The Ellen Burstyn Show

1986
The Ellen Burstyn Show

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1

EP1 Pilot Sep 20, 1986

Ellen Burstyn stars as a writer at a Baltimore college who lives in a brownstone with her mother, 25-year-old daughter and 5-year-old grandson. In the pilot, Nick's dog is about to have puppies. Ellen faces a troublesome student who never fulfills assignments.

EP2 Monkey Business Sep 27, 1986

Molly goes out on her first date since separating from her husband, but her date is more interested in Ellen.

EP3 Where There's a Will Oct 04, 1986

Ellen decides to prepare her last will and testament, but she gains disapproval from her family when she suggests that a poverty-stricken student live in her home rent-free.

EP4 The Guest Lecturer Oct 18, 1986

Ellen is disillusioned when she meets an award-winning writer she has always admired.

EP5 Crime and Punishment Oct 25, 1986

Ellen must deal with a grouchy store owner when 6-year-old Nick steals an expensive toy.

EP6 Sydney's Night Out Nov 01, 1986

Sydney's swept off her feet by a married man.

EP7 Reading Between the Lines Nov 08, 1986

Ellen learns that her friend, a best-selling author, is illiterate.

EP8 Family Affair Nov 15, 1986

Molly has second thoughts about reconciling with her estranged husband.

EP9 Molly Sings the Blues Aug 08, 1987

Plot of this episode is not specified yet.
Please check back later for more update.

EP10 Writer, Wronger Aug 15, 1987

An ex-convict enrolls in Ellen's writing class.

EP11 The Box Aug 22, 1987

Ellen finds a mysterious shoe box in a telephone booth. The box is labeled and she calls the owner only to be warned about opening the shoe box. The family becomes intrigued.

EP12 Writes of Passage Sep 05, 1987

Plot of this episode is not specified yet.
Please check back later for more update.

EP13 I'm Dancing Faster Than I Can Jan 01, 0001

After undergoing severe sleeplessness, Ellen goes to a physician. The medic prescribes her some vitamin pills. Ellen follows the treatment but its side effects soon show up, and she starts doing things faster than usual. Finally Sidney finds out that the medic was in fact a quack who gave Ellen amphetamines instead of vitamins.
7.6| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 20 September 1986 Ended
Producted By: Touchstone Television
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Ellen Brewer is a Baltimore college professor living with her overbearing mother Sydney and recently divorced daughter Molly as well as young grandson Nick.

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Reviews

Syl This show had a great cast featuring Oscar Winner Ellen Burstyn with Elaine Stritch playing her mother and Megan Mullaly playing the daughter with a young son. Sadly, the show never caught on to public attention. But with great cast, how could you go wrong? Well, this was the era of nothing but sitcoms and now we have nothing but reality shows and dramas. In the 1980s, New York City tried to bring back comedy shows to prime time. Unfortunately, New York City never accomplished in even a close victory aside it's main rival, Hollywood or Los Angeles. The network lost a good opportunity but not allowing this show to grow and expand. It had a talented cast and the writing could have gotten better in time. Sitcoms take time to develop an audience.
pbbrown1116 Ellen Burstyn (Ellen) and Elaine Stritch (Sydney) made for a terrific show. I still remember one of the best lines I ever heard on TV. Sydney came rushing in and Ellen said to her, "I can't talk now, I'm teaching class." To which Sydney replied in her gravelly voice, "That's silly. You can't teach class. You've either got it or you don't!" That simple exchange between two wonderful actors has kept me giggling for all these years. Elaine Stritch is such a wonderful character, even as herself. And Ellen Burstyn gets better with age. If people would give her the credit she deserves for great comedic timing and theatrical professionalism, and someone would develop a series for her, there is a growing element of the country calling out for quality. Actors like Burstyn, Stritch, et al. would be a marvelous addition to what is becoming what Marshal McLuhan once called the "vast wasteland" of television. The "Ellen Burstyn Show" was creative, well-acted, and uproariously funny in a very subtle sense. I'm surprised studios don't have people begging for shows which make the viewer think. Or would that bee too much to ask? One can't say enough about marvelous actors like Mss. Burstyn and Stritch. There are others too who, unfortunately, are equally ans wonderful, but no one is writing for them. Is there an automatic cut-off of, say, 40? I think Geena Davis proved she could carry a show. Let's get some of that generation on television!
bsebesta The only reason I noticed this show at all was my long term obsession with Lucille Ball and her anxiously awaited return to a new sitcom, however I was disappointed since they had her doing the same old things in her 70's that she did in her 30's...not pretty. So I was more than entertained by the show that followed!! The Ellen Burstyn show was witty, funny and above all showcased the comedic talents of Elaine Stritch! If they had given it a few more episodes or changed the time slot it may have worked, and even though I love Ellen Burstyn and Megan Mulally ,(hello who doesn't), they really were just straight men for Elain...hmm maybe it should have been called "Elaine!". If you can find any of the episodes, watch it with an open mind, I think you will love it!
budikavlan This was a terrific little show, well-made and gently funny, which was doomed from the start. Ellen Burstyn agreed to do a series, but the show was stuck with a terrible lead-in ("Life With Lucy") and a terrible timeslot (on Saturday night), and Burstyn, while a fantastic actress and movie star, wasn't the kind of star likely to draw a large audience from name-ID alone. With Megan Mullally as her daughter (about as far from her "Will & Grace" character as you can get) and Elaine Stritch as her mother, plus one of the cutest child actors ever as her grandson, Burstyn was ably supported in this family sitcom. Unfortunately, no miracle occurred, and the show was cancelled in a matter of weeks.