''Ed'' is an American
comedy-drama
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
television series that was co-produced by
David Letterman's
Worldwide Pants Incorporated
Worldwide Pants Inc. is an American television and film production company founded and owned by comedian and talk show host David Letterman.
The company was formerly headquartered at the Ed Sullivan Theater building in New York City, but has sin ...
,
NBC Productions
Universal Television LLC (abbreviated as UTV) is an American television production company that is a subsidiary of Universal Studio Group, a division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It serves as the network television production arm of NBC; a predece ...
and
Viacom Productions
Viacom Productions (formerly Viacom Enterprises) was a television production arm of Viacom International. The division was active from 1974 until 2004, when the company was folded into Paramount Network Television 10 years following Viacom's ac ...
that aired on
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
from October 8, 2000, to February 6, 2004. The hour-long
comedy drama
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and Drama (film and television), drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple co ...
starred
Tom Cavanagh
Thomas Cavanagh (born October 26, 1963) is a Canadian actor. He is known for a variety of roles on American television, including starring roles in '' Ed'' (2000–2004), ''Love Monkey'' (2006) and '' Trust Me'' (2009), and recurring roles on ...
as Ed Stevens,
Julie Bowen
Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer (born March 3, 1970) is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Claire Dunphy in the ABC sitcom ''Modern Family'' (2009–2020), for which she received critical acclaim and six nominations for the Primetim ...
as his
love interest
''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...
Carol Vessey,
Josh Randall
Joshua Reeve Randall (born January 27, 1972) is an American television actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. Mike Burton in the 2000–2004 NBC sitcom '' Ed'' and the recurring, later main role of Fire Captain Sean Beckett from 2021-2 ...
as his friend Dr. Mike Burton,
Jana Marie Hupp
Jana Marie Hupp (born April 2, 1964) is an American actress.
Born in Spokane, Washington, she studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Western Washington University and worked on stage in theatre productions in Seattle. She later ...
as Mike's wife Nancy,
Lesley Boone
Lesley Boone (born February 25, 1968) is an American producer and television actress, best known for her roles as Marlene Gilbert on the Fox sitcom '' Babes'' (1990–1991), as Molly Hudson in the NBC comedy-drama '' Ed'' (2000–2004) and as Ros ...
as their friend Molly Hudson, and
Justin Long
Justin Jacob Long (born June 2, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. Long is known for his film roles, notably appearing in '' Jeepers Creepers'' (2001), ''Dodgeball'' (2004), ''Accepted'' (2006), ''Idiocracy'' (20 ...
as awkward high-school student Warren Cheswick. Other supporting cast members included Michael Genadry and
Ginnifer Goodwin
Jennifer Michelle "Ginnifer" Goodwin (born May 22, 1978) is an American actress. She is known for her starring role as Margene Heffman in the HBO drama series ''Big Love'' (2006–2011) and Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard in the ABC fan ...
as Warren's friends Mark and Diane, and
Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black (born Michael Ian Schwartz; August 12, 1971) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including ''The State'', ''Viva Variety'', '' Stella'', '' Wet Hot American Summer: Fi ...
,
Mike Starr,
Rachel Cronin, and (later)
Daryl Mitchell as the employees of Ed's bowling alley. Long term guest stars included
John Slattery
John M. Slattery Jr. (born August 13, 1962) is an American actor and director widely known for his role as Roger Sterling Jr. in the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'' (2007–15), for which he was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award fo ...
as Dennis Martino and
Sabrina Lloyd
Sabrina Anne Lloyd (born November 20, 1970) is an American retired film and television actress. She is known for portraying Wade Welles in the science fiction series '' Sliders'', Natalie Hurley in the ABC sitcom '' Sports Night'' and Kelly in '' ...
as Frankie Hector. The show was created by executive producers
Jon Beckerman Jon Beckerman is a producer, director and writer best known for his projects with Rob Burnett. He was born in 1969. He graduated from Shady Side Academy in 1987 and Harvard University in 1991.
Career
Jon's biggest success has been working with Ro ...
and
Rob Burnett.
David Letterman is also credited as one of the show's executive producers.
''Ed'' received casting, writing, and directing
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
nominations in 2001. Tom Cavanagh received a
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...
nomination and a ''
TV Guide
TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program
Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' Award for his work on the program.
