Ellen DeGeneres’ Finale Is a Fitting End to a Show Without Perspective: Column
variety.comDaniel D'Addario Chief TV CriticNear the beginning of the final episode of Ellen DeGeneres’ talk show, the host found herself sadly, solemnly dancing.Wiping away tears, DeGeneres stomped up the steps of her stage’s audience section, embracing members of the crowd wearily, mouthing the lyrics “you’ve got the best of my love” — even as it seemed evident from her demeanor that her guests had what was left of it.
This was an admirable concession to routine from a host who has made her name through nimble footwork: Redefining herself as a broadcast-ready daytime host after the 1990s sitcom “Ellen” was cancelled shortly after her public coming-out, DeGeneres embraced cute rubber-soled jiving as a way to express her desire to seem relatable.
But it seemed, too, like a summation of what DeGeneres had been through, and what she is now giving up. For one last time, she was going through the motions.
DeGeneres’ daytime talk show, which was to air its last episode May 26, cemented the star’s legacy. It turned her from a pop-culture casualty — the woman who came out as a lesbian on her sitcom, and landed the cover of Time, only to see doors shut in her face throughout the industry — into a person with the voltage to meet presidents, host the Oscars twice, and have a presence in American households each day.
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