The Puppy Episode

Back in 1997, Ellen DeGeneres had a sitcom, initially called These Friends of Mine, the series was quickly retitled Ellen. While floundering a little in early seasons, struggling to find a reason to exist, the show garnered ratings success and sparked national debate and controversy during the fourth season upon airing The Puppy Episode, an episode in which DeGeneres' character Ellen Morgan and DeGeneres herself came out of the closet, the title refers to the fact that the producers wanted to air an episode in which Morgan adopts a puppy. The episode was a huge success, drawing 42 million viewers.

The episode, which is a two-parter, revolves around Ellen Morgan, meeting a lesbian woman named Susan, whom she instantly clicks with, not bring honest with herself or her friends about her sexuality, Susan, and her therapist encourage her to open up about her sexuality to herself and to her friends. The episode featured numerous cameos and guest appearances. Laura Dern appears as Susan, a love interest for Ellen, whom Ellen becomes romantically attached to, and who is later revealed to be in a relationship. Oprah Winfrey also starred as Ellen's therapist, and DeGeneres also came out of the closet on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the same day as the airing of the episode. K.D. Lang, Jenny Shimzu, Demi Moore and Melissa Etheridge all have cameo's.

The show was a huge success, becoming Ellen's highest rated show drawing 42 million viewers, the show also spurned numerous cultural phrases and puns, in the episode, when Ellen accuses Susan of trying to recruite her, to which Susan replies, 'one more and i would have got the toaster oven', since the airing of the episode, coming out has often been ironically referred to as 'getting the toaster oven'. The episode also makes light fun of people who refer to an organised gay movement or a gay mafia, at the end of the episode, Susan takes Ellen to see Melissa Etheridge, who after filling out the necessary paperwork, congratulates Ellen on being gay and hands Susan a toaster oven.

The episode led to the show getting renewed for a second season, and has been referred to as one of the most significant LGBT television moments, and one of the first high profile coming-outs. Although the episode managed to give the show focus, however not in the direction that ABC wanted, the show became highly gay-centric, and whole episodes became focused around niche gay topics which were uncommon or alienating to heterosexual viewers. What saddens me somewhat is that few people of my generation have seen this episode, and although Ellen DeGeneres is still a public figure, and is still on TV every day, few people really know what a trailblazer DeGeneres was, and how brave it was of her to come out at a time when society was so unforgiving, The Puppy Episode remains a fantastic sitcom episode, and fortunately for those who have not seen it, both episodes are available on YouTube.

Susan: Damn, now I have to call headquarters and let them know I lost you. Just one more and I would have gotten that toaster oven.