Katie Holmes jazzes up 'Eli Stone'

If you're tuning in to "Eli Stone" (9 p.m. Tuesday, WLS-Ch. 7) just to see Katie Holmes, you won't have to wait long.She appears a few seconds into Tuesday's episode, doing a sultry jazz number (or at least lip-syncing to one). And she acquits herself nicely in the episode as a klutzy lawyer in whom Eli develops an interest.
Sure, the presence of Mrs. Tom Cruise is a bit of stunt-casting, something you'd expect during November sweeps. But "Eli Stone," which debuted last fall, is one of those middle-of-the-pack shows that is looking to increase its profile—and, of course, its ratings. Hence "Eli Stone" co-creator Greg Berlanti looked up Holmes, with whom he worked on "Dawson's Creek."
Will the gambit work? Who knows? In this episode, and in the season premiere that preceded it, this likable show demonstrated its strengths and weaknesses. And just to be clear, "Eli Stone's" main problem—persistent blandness around the edges—is no real impediment to enjoying this well-constructed dramedy.
Eli (Jonny Lee Miller) is a San Francisco attorney who discovered that he has a brain aneurysm. Not only could the brain defect end his life, it gives him psychic visions—and when that happens, there's often singing and dancing involved.
Though it's basically a legal drama, "Eli Stone" goes to a lot of trouble to not be just another legal drama. Actually, it is most accurate to describe "Eli Stone" as an emotional/legal/spiritual hybrid. When people on this show go to court, it's usually to work out some personal issue. Be warned: There is hugging.
Still, the courtroom setting gives "Eli Stone" the surprise entrances and exits, the grumpy judges and the legal terminology that make the whole enterprise seem pretty safe and familiar. At least the show's sly and frequent humor—one of its biggest pluses—make all the "I object, your honor!" stuff go down more easily.
And perhaps the familiarity of the legal setting is meant to offset the wackiness of the song-and-dance routines, but there seem to be fewer of those this season. As it stands now, this drama occupies the middle ground between the surreal "Boston Legal" and the matter-of-fact, almost impersonal "Law & Order." And as Eli, Miller carries the entire enterprise with admirable heart and panache.
Eli's abilities as a psychic are now widely known to his friends and co-workers, and that's not the only change this season. After an accident, Jordan Wethersby (Victor Garber) wants to pursue much more pro bono work, which is an about-face from his more practical attitude last season. Garber is one of the best things about this show; he’s got a delightful way with a putdown, and it should be interesting to watch this somewhat imperious character discover his softer side.
What’s not so great about this show is Eli’s ex-fiance, Taylor (Natasha Henstridge), who’s with a new guy, another associate at the firm. Miller has far more chemistry with Holmes in one episode than he had with Henstridge all last season. Taylor adds very little to the show.
My other beef is that the show’s take on spirituality is frequently pretty substance-free. Given that it’s about a man who allegedly speaks for God, the show can be irritatingly vague about what God actually wants (aside from Eli getting a lot of wins in court).
One of “Eli Stone’s” biggest pluses, however, is that it generally gives great guest star. Last week, Sigourney Weaver did a nicely understated job as Eli’s therapist. And this week, Ken Howard is excellent as the grieving father of a soldier who died in Iraq.
Like most ABC shows, "Eli Stone" could stand to prune its cast and deepen its writing. But that's focusing on the glass half empty. So let's just be glad that this good-hearted show made it through the previous TV season and "Big Shots" didn't.
Rating: Three stars