Ellen (season 5)

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Ellen" season 5 – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

|

Season of television series

Ellen

Season 5
Country of origin| United States
No. of episodes| 22
Release
Original network| ABC
Original release| September 24, 1997 (1997-09-24) –
July 22, 1998 (1998-07-22)
Season chronology

← Previous
Season 4

List of episodes

The fifth and final season of Ellen, an American television series, began September 24, 1997 and ended on July 22, 1998. It aired on ABC. The region 1 DVD was released on November 28, 2006. Although Disc 2 of the Region 1 DVD release has "The Funeral" before "Womyn Fest", the content of the next two episodes suggests that "Womyn Fest" goes before "The Funeral".

## Cast[edit]

### Main cast[edit]

* Ellen DeGeneres as Ellen Morgan
* Joely Fisher as Paige Clark
* David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell
* Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney
* Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak

## Episodes[edit]

See also: List of Ellen episodes

No.
overall| No. in
season| Title| Directed by| Written by| Original air date| Prod.
code| U.S. viewers
(millions)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

88| 1| "Guys or Dolls"| Gil Junger| Ric Swartzlander| September 24, 1997 (1997-09-24)| C402| 11.99[1]

An old boyfriend, Dan, shows up, making Ellen think she might be bisexual. (Dan previously appeared in the season 2 episodes "30-Minute Man" and "30-Kilo Man").

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell and Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney
89| 2| "Social Climber"| Gil Junger| Mike Larsen| October 1, 1997 (1997-10-01)| C401| 17.32[2]

Ellen climbs a difficult mountain to impress an athletic woman.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell and Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney
90| 3| "Roommates"| Gail Mancuso| Dan Cohen & F.J. Pratt| October 8, 1997 (1997-10-08)| C403| 15.08[3]

Ellen's friends teach her the gay codewords.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell
91| 4| "Gay Yellow Pages"| Gil Junger| Tod Himmel & Lisa K. Nelson| October 15, 1997 (1997-10-15)| C405| 15.53[4]
Ellen hires a plumber out of the gay yellow pages.
92| 5| "Just Coffee"| Gail Mancuso| Maxine Lapiduss| October 29, 1997 (1997-10-29)| C404| 13.36[5]
Ellen meets Laurie Manning, her mortgage banker (Lisa Darr) for coffee.
93| 6| "G.I. Ellen"| Gil Junger| Mike Larsen| November 5, 1997 (1997-11-05)| C407| 12.61[6]

Ellen plays a soldier in a Civil War re-enactment. Angie Dickinson guest stars.

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark, David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
94| 7| "Public Display of Affection"| Gail Mancuso| David Walpert| November 12, 1997 (1997-11-12)| C406| 14.78[7]

Ellen has trouble expressing her affection for Laurie in public.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
95| 8| "Emma"| Gail Mancuso| Lawrence Broch| November 19, 1997 (1997-11-19)| C410| 13.72[8]

Paige gets Ellen a job as Emma Thompson's personal assistant and Ellen learns Emma Thompson's most shocking secret. While attended to Hollywood party she suddenly caught a very shock of her life a British actress was making out with another woman and she knew that something is really hidden her for secret

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
96| 9| "Like a Virgin"| Gail Mancuso| Jane Espenson| November 26, 1997 (1997-11-26)| C408| 11.24[9]

Ellen is anxious about her first time being intimate with a woman.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell
97| 10| "All Ellen, All the Time"| Gil Junger| Ric Swartzlander| December 3, 1997 (1997-12-03)| C409| 14.15[10]

Ellen gets a job at a radio station.

Absent: Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven As Spence Kovak
98| 11| "Break Up"| Gil Junger| Matt Berry| December 17, 1997 (1997-12-17)| C411| 12.83[11]

Laurie misunderstands Ellen's 1-month gift as an invitation to move in.

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark
99| 12| "Womyn Fest"| Lorraine Sevre-Richmond| Jane Espenson| January 7, 1998 (1998-01-07)| C413| 12.86[12]

Ellen, Paige and Audrey go to Womyn Fest (a fictionalized Lilith Fair), where a fortuneteller convinces Audrey that Ellen will meet a new soulmate at the festival and forget about Laurie. Singing duo Indigo Girls guest star.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell
100| 13| "The Funeral"| Gil Junger| Matt Berry| January 14, 1998 (1998-01-14)| C412| 11.83[13]

Now back together, Ellen helps Laurie deal with the death of her father.