Premise
The show revolves around Ed Stevens, a hotshot New York lawyer who, on the same day he is fired from his job (for drafting a contract with a misplaced comma that ended up costing his firm $1.6 million), comes home to discover his wife having an affair with a mailman that she claims she met at
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an American multinational chain of coffeehouses and roastery reserves headquartered in Seattle, Washington. It is the world's largest coffeehouse chain.
As of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 c ...
. Dejected, Ed decides to return to his (fictional) hometown of Stuckeyville, Ohio, to spend some time. Upon his arrival, he is reunited with friends that he has missed, as well as Carol Vessey, his high school crush.
Determined to win her heart, Ed decides to stay, buying a rundown
bowling alley
A bowling alley (also known as a bowling center, bowling lounge, bowling arena, or historically bowling club) is a facility where the sport of bowling is played. It can be a dedicated facility or part of another, such as a clubhouse or dwelling ...
and setting up a new law firm in the process, earning him the undesired nickname "The Bowling Alley Lawyer" which leads him to make a distinction to a judge during one of his first trials: "I am a lawyer, I own a bowling alley. Two separate things."
''Ed'' has a number of
running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling. Though they are similar, catchphrases are not ...
s, such as bowling alley employee Phil (
Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black (born Michael Ian Schwartz; August 12, 1971) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including ''The State'', ''Viva Variety'', '' Stella'', '' Wet Hot American Summer: Fi ...
) hatching ludicrous schemes usually to gain fame and fortune, ten-dollar bets between Ed and his best friend, Mike, that would require one of them to do something extremely embarrassing, mentions of
Arbor Day
Arbor Day (or Arbour in some countries) is a secular day of observance in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees. Today, many countries observe such a holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, dependi ...
as a big holiday, and various characters named "Godfrey" appearing in many episodes. The series also deals with issues of social popularity and self-esteem both through Ed—who was unpopular in high school and yet had a crush on stereotypically popular blond cheerleader Carol Vessey—and through Molly, Carol's coworker and friend who was similarly unpopular in high school and continues to have self-esteem issues due to her being overweight.
Episodes
Cast
Main
*
Tom Cavanagh
Thomas Cavanagh (born October 26, 1963) is a Canadian actor. He is known for a variety of roles on American television, including starring roles in '' Ed'' (2000–2004), ''Love Monkey'' (2006) and '' Trust Me'' (2009), and recurring roles on ...
as Edward Jeremy "Ed" Stevens. A lawyer who worked for a prestigious law firm in New York City, he loses his job for drafting a contract with a misplaced comma, and on the same day catches his wife having an affair with a mailman. He returns to his home town of Stuckeyville where he reconnects with old friends, buys the old Stuckeybowl Bowling Alley, and opens a legal practice inside of an office in the bowling alley. Phil comes up with the idea to combine Ed's legal knowledge with bowling and Ed comes to represent many of the townspeople in court. He attempts to win Carol Vessey for 4 years, and while she is in love with him, she cannot believe good men like Ed exist. Ed is a compassionate and caring man and often takes cases where he represents the underdogs, while he sometimes finds himself working for people he disagrees with he still treats all of his clients with fairness. He also believes that the law, common sense, and moderation need not be mutually exclusive.
*
Julie Bowen
Julie Bowen Luetkemeyer (born March 3, 1970) is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Claire Dunphy in the ABC sitcom ''Modern Family'' (2009–2020), for which she received critical acclaim and six nominations for the Primetim ...
as Carol Phyllis Vessey. The object of Ed's affection, she has stayed in Stuckeyville most of her life as she teaches English at Stuckeyville High and is also an aspiring writer. She is seen dating a long-term boyfriend, a fellow English teacher Nick Stanton, but she breaks up with him shortly after Ed returns. Later, she starts to develop feelings for Ed until an old flame from Ed's life comes back to Stuckeyville. Carol was a beautiful and popular cheerleader in high school, and Ed has had feelings for her since he first saw her in freshman Biology. She almost marries Stuckeyville High's new principal Dennis Martino (
John Slattery
John M. Slattery Jr. (born August 13, 1962) is an American actor and director widely known for his role as Roger Sterling Jr. in the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'' (2007–15), for which he was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award fo ...
), but she is left at the altar as Dennis realizes that she is in love with Ed. Later in the series she comes to understand that she does truly love Ed and that Ed truly loves her. Ed and Carol marry in the series finale.
