jediwands

jediwands

I’ll watch the episode later in the morning. This is one of my favorite Ephram/Amy Season 1 episodes. I will be writing a detailed explanation on why. LOL. Dr. Trott arrives too!

I just thought of something as I was putting up the new episode thread and reading the description. It says Amy has a panic attack. See, this is what I’ve mentioned over the past several episodes. Amy’s depression didn’t just appear right after Colin passed away. Her mental health, both depression and anxiety (which often goes together) was slowly deteriorating for a long time before she hit rock bottom in early Season 2. As we see very early on in Season 1, there were small and large signs her mental health was in need of professional care. I only wish her family would have helped her sooner. Imagine what might have happened to her without Ephram. Poor Ephram was still adjusting to the move and his own mother’s death yet still finds a way to help Amy. Without Ephram, Amy might have suffered such a severe deterioration of her mental health it could have taken years before she got better. As is, it took almost a year. Without Ephram it would have been so much worse. She has a father who’s a family physician and a grandmother who’s a nurse (an aunt who’s an MD too). It will forever be startling to me they didn’t get her help sooner. I guess as a psychologist it professionally bothers me and personally while I still battle mourning a loved one it affects me too.

jediwands

I found this:



They look like they had so much fun doing the Magilla storyline.

jediwands

I couldn’t sleep so I just got finished watching the episode.

Irv calls the townies, Everwoodies.

I love Dr. Trott, and wish that they brought her back every season. She’s so good, the actress is brilliant. I loved her on Ally McBeal. Dr. Trott is so distinctly Season One, but she could have come back at least once every season. Jane Krakowski just shined in the role. More on Dr. Trott in a bit.

I feel for Amy so much (I’m an Empath and Amy’s my favorite character so it’s especially intense for me) during her panic attack. Emily does an incredible job with this (as with everything) and it's an organic suspenseful moment. Amy was crying out for help not just in the moment but help in general.

The idea that "everyone needs someone" is a recurring theme on Everwood. Andy's attempts to deal with his own problems all by himself often fail, as they do in this episode and as they do with Madisongate. And the theme most strikingly comes back after Reid's suicide attempt, where Ephram and Amy talk about how everyone needs at least one person.

- "Dad? Is something wrong with me?" is heart crushing!

The Magilla storyline is concluding. I love that Vivien Cardone was allowed to receive great material. She was amazing. Plus, this issue is very serious, and Everwood handled it very well. Only Everwood would dig into a storyline like this and hit a home run in the end. I teared up whenever they had to say goodbye to each other.

- "I don't want to say goodbye to people anymore." Delia kills me in this episode.

The little things in this show make it what it is. Harold's "Hello, Marge" implies he knows her and was probably her original doctor. The writers trust their audience enough to not spell that out for us. One of many things I love about this series. The audience was always treated with respect as you felt like TPTB knew we were a mature, intellectual bunch.

One of Harold's classic speeches takes place here. I love the waver in his voice when he's getting emotional. This is Tom Amandes at his best.

I loved the introduction to Dr. Trott. As a psychologist, I can't help but get a kick out of Gretchen putting Harold in his place. I loved the parallel of Andy/Gretchen getting along swimmingly, but Harold/Gretchen are like oil and water. As I enjoyed the banter between Harold/Gretchen, I also appreciated Gretchen helping Andy with a few of his own personal internal struggles.

Ephram writing that song for Amy throughout the episode was absolutely adorable. I loved how he was hiding it from her the entire episode, until the end. However, here we go again with that amazing, non-stop Ephram/Amy connection because it appeared as if Amy knew Ephram was up to something the entire time. She could feel Ephram pulling closer to her while writing the song. She felt his thoughts and heart and knew it involved her and their dynamic. She just sort of let him go about his business until she finally made him fess up during the incredible piano scene. I will never get over the chemistry that is blazing between Greg/Emily as Ephram/Amy. Their screen-presence together is the best I've ever seen between any two actors. You have this captivating, mesmerizing screen-presence along with the perfectly executed Ephram/Amy love story. Priceless.

