Eli Stone is an American television dramedy series created by Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim and set in a law firm where a thirty-something attorney, whose name is the title of the show, begins having larger-than-life visions that compel him to do out-of-the-ordinary things.
The series originally premiered in the USA on ABC on 31 January, 2008. The second season premiered on 14 October, 2008. The series has been cancelled by ABC, meaning there are 26 hour-long episodes in two seasons.
The first season of Eli Stone aired in South Africa on M-Net from 12 June to 4 September, 2008, on Thursdays at 19h30.
Season 2 premiered on M-Net on Friday 2 January 2009, at 19h30. There are 13 episodes in the second season.
Season 1 Synopsis
Is it possible to change life midstream and get back to who you are at your core?
From Greg Berlanti (Brothers & Sisters, Dirty Sexy Money, Everwood) and Marc Guggenheim (Brothers & Sisters, Law & Order, The Practice) comes a story about a lawyer who finds himself at a crossroads between the man he has become and the man he wants to be... even if that means being a prophet.
Driven by ambition, Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller) has built a successful career at a top San Francisco law firm in representing the biggest and richest corporations where "screwing over the little guy" is common practice.
After experiencing a series of odd hallucinations, including a crooning vision of George Michael, Eli turns to his neurologist brother, Nathan (Matt Letsher), only to be told there is nothing wrong with him.
As the visions persist, he's anxious to find the cause of his delirium and seeks the help of Dr. Chen (James Saito), a Chinese acupuncturist who specialises in holistic medicine. Though skeptical of his practice, Eli finds Dr. Chen can help him recall important memories from his past.
Eli's visions continue to intensify and begin to affect his practice, relationships and how he is perceived. But it's not until Eli puts his own life in peril that Nathan recognises similar episodes their father shared and reconsiders what may be ailing his brother.
Upon another review of the symptoms and an MRI, Nathan discovers Eli is suffering from an inoperable brain aneurysm that's causing his illusions.
If Nathan represents science, Dr. Chen represents faith. As Eli struggles to cope with his diagnosis, he looks to Dr. Chen for his take on the relationship of his revelations to his aneurysm. Dr. Chen suggests there could be a divine answer for why he's having delusions of grandeur - Eli may be a prophet.
While Eli is skeptical of being a prophet, his visions have helped him to recall what his father once impressed upon him: "You're meant to do great things... speak inspired words... you're going to help people."
With his father's words in mind, Eli redefines his outlook on life and his intent as a lawyer, beginning with a case in which he represents an old acquaintance against one of his firm's most important clients.
Despite opposition from his imposing boss and future father-in-law, Jordan Wethersby (Victor Garber), and fiancée Taylor (Natasha Henstridge), he chooses to stay the course.
Eli's resolve will be further tested by his colleagues, who include his sassy assistant, Patti (Loretta Devine), and fellow counsel Matt Dowd (Sam Jaeger), an ambitious, competitive shark who exemplifies everything Jordan would like Eli to be.
He'll also be challenged by Maggie Dekker (Julie Gonzalo), an inexperienced, junior associate who questions his commitment to change.
Season 2 Synopsis
With a newfound resolve and sense of his life's purpose - even if that means being a prophet - Eli Stone ended the show's freshman season by making peace with the Almighty... by having his brain aneurysm - and the source of his fantastic visions - removed.
He appointed his brother, Nathan, his proxy in case the surgery left him in a vegetative state - which it did.
With Eli in a coma and Nathan wrestling with the decision of whether to take his brother off life support, Eli's spiritual guru, Dr. Chen, appealed to Nathan to give Eli more time. And with that reprieve granted, Eli was able to make peace with God - through a George Michael musical number, of course - and awake from his coma.
But will Eli's visions cease now that he is free of his aneurysm? Or will they establish once and for all that he is a modern day prophet?
The show's second season answers these questions in ways that will surprise viewers and will reaffirm how the show's fresh and accessible approach to issues of faith and spirituality.
Eli Stone stars Jonny Lee Miller as Eli Stone, Victor Garber as Jordan Wethersby, Natasha Henstridge as Taylor Wethersby, Loretta Devine as Patti, Sam Jaeger as Matt Dowd, James Saito as Dr. Chen, Matt Letscher as Nathan Stone, Julie Gonzalo as Maggie Dekker and Jason George as Keith Bennett.