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
101| 14| "Escape from L.A."| Gil Junger| Lisa K. Himmel & Tod Nelson| January 28, 1998 (1998-01-28)| C415| 11.02[14]

Ellen and Laurie go on vacation, but Laurie is annoyed that Ellen won't follow the vacation itinerary. The two of them hang out with an interracial straight couple.

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark, David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
102| 15| "Ellen in Focus"| Gil Junger| Leif Sandaas| February 11, 1998 (1998-02-11)| C417| 10.27[15]

Paige gets Ellen on a focus group so Ellen can convince the others that Paige's idea for a TV show featuring a tall cop and a short cop is a good idea.

Absent: Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
103| 16| "Neighbors"| Gail Mancuso| Story by : Kit Pongetti
Teleplay by : Cynthia Greenburg & Charmaine Noel Dixon| February 18, 1998 (1998-02-18)| C416| 8.49[16]

Ellen gets off on the wrong foot with her new neighbors, the Patels, an immigrant couple from India, when a variety of circumstances conspire to make Ellen look like a fool in front of them.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
104| 17| "It's a Gay, Gay, Gay, Gay World!"| Gil Junger| David Walpert| February 25, 1998 (1998-02-25)| C414| 9.58[17]
After an accident, Spence imagines a parallel Earth in which gays are the norm. Spence rejects Joe's advances because he's straight.
105| 18| "Hospital"| Gail Mancuso| Matt Berry & Ric Swartzlander| March 4, 1998 (1998-03-04)| C419| 12.32[18]

Ellen goes to the hospital after getting the news Laurie was in an accident. There, she meets Laurie's ex, Karen (Anne Heche).

Absent: Joely Fisher as Paige Clark, David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
106| 19| "Ellen: A Hollywood Tribute"| Gil Junger| Tim Doyle| May 13, 1998 (1998-05-13)| C421| 9.91[19]
107| 20| C422
A mockumentary traces Ellen's career from her days in vaudeville to the present. Guest stars include Cindy Crawford & Helen Hunt as auditionees for the role of Ellen and Woody Harrelson as Ellen's husband. Guest starring as themselves are Phil Donahue, Jennifer Aniston, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Kathy Najimy & Bea Arthur.
108| 21| "When Ellen Talks, People Listen"| Gil Junger| Mike Larsen| July 15, 1998 (1998-07-15)| C420| 6.34[20]

On her talk show, Ellen suggests that everyone should reach out to their neighbors with a helping hand. This winds up having negative consequences.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
109| 22| "Vows"| Lorraine Sevre-Richmond| F.J. Pratt & Dan Cohen| July 22, 1998 (1998-07-22)| C418| 5.58[21]

Ellen's parents renew their vows in a special ceremony. Ellen asks Laurie to marry her but Laurie is reluctant.

Absent: David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell, Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney and Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak

## References[edit]

1. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 22–28)". The Los Angeles Times. October 1, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Sept. 29–Oct. 5)". The Los Angeles Times. October 8, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 6–12)". The Los Angeles Times. October 15, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 13–19)". The Los Angeles Times. October 22, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Oct. 27–Nov. 2)". The Los Angeles Times. November 5, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 3-9)". The Los Angeles Times. November 12, 1997. Retrieved April 17, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 10–16)". The Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 17–23)". The Los Angeles Times. November 26, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Nov. 24–30)". The Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 1-7)". The Los Angeles Times. December 10, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Dec. 15–21)". The Los Angeles Times. December 24, 1997. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 5–11)". The Los Angeles Times. January 14, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 12–18)". The Los Angeles Times. January 21, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
14. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Jan. 26–Feb. 1)". The Los Angeles Times. February 4, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 9-15)". The Los Angeles Times. February 19, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
16. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 16-22)". The Los Angeles Times. February 25, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
17. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (Feb. 23–March 1)". The Los Angeles Times. March 4, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
18. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (March 2–8)". The Los Angeles Times. March 11, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
19. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (May 11–17)". The Los Angeles Times. May 20, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
20. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (July 13–19)". The Los Angeles Times. July 22, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
21. ^ "National Nielsen Viewership (July 20–26)". The Los Angeles Times. July 29, 1998. Retrieved April 15, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.

*[No.]: Number
*[Prod.]: Production