This is one of my favorite scenes of all time between Ephram and Amy. Amy walking down to where Ephram is playing, asking him what he is playing. You can feel how strong and emotionally intense their dynamic is. I am convinced Amy knew Ephram was creating something for her. It is one of those subtle signs where you immediately pick up on how they just "get" each other. She knew, she had to have known. The entire scene gives me chills. The atmosphere is so spiritually overflowing, I feel their energies merge almost. Amy looks like she glides down there toward him, and they both almost know it is coming. They are brought together in an effortless way, some divine force is connecting them to each other. Pure. Beautiful. Amy slides over and sits closely on the bench next to Ephram. She looks so pretty in this scene. She always looks pretty, though. Amy tells him the story of Colin but notice how she INSTANTLY goes back to asking Ephram what he is playing. It was so deliciously brilliant. This was Taylor's magnficent way of showing Amy going back and forth between Colin and Ephram like a seesaw. She is immediately understanding how intensely she feels for Ephram. She knows from this point on, she has two guys in her life she deeply, deeply cares about. The back and forth was Amy now very confused as to where Colin stops and where Ephram starts if that makes any sense. Thus, Taylor was trying to drill this point home in a very intense but ever so subtle way. It worked like a charm. After Amy asks Ephram again what he was playing (like I said, she knew it was for her) and Ephram gorgeously starts explaining to Amy how he wrote a song for her... followed by Amy looking right at him as they exchange this intense and powerful eye contact, I literally got chills. Watching Amy pick up his sheet music, getting it all set up for him to play, followed by more intense eye contact... it was so emotionally moving. Then Ephram starts to play the beautiful music... he looked up and completely melted into the music with his love for Amy taking over the moment. It was intensely moving as Amy sits closely to him, eventually looking up at him in the most loving, caring, beautiful way. You just know what was running through her mind which is how much she deeply cares for this adorable guy. Her look slays me. It is so intense and convincing. She was looking at the one she was destined to be with and deep down, she knew it. This scene, literally, is a perfect example of why I am so moved by this pairing. They have the whole package, with their emotional and spiritual connection guiding them on their journey together.

Vanessa Taylor does it again and the director is the father of Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal. A brilliant episode. Next to Berlanti, Taylor is my favorite writer. Every episode Taylor wrote on the show is perfection. She was very in tune with the vision of this show. She writes Ephram/Amy like she's inside Berlanti's head, she is that amazing.

Wonderful episode. Delia's storyline, the comedy that Dr. Trott brings, the perfect mixture of drama/comedy, the introduction of the Harts, Andy weighing his decision, the brilliant Harold Abbott speech and the magical Ephram/Amy makes this one a classic.

everwoodfan52

What you say makes alot of sense...(of course it would since you are a psychologist!!) Amy probably had a history of depression that comes out when she is most stressed. I have heard that depression can be hereditary. I'm wondering if Harold also has that gene.


Going to watch the episode now!

everwoodfan52

Some thoughts on the episode....

• Dr. Trott...I know that most of you love her, and I don't totally dislike her, but I often found her annoying. Spare us the big words, Doctor.
• Poor Harold...he has so much difficutly with his parking space.
• Andy: I like her. Poor Harold. lol
• Amy has Colin on her mind 24/7...must be so difficult for her to get on with her day. Good thing there is Ephram to buffer her feeling of hopelessness.
• The Harts. Yuck. They do have a tough choice to make for their son. I don't know how any parent can make a decision like that.
• People grovel at Dr. Trott's feet. She is really so full of herself. "How does that make you feel?"
• Magilla....be nice. You have the sweetest girl in the world who wants to be your friend. Cherish that.
• Magilla's mom..there has to be a better way to handle this upsetting situation without abruptly throwing Delia out of the house. Delia is a child.
• I guess Andy is not a confident in his abilities as we thought he was. He is human.
• Poor Delia. There's absolutely nothing wrong with you and absolutely everything right with you (except in season 4. lol)
• It looks like Amy is the only one in her family who is passionate about bringing Colin back.
• Poor Andy is on the road to a total breakdown. Something needs to be done.
• How and anyone (