I rewatched the entire series from scratch last fall on DVD and I felt that watching season five today is a much different experience than it was a decade ago.

Ten years ago, the show was seen as "shocking" and people thought Ellen went way too far into the gay storyline on the show (I admit I felt so too), but rewatching it, I don't think it was as sensational as people made it out to be. My biggest problem with the season was that the last season was all about Ellen and the co-stars (and IMO, the co-stars were as important to Ellen as the co-stars were to Seinfeld) were way too relegated to bit parts. I know the show was "Ellen" but Paige, Joe, Audrey and Spence (and Adam in earlier years) were good characters that you cared for as well, but season 5 was Ellen and her girlfriend.

Personally, I did enjoy season five rewatching it and thought there were some great moments of comedy, but I just don't think America was ready to see Ellen dating women in a pre-"Will And Grace" environment. If you rewatch season 5 today, you'll notice the humor didn't really change much between the earlier seasons and the show wasn't really as controversial as one would think. Contrary to popular belief, I'd argue in half the episodes of the season, the word "gay" doesn't even come up. I just think in a pre-Will And Grace tv landscape, what Ellen was doing was a lot more daring and shocking than if done today. I felt bummed that it ended as abruptly as it did rewatching it on DVD because I think there could've been a sixth season easily.

I agree with you. When I first watched season five on Lifetime in their first rotation back in 1998, I didn't care for it that much. For the lack of the friend's screen time mainly. I had excepted that Ellen was gay and I was okay with it. But the thing I loved about the show was gone. I liked it best when Ellen didn't date anyone. She was funny on dates, but I just liked it best when she was in the bookstore, or her apartment or anywhere with her friends (Paige, Adam, Joe, Audrey and Spence).

I remember everyone saying that the show was "Too Gay" back then. I understood that Ellen felt she had a certain responsibility and maybe she went overboard, but today when you watch the fifth season, it's not as noticeable. It still has the humor.

I also wish there would have been a sixth season. Because I liked Laurie (Ellen's girlfriend on the show). I just wish she was mixed in with the friends, rather than always being the center of attention for the episodes she was in. I'd also liked to have seen Ellen at a real job. I missed the bookstore, and she didn't really have a job, other than the two episodes where she had her own radio show.