Morf

Well, it's is back, and it is slightly re-tooled. Most noticably, the show is now filmed in front of an audience, has a laugh-track, and seems to be more "sitcom-y".

What were everyone's thoughts? Personally, I'm glad NBC is giving it another chance. The new style will take some getting used to, but I'm glad to see that the characters are back. The laugh track really started to annoy me in spots, however. But I like how now the new format allows the show to jump around and have flashback scenes.

I'll be tuning in for the next episode. It sounds pretty good:

nightwing82

At the beginning of the episode the laughing did annoy me. But then I got use to it. Hilarious episode and I love the new opening for the show with the played out theme.

Cannot wait till the next show... I hope it is renewed for the fall.

nightwing82

Ratings for last night:

-Yesterday's Winners:
American Idol (Fox), Watching Ellie (NBC), Smallville (WB), Judging Amy (CBS)

In season premiere news, NBC's Watching Ellie notched a first-place 8.2/12 at 9:30 p.m. with 85 percent retention out of the last half hour of the NBC special. Comparatively, the Julia Louis-Dreyfus comedy beat ABC's competing Lost At Home (series low 4.6/7) by a hefty 78 percent.

ChefWinduAZ

I have to say that I hated this show when it debuted last season. I am a big fan of Julia Louis Dreyfus and expected more form her. I think the real time aspect is what bothered me the most. But I decided to give the show another shot last night....and I am glad I did. I thought the show was very funny. This is the Julia I rememeber from Seinfeld and a short lived sitcom she did called Day by Day.

Roto

If it's filmed in front of an audience why would they need a laugh track? Guess I won't make a point of watching it.

Morf

Correct me if I'm wrong, but even shows filmed in front of a live studio audience commonly use laugh tracks.

And in my opinion, if the only reason you are not tuning into the show is because of a laugh track, that is pretty lame.

nightwing82

Yup, live audience shows also add in laugh tracks. Makes laughs bigger or puts in a laugh when the studio audience just didn't get that joke.

And I agree, not watching a show just because you hear the audience laughing or a laugh track doesn't make any sense.

uteotw

I thought it was embarassingly bad. The "jokes" were so unfunny I could barely take it. I kept hoping it would improve, but it did not. I like her, too, but this was just dreadful to watch...

das Monkey

Well, I was pretty disappointed. I loved the show the first time; it was quirky and offbeat and added something different to a television landscape bogged down with the same tired old crap. There were a few laughs this time around, but it wasn't nearly as entertaining. Hardly any singing, no Don Lake or Peter Stormare, and the shrink scenes with Admiral Nechayev were a weak. Steve Carell was great as usual, but the show as a whole just doesn't have the same style or strength. It didn't help that the laugh track was incredibly annoying either.

I'll keep watching to see if it can grow past this, but all the hopeful anticipation I built up waiting for this show to return has withered away.

das

tanman

I thought it was incredibly stupid and bland. I never really liked the first one but at least it was somewhat creative. This one seems like a very formulatic sitcom. It seems like everyone tuned in but I'm not sure if it will be around for very long. They do need to beef up their Tues. line up.

mrpayroll

Yeah, so far I don't like this 2nd season compared to the first season. And they are doing it an injustice by adding the laugh track / studio audience. Maybe I'm spoiled with Scrubs & Malcolm in the Middle which do not have a laugh track, but if Watching Ellie want's to distinguish itself as a different kind of comedy, then the laugh track has to go.

Chris

Morf

It did try to distinguish itself as a different kind of comedy in season 1. But the public evidently didn't want that.

shaun3000

The fact that it was in real-time during the first season (a 22 minute slice of Ellie's day) was cool. Now it's just another sitcom.

Too bad