This show has a number of great things going for it. The 22-minute realtime episodes follow the trend of shows (like 24 and Andy Richter Controls the Universe) that reach to new or rarely utilized filming and editing techniques that add a new dimension to television viewing. In fact, in each of the 3 episodes I have seen, one of the cast members refers to the time left to the end of the episode [e.g.: "Would you two shut up and help me out of here? We've only got 11 minutes left to wrap this up!" or words to that effect...].The lack of laughtrack harkens to one of the finest seriocomedies ever produced - M*A*S*H, in which the laughtrack was banned from all surgery scenes. This decision allows the writing to speak for itself, without the need to tell you when to laugh.Hopefully, this show will not fall prey to the Seinfeld curse. If the network can keep it on the air long enough for viewers to give it a fair chance, this could be a real hit. Don't forget, Seinfeld started out as a lone pilot episode called The Seinfeld Chronicles in July of 1989, came back in May of 1990 for a 4-episode run befor starting a regular series schedule in January of 1991. By this time, we finally see the characters and their inter-relationships start to develop and gel into a show that really worked. In my opinion, Watching Ellie deserves the same consideration and should continue through it's regular season before it is judged at all.

The format is totally innovative. The show is totally entertaining. Each episode is 22 minutes of nonstop Julia, er, Ellie's crazy life. Comparing this gem to the monolithic Seinfeld is as much of an unfair apples-to-oranges comparison as comparing any of Ron Howard's Happy Days work with his film work. If you must pigeon hole this show, at least compare it with Sex in the City. Tune in and fasten your seat belt. It's a wild ride.

"Watching Ellie" is simply the worst show ever made. It is horrible! It's plotline stinks every week. The show just seems to drone on forever. The 22 minutes it is on every week is like torture. They count down the 22 minutes of the show in the bottom of the screen, and while watching it, I look at the clock the entire time. I can't wait for the show to be over. It should be cancelled immediately. I'm telling you, DON'T WATCH THIS SHOW! It is a waste of valuable time, and you will feel dumber after watching it. I know I did.

I put off watching this show for two reasons. One, Tuesday is my family's night for our weekly dosage of Jag. Two, I was expecting the "single season curse" that befell Micheal Richards and Jason Alexander. Seeing as Jag was a repeat, I decided to give "Watching Ellie" a view, and my god am I sorry I did so. The lack of acting ability in this cast, aside from Julia, is appalling. It's as if they had scripts tape to each others chest, and were reading them as the tapes rolled.Some people might assume that the omission of a "laugh track" or audience, was either a stab originality, or that it was due to the shows mobility. I for one assert that the inclusion of laughter would seem forced, or without merit, as there are no clear jokes.Maybe I have to give it a another try, but that will only happen when Jag is a repeat.