*
Jana Marie Hupp
Jana Marie Hupp (born April 2, 1964) is an American actress.
Born in Spokane, Washington, she studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Western Washington University and worked on stage in theatre productions in Seattle. She later ...
as Nancy Burton. Mike's wife and a good friend of Ed and Carol's, she is originally a working Mom in marketing, then later becomes a substitute teacher at Stuckeyville High, and then finally a guidance counselor where she is well liked by the Students at Stuckeyville. She is often seen as having a sense of moderation and wisdom for everyone in the series, often rolling her eyes at Mike's and Ed's antics, but she is a good friend to Ed and a loving, loyal and supportive wife to her husband.
*
Josh Randall
Joshua Reeve Randall (born January 27, 1972) is an American television actor. He is best known for his role as Dr. Mike Burton in the 2000–2004 NBC sitcom '' Ed'' and the recurring, later main role of Fire Captain Sean Beckett from 2021-2 ...
as Dr. Michael "Mike" Burton. He is Ed's best friend and has been since their high school days. He is now a doctor, starting out working for the cantankerous Dr. Jerome, but branches out and starts his own practice. A graduate of
Johns Hopkins Medical School, He is very caring towards his patients and takes his oath and role as a physician very seriously. He is happily married to his wife Nancy Burton (
Jana Marie Hupp
Jana Marie Hupp (born April 2, 1964) is an American actress.
Born in Spokane, Washington, she studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the Western Washington University and worked on stage in theatre productions in Seattle. She later ...
), having known her since high school as well and has a young daughter named Sarah. Mike is also shown to be a good athlete as a runner, basketball player, and wrestler.
*
Lesley Boone
Lesley Boone (born February 25, 1968) is an American producer and television actress, best known for her roles as Marlene Gilbert on the Fox sitcom '' Babes'' (1990–1991), as Molly Hudson in the NBC comedy-drama '' Ed'' (2000–2004) and as Ros ...
as Molly Hudson. Carol's best friend and a chemistry teacher at Stuckeyville High who eventually becomes the principal. Molly was unpopular in high school but becomes close friends with Carol and Nancy. She is Ed's first client when he tries a case as he had never been to court while in New York, a case that he wins. Molly has insecurity issues due to her feeling that Carol is always the better half, but comes to assert herself more and more as the series goes on. She is liked by her students as a teacher and principal, and despite her insecurities, she is courted by many men during the series. During the
bouquet toss at Carol and Ed's wedding, she does not catch the bouquet but rather has it given to her by Carol as a sign of their deep friendship.
*
Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black (born Michael Ian Schwartz; August 12, 1971) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including ''The State'', ''Viva Variety'', '' Stella'', '' Wet Hot American Summer: Fi ...
as Philip "Phil" Stubbs. Phil is a natural slacker who runs the front counter at Stuckeybowl. He does not take his job very seriously and is always trying to hatch get-rich-quick schemes, using the bowling alley as a means to do so. He is terrible in managing his own money as he lives in a
Motel 6
Motel 6 is a privately owned hospitality company with a chain of budget motels in the United States and Canada. Motel 6 also operates Studio 6, a chain of Apartment hotel, extended-stay hotels. The hotel brand is owned by The Blackstone Group's ...
after he had been sleeping on the far right lane in the bowling alley. His schemes seem to get under Ed's skin from time to time, but Phil is a loyal employee to Ed who refers to him as "Bosco" as a
term of endearment
A term of endearment is a word or phrase used to address or describe a person, animal or inanimate object for which the speaker feels love or affection. Terms of endearment are used for a variety of reasons, such as parents addressing their ch ...
. He is an ordained minister by the fictional "Grand Exalted Church of the Universe" via the internet and performs Ed and Carol's wedding as the original minister refused to do so in a bowling alley.
*
Rachel Cronin as Shirley Pifko. Shirley also works at Stuckeybowl and is a very awkward and shy person who has odd and quirky personality traits, but is liked by Ed and all of the main characters. She breaks character from time to time by trying to help others in personal situations and is shown to be ambitious and a worker who strives to take her role at the bowling alley seriously. She also serves as Ed's legal assistant after asking for the job.
