legal
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, legal; Drama, fantasy/science fiction; Comedy
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 2008-2009
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AT&T wireless networks
- TV - Commercials - Abreva cold sore medication
- TV - Commercials - Advair lung medication
- TV - Commercials - Carnival cruise lines
- TV - Commercials - Delsym cough medicine
- TV - Commercials - Excedrin Extra Strength pain reliever
- TV - Commercials - Federal Student Aid financial services
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Girl Scouts of America organization
- TV - Commercials - Girls and Boys Town National Hotline
- TV - Commercials - Hyundai automobiles
- TV - Commercials - KY Yours and Mine personal lubricant
- TV - Commercials - Macy's stores
- TV - Commercials - My Time to Quit smoking cessation website
- TV - Commercials - National Wildlife Refuge System organization
- TV - Commercials - Nicoderm CQ nicotine patches
- TV - Commercials - Pizza Hut restaurants
- TV - Commercials - Polident denture cleaner tablets
- TV - Commercials - Quilted Northern Ultra Plush toilet paper
- TV - Commercials - Reach UltraClean toothbrushes
- TV - Commercials - Red Bull energy drink
- TV - Commercials - US EPA Certified SmartWay driving tips
- TV - Commercials - Vicks NyQuil cold medication
- TV - Commercials - Walt Disney resort theme parks
- TV - Commercials - Weight Watchers weight loss program
- TV - Promos - "Desperate Housewives"
- TV - Promos - "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve"
- TV - Promos - "Gran Torino" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "Homeland Security U.S.A."
- TV - Promos - "Scrubs"
- TV - Promos - "Seven Pounds" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "The Bachelor"
- TV - Promos - "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" motion picture
- TV - Promos - "True Beauty"
- TV - Promos - "What Would You Do?"
CREDITS
- Greg Berlanti … Executive Producer, Created by
- Marc Guggenheim … Executive Producer, Created by
- David Petrarca … Executive Producer, Director
- Andrew Kreisberg … Co-Executive Producer
- Alex Taub … Co-Executive Producer
- Leila Gerstein … Supervising Producer, Writer
- Michael Cedar … Producer
- Jennifer Lence … Producer
- Brett Mahoney … Co-Producer
- Melissa Berman … Co-Producer
- Carl Ogawa … Co-Producer
- Dahvi Waller … Co-Producer, Writer
- Brian Wankum … Associate Producer
- Karen Czukerberg … Visual Effects Producer
- Wendy Mericle … Writer
- Blake Neely … Music by
- Jonny Lee Miller … Cast, Eli Stone
- Natasha Henstridge … Cast, Taylor Wethersby
- Loretta Devine … Cast, Patti Delacroix
- Matt Letscher … Cast, Dr. Nathan Stone
- Sam Jaeger … Cast, Matt Dowd
- James Saito … Cast, Dr. Chen
- Julie Gonzalo … Cast, Maggie Dekker
- Jason George … Cast, Keith Bennett
- Victor Garber … Cast, Jordan Wethersby
- Laura Benanti … Cast, Beth Keller
- Dallas Malloy … Cast, Reverend Michael Stills
- Melinda Clarke … Cast, Dr. Lee
- Stephanie Niznik … Cast, Delia Slater
- Jonathan Walker … Cast, Dr. Conroy
- Lyn Alicia Henderson … Cast, Dr. Betty Lenz
- Alexandra Billings … Cast, Joanna
- John Pleshette … Cast, Judge Nettles
- William Topputo … Cast, Ben Keller
- Libby Mintz … Cast, Check-in Attendant
- David S. Jung … Cast, Jury Foreman