firm. She is unfriendly, being primarily interested in the financial benefits that accrue to the firm. She dislikes Eli's intention to help more individuals than major corporations. (Seasons 1 and 2) Pamela Reed as Mrs. Stone. (Season 1 only) Tom Cavanagh as Jeremy Stone, the late father of Nathan and Eli. He also had a brain aneurysm which causes hallucinations. He suffered from depression and was an alcoholic, which causes Nathan and Eli to resent him. He died from a heart attack 10 years ago. (Flashbacks in seasons 1 and 2) George Michael as himself. (Season 1 only) Bridget Moynahan as Ashley Cardiff, Eli's ex-girlfriend. Taraji P. Henson as Angela Scott, Patti's daughter. (Season 2 only) Kerr Smith as Paul Rollins, a partner at Posner/Klein. Special guest stars Sigourney Weaver as therapist and God. Katie Holmes as Grace, a woman whom Eli accidentally meets. On November 6, 2008, TV Guide reported that Jamey Sheridan would guest-star as an evening news anchor. On December 1, 2008, TV Guide reported that Gregory Smith would make a guest appearance in the show's finale. Episodes Season 1 (2008) Season 2 (2008–09) Reception Ratings Critical reception Season one was met with generally favorable reviews, and currently holds a Metacritic score of 62 out of 100, based on 24 collected reviews. Season two was met with a more enthusiastic response, and holds a Metacritic score of 72 out 100, based on 9 collected reviews. Controversy The debut episode attracted controversy due to its plot line, which depicts the hypothesis that autism is caused by a mercury-based preservative formerly used in common childhood vaccines and treats the hypothesis as being credible and legally compelling. This hypothesis is not supported by scientific evidence, but has contributed to decreased vaccination rates. The American Academy of Pediatrics asked ABC to either cancel the episode or include a disclaimer emphasizing that mercury is not used in routine childhood vaccines, and that no scientific link exists between vaccines and autism. ABC instead decided to present a written notice and voice-over after the episode saying "The preceding story is fictional and does not portray any actual persons, companies, products or events", with a second card directing viewers to the autism web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Awards and nominations International airings Eli Stone premiered on ABC on January 31, 2008. It premiered on Fox Life in Greece, and AXN