Seasons & episodes

Ellen's world is turned upside down when an earthquake devastates Buy the Book. Ellen tries to salvage her business, with little help from her friends. Meanwhile, the arrival of her high-energy cousin shakes up Ellen's relationships and jolts her into speaking up for herself.

Ellen feels left in the dust when Paige and Adam's careers take exciting turns, so she embarks on a journey to find her own dream.

Ellen labors to make amends after accidentally taping over a video of Paige's sister giving birth to twins, so she throws a lavish baby shower to relieve her guilt.

Ellen takes a stand for womanking, rewriting the ABCs of dating after Spence's one-night stand with a member of her reading group.

Before moving to England for an exciting job opportunity, Adam makes a surprising personal revelation to Ellen, who must deal with the awkward consequences when his trip is postponed.

As Halloween approaches, Ellen's high spirits have no effect on Spence, who is haunted by thoughts of his life. Meanwhile, Paige doesn't have a ghost of a chance of completing her first big assignment without help, and Joe is spooked by Audrey, who thinks she's been hired at Buy the Book.

Ellen is elated when her mother enters therapy but she's not that crazy about her mom's idea that mother and daughter become friends.

Inspired by domestic diva Martha Stewart, Ellen throws an elegant dinner party, but she's the one who's thrown when an unexpected guest arrives.

Ellen is thrilled when Paige's first film project shoots at Buy the Book, but her enthusiasm is soon outweighed by her disappointment with Paige's show-biz ways.

Thanks to Ellen's miscommunication, Spence and his equally combative dad have reached a peace settlement, but Ellen is determined to set things straight, even though it will result in father and son resuming their battle of wills.

Ellen is thrilled when she's invited to appear on the television program ""Book Chat."" However, her ecstasy turns to agony when she's forced to decide which three of her five book club members will join her.

Ellen's holiday spirits hit an all-time low when her parents present her with a cemetery burial plot as a Christmas present.

Ellen is thrilled when Paige invites her to an exclusive birthday party for John Travolta. But their fantasy evening turns into a nightmare thanks to some uninvited guests and an overly sensitive limo driver.

When Buy the Book is robbed, Ellen volunteers to become the bait in a police sting operation designed to catch the ""perp.""

It's Ellen to the rescue when Audrey buys a new car that comes with an extended warranty and an extended family of fanatics.

Recruited by Spence to play the key witness in a mock trial, Ellen assumes the role of a stripper, but must perform some fancy footwork when she loses her notes.

Looking after Paige's boyfriend's daughter for the weekend, Ellen is proud of the way she communicates with her charge. But when the fourth grader asks Ellen about sex, she's tongue tied.

Ellen is heralded as a hero when she rescues a lobster from a restaurant and tries to set it out to sea, but the elderly lobster has other plans.

Ellen gets caught in the middle of Paige and Matt's relationship when Paige's engagement ring gets stuck on Ellen's finger.

Money problems force Ellen to consider giving Audrey the ax, but when Audrey's parents buy a slice of the bookstore, it's with strings attached.

Disappointed when Buy the Book isn't voted one of L.A.'s ""Top Twenty Hippest Hangs,"" Ellen hires a lounge act to draw a hipper crowd, and is elated when the group proves popular--until she realizes why.

Ellen is afraid Paige's marriage will end their friendship so, while nervously awaiting a mammogram, she latches onto Chloe, but soon discovers that making new friends isn't as easy as it used to be.

Ellen throws a bachelorette party for a despondent Paige, inviting her high-powered studio boss and a psychic aerobics instructor whose dire predictions seem to be coming true.

When Paige's wedding day is marred by complications, maid of honor Ellen manages to keep it together. But things threaten to fall apart when she stumbles on an unlikely couple just before the ceremony.