*
Mike Starr as Kenny Sandusky (seasons 1–2; guest season 3). Kenny is a lovable and loyal Stuckeybowl employee who is a talented bowler and also is the brains behind many of the events that the bowling puts on. He helps Ed turn the bowling alley from a dump where nobody goes into an attractive place. After bowling a perfect game in the third season, Kenny tells Ed he has "done all I was meant to do" and leaves the bowling alley and hugs Ed goodbye.
*
Justin Long
Justin Jacob Long (born June 2, 1978) is an American actor, comedian, director and screenwriter. Long is known for his film roles, notably appearing in '' Jeepers Creepers'' (2001), ''Dodgeball'' (2004), ''Accepted'' (2006), ''Idiocracy'' (20 ...
as Warren Cheswick. Warren is an awkward yet good-natured student at Stuckeyville High. He is in love with Jessica Martell, the most popular girl at his school. Ed feels a kinship to him as he reminds Ed of himself at that age. While he can be overbearing at times, Warren's friends Mark, Diane, and Gavin accept his quirks and are there to help him when he is in tough situation.
* Michael R. Genadry as Mark Vanacor (seasons 2–4; recurring season 1). Mark is Warren's best friend and closest confidant. After Mark's father has a
heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
, Mark is confronted by Mike, Warren and Diane about his severe weight problem to undergo a
gastric bypass
Gastric bypass surgery refers to a technique in which the stomach is divided into a small upper pouch and a much larger lower "remnant" pouch and then the small intestine is rearranged to connect to both. Surgeons have developed several differ ...
surgery. Initially refusing, he realizes his very life is on the line and loses over 200 pounds after the surgery.
*
Ginnifer Goodwin
Jennifer Michelle "Ginnifer" Goodwin (born May 22, 1978) is an American actress. She is known for her starring role as Margene Heffman in the HBO drama series ''Big Love'' (2006–2011) and Snow White / Mary Margaret Blanchard in the ABC fan ...
as Diane Snyder (seasons 2–3). Diane is a smart and assertive student who is Warren's friend and later Mark's girlfriend.
*
Daryl Mitchell as Eli Goggins (seasons 3–4). A young, focused, and effective employee, he joins the Stuckeybowl team in Season 3. He is proactive in his approach and is given the job of alley manager by Ed as he is impressed by Eli's ideas and work ethic. He is a
paraplegic who became paralyzed in a motor cycle accident and struggles with insecurity, but is assured by Phil and Shirley that he is worthy of a good life and a woman who accepts him as he is. He later is seen dating a young and attractive baker. A young black male, he often makes jokes about African-American stereotypes.
Recurring and guest stars
*
Gregory Harrison
Gregory Neale Harrison (born May 31, 1950) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Chandler in the 1987 film ''North Shore (1987 film), North Shore'', as Dr. George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates, the young surgeon assistant of Dr. Trapper John ...
as Nick Stanton. A self-absorbed ex-boyfriend of Carol's, he is also an English teacher and aspires to be a great writer. He takes Carol for granted which leads her to break up with him. After they break up, he is seen in only one more episode before moving on.
* Marvin Chatinover as Dr. Walter Jerome. He is a doctor who owns the practice where Mike works at the beginning of the series. He wants Mike to succeed in his practice, so he is strict in his methods and often berates and insults Mike, but does so with the goal of making Mike a good doctor and effective physician. Although he can be cantankerous, his methods are meant to keep his medical practice in high esteem.
*
Rena Sofer Renas may refer to:
Places
*Rena, Badajoz, a municipality in Extremadura, Spain
*Rena, Norway, a village in Innlandet county, Norway
*Rena, Washington, a community in Clallam County, Washington, United States
People
*Rena (given name), list of pe ...
as Bonnie Haine. A district attorney for Stuckeyville, she and Ed clash and do battle with each other in court, but Bonnie tells Ed she likes him, causing a rift between him and Carol. They start to date, but it ends when Bonnie takes a job in
Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
She briefly returns in season 2 to try to get Ed back, but she becomes fully aware Ed is in love with Carol.
*
John Slattery
John M. Slattery Jr. (born August 13, 1962) is an American actor and director widely known for his role as Roger Sterling Jr. in the AMC drama series ''Mad Men'' (2007–15), for which he was nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award fo ...
as Dennis Martino. The new principal at the high school, he and Carol take an instant and strong disliking to each other. He is blunt, withdrawn, and egotistical. He is a recovering alcoholic who battles his urges every day, causing Carol to show pity on him, which then leads to a romance, an engagement and almost a marriage. Dennis leaves Carol at the altar when it is obvious that Carol is in love with Ed despite wanting to marry Dennis. He leaves Stuckeyville and is never seen or heard from again.
* Robin Paul as Jessica Martell, a beautiful popular girl at Stuckeyville High. She is the object of Warren's affections. She initially turns Warren down twice, until she realizes that he truly likes her for her and eventually falls for Warren, though their relationship is short lived as she moves schools due to her parents' divorce.
*
Lea Thompson
Lea Katherine Thompson (born May 31, 1961) is an American actress and director.
She is best known for her role as Lorraine Baines-McFly in the ''Back to the Future'' film trilogy (1985–1990) and Beverly Switzler in '' Howard the Duck'' (1 ...
as Liz Stevens, Ed's ex-wife. She makes an appearance in the fourth season and finds it hard to completely let Ed go even after their divorce is finalized.
*
Nicki Aycox
Nicki Lynn Aycox (May 26, 1975 – November 16, 2022) was an American actress and musician, known for her roles in ''Supernatural (American TV series), Supernatural'', ''Cold Case'', ''Jeepers Creepers 2'', ''Perfect Stranger (film), Perfect Stra ...
as Stella Vessey, Carol's younger sister. A free spirit, she travels around searching for her purpose in life, but forms a short yet strong relationship with Warren on two occasions.
*
Kelly Ripa
Kelly Ripa (; born October 2, 1970) is an American actress and talk show host. Since 2001, she has been the co-host of the syndicated morning talk show '' Live! with Kelly and Ryan'' in various formats.
As an actress, Ripa's best known roles ...
as Jennifer Bradley. A free spirited woman who falls for Ed, she tries to win him over even though Ed is struggling with the fact Carol is about to marry Dennis. They almost end up leaving for Africa with each other, but Jennifer, like all others realizes that she is Ed's second choice and refuses to wait around for him, but remains a friend to help him with his heartbreak over Carol.
*
Dan Lauria
Daniel Joseph Lauria (born April 12, 1947) is an American actor, known for playing the role of Jack Arnold in ''The Wonder Years'' (1988–1993), Jack Sullivan on ''Sullivan and Son'' (2012–2014), and Al Luongo on '' Pitch'' (2016–2017).
Ear ...
as Richard Vessey. Carol Vessey's Father. He deeply loves his daughter and is hesitant to give Ed his blessing after witnessing Carol being left at the altar by Dennis. He eventually comes to realize that Ed is not Dennis and that he will not leave his daughter. Originally a widower, he has gotten remarried and is seen with his new wife in the series finale.
*
Sabrina Lloyd
Sabrina Anne Lloyd (born November 20, 1970) is an American retired film and television actress. She is known for portraying Wade Welles in the science fiction series '' Sliders'', Natalie Hurley in the ABC sitcom '' Sports Night'' and Kelly in '' ...
as Frankie Hector. Frankie moves to Stuckeyville and convinces Ed to take her on as a partner in his law firm, and the two develop a romance. Like all other women in Ed's life, she senses that Carol had Ed's heart. She gives Ed an ultimatum, for either her or Carol. She leaves after Ed does not give her a reason to stay and moves back to
Houston, Texas
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
to work things out with her ex-boyfriend.
*
Mike Hodge
Michael Hodge (February 24, 1947 – September 9, 2017) was an American actor and labor union executive known for his recurring roles on '' Law & Order'' and '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', where he often portrayed judges and detectives ...
as the Judge (7 episodes)
Future
Primetime Emmy Award
The Primetime Emmy Awards, or Primetime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), the Primetime ...
winners such as
Neil Patrick Harris
Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...
and
Jim Parsons
James Joseph Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor. From 2007 to 2019, he played Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom '' The Big Bang Theory''. He has received various awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead ...
also had guest appearances before finding success with CBS shows ''
How I Met Your Mother'' and ''
The Big Bang Theory
''The Big Bang Theory'' is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom served as executive producers on the series, along with Steven Molaro, all of whom also served as head writers. It premiered on C ...
'', respectively.
Production
The pilot
While the premise of the show hinges on the changes in Ed's life in New York and his initial return to Stuckeyville, the
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
which illustrated these events was not aired as part of the series. A summary using footage from the pilot, appeared at the beginning of the first regular episode.
