History YMMV / Ellen

* HarsherInHindsight: Episodes featuring Anne Heche can be a little uncomfortable to watch nowadays, given her and Ellen’s very public and acrimonious breakup several years after they were produced.

** Jeremy Piven (Spence) went on to play Series/{{Cupid}} and [[Series/{{Entourage}} some foul-mouthed agent]].

* HarsherInHindsight: Episodes featuring Anne Heche can be a little uncomfortable to watch nowadays, given her and Ellen’s very public and acrimonious breakup several years after the were produced.

* ArcFatigue: The build-up to Ellen coming out. Lampshaded after she finally does, as her therapist advises her that keeping it secret from her friends will only result in a bunch of “irritating” hints.

* ArcFatigue: The build-up to Ellen coming out. Lampshades after she finally does, as her therapist advises her that keeping it secret from her friends will only result in a bunch of “irritating” hints.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Ellen saying "I'm Gay" into the loudspeaker at the airport. The entire season had been building up to that moment and the audience naturally went wild. Also manages to be a CrowningMomentOfFunny since you didn't expect her to come out like ''that''.
** Even better when her date gets a toaster oven from Melissa Etheridge, a payoff to the BrickJoke she made earlier.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Many feel the final season was marred by becoming "too gay." Elton John even infamously told her to shut up about being gay and be funny again.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Ellen saying "I'm Gay" into the loudspeaker at the airport. The entire season had been building up to that moment and the audience naturally went wild.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Many feel the final season was marred by becoming "too gay." Elton John even infamously told her shut up about being gay and be funny again.

** Spence went on to play Series/{{Cupid}} and [[Series/{{Entourage}} some foul-mouthed agent]].
* StrangledByTheRedString: Paige and Spence, who at first hated each other.

* {{Anvilicious}}: In season five episode "When Ellen Talks, People Listen" Ellen uses her radio show to vent about how people in L.A. are so isolated that they dismiss people in need of help.
** Many argue that the entire series became this after the coming out episode. Even Chaz Bono, media director for GLAAD, criticized the show (a comedy) for its overly drama heavy turn and extreme focus on gay issues.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Spence went on to play Series/{{Cupid}} and [[Series/{{Entourage}} some foul-mouthed agent]].

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: YMMV, but Ellen saying "I'm Gay" into the loudspeaker at the airport. The entire season had been building up to that moment and the audience naturally went wild.
** Even better when her date gets a toaster oven from Melissa Etheridge. (see BrickJoke above)

* RetroactiveRecognition: Spence went on to play Series/{{Cupid}} and [[{{Entourage}} some foul-mouthed agent]].

** Many argue that the entire series became this after the coming out episode. Even Chaz Bono, media director for GLAAD, criticized the show (a comedy) for it's overly drama heavy turn and extreme focus on gay issues.

* JumpTheShark: "The Puppy Episode" -- after Ellen [[ComingOutStory came out]], the final season turned out to be quite the BaseBreaker. Some felt that, while meaning well, it only further stigmatized homosexuality by having nearly every episode be about being gay, and how misunderstood gay people are, while others felt that even if they agreed with the sentiments expressed, the show itself had become boring, repetitive and preachy, sacrificing humor for message.

* JumpTheShark: "The Puppy Episode" -- after Ellen [[ComingOutStory came out]], the show was deemed "too gay" and the ratings plummeted till cancellation.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Spence went on to play {{Cupid}} and [[{{Entourage}} some foul-mouthed agent]].