isomorphicish.js

var _        = require('underscore');
var Backbone = require('backbone');
var cheerio  = require('cheerio');
var request  = require('request');

Backbone.ajax = function(options) {
	options.json = true;

	return request(options, function(error, result) {
		if (error) {
			if (_.has(options, 'failure')) options.failure(error);
		} else {
			(if (_.has(options, 'success')) options.success(result.body);
		}
	});
};

Backbone.View.prototype.setElement = function($cheerio) {
	this.$el = $cheerio("*");
	return this;
},

Backbone.View.prototype._createElement = function(tagName) {
  return cheerio.load('<' + tagName + '>');
}

With a04d7da6, you no longer have to override all of _ensureElement. Just set a _createElement that looks like this:

Backbone.View.prototype._createElement = function(tagName) {
  return cheerio.load('<' + tagName + '>');
}

I wish gists sent out notifications about comments! I should have updated this, given I was the one that sent out the PR...

Good stuff :)