The pilot also contained some notable casting choices, with
Donal Logue
Donal Francis Logue (born February 27, 1966) is a Canadian actor. He starred in the film '' The Tao of Steve'' and has had roles in the TV series ''Sons of Anarchy'', ''Vikings'', ''Grounded for Life'', ''Copper'', '' Terriers'', and, as Detecti ...
portraying Phil and
Janeane Garofalo
Janeane Marie Garofalo ( ; born September 28, 1964) is an American comedian, actress, and former co-host on the now-defunct Air America Radio's ''The Majority Report''.
Garofalo began her career as a stand-up comedian and became a cast member on ...
guest-starring as Ed's ex-wife Liz.
Michael Ian Black
Michael Ian Black (born Michael Ian Schwartz; August 12, 1971) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He has starred in several TV comedy series, including ''The State'', ''Viva Variety'', '' Stella'', '' Wet Hot American Summer: Fi ...
replaced Logue as Phil in re-shot scenes of the first episode and for the entire series, and a number of different actresses played Liz in her few appearances (including
Lea Thompson
Lea Katherine Thompson (born May 31, 1961) is an American actress and director.
She is best known for her role as Lorraine Baines-McFly in the ''Back to the Future'' film trilogy (1985–1990) and Beverly Switzler in '' Howard the Duck'' (1 ...
who played the character in several episodes near the end of the series).
The show was originally called ''Ed,'' then titled ''Stuckeyville'' when in development at
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
, and then renamed ''Ed'' again when it was picked up by NBC.
Locations
Although set in the fictional town of Stuckeyville,
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
, the majority of the series was actually shot in various towns in northern
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
including
Montclair,
Hillsdale,
Haworth
Haworth () is a village in the City of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England, in the Pennines, south-west of Keighley, west of Bradford and east of Colne in Lancashire. The surrounding areas include Oakworth and Oxenhope. Nearby villages inc ...
,
Westfield,
Cranford,
Nutley,
Ridgewood,
Harrington Park,
Allendale,
Northvale,
Demarest and
Rockland County
Rockland County is the southernmost county on the west side of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. It is about from the Bronx at their closest points. The county's population, as of t ...
,
New York (
Tappan,
Nyack). Many of the street names and towns mentioned on the show are real New Jersey street and town names. The opening sequence showed Ed driving past the Rialto movie theater in the downtown of
Westfield.
Stuckeybowl was actually the former Country Club Lanes in
Northvale, NJ
Northvale is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,640,[Next Year
"Next Year" is a song released as the last single from the third Foo Fighters' album ''There Is Nothing Left to Lose''.
History
A shorter version (running at just 3:21 compared to the original's 4:36) was released as a single in 2000 and wa ...]
" by
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
, except during the entire second season when
Clem Snide
Clem Snide is an alt-country band featuring Eef Barzelay (guitar, vocals), Brendan Fitzpatrick (bass) and Ben Martin (drums).
History
"Clem Snide" is a character in several novels by William S. Burroughs, including ''Naked Lunch'', ''The Ticket ...
's "Moment in the Sun" was used. Season three reverted to "Next Year" in the United States, after resolving the "complicated business reasons" that prevented its use the previous year.
"Moment in the Sun" continued to be used outside the U.S., although the end credits list "Next Year" as the opening theme.
A framed
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters are an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1994. Foo Fighters was initially formed as a one-man project by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl. Following the success of the eponymous debut album, Grohl (lead vocals, guitar) re ...
poster hung on the wall of Stuckeyville High School principal Molly Hudson's office.
Reception
Critical reception
The first season of ''Ed'' was met by favorable reviews from critics. Review aggregator website
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, gave the show a score of 86 out of 100 based on 32 reviews.
Writing for ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'',
Ken Tucker described it as "the best new show of the season...possess
ngall the bright romantic magic and tart humor of a first-rate screwball film comedy," with particular praise for the performances of Cavanagh and Bowen.
Nielsen ratings
References
External links
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Archived fan photos of Stuckeybowl location
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ed
2000 American television series debuts
2004 American television series endings
2000s American comedy-drama television series
English-language television shows
NBC original programming
Television series by CBS Studios
Television series by Universal Television
Television shows set in Ohio
Television series by Worldwide Pants
Ten-pin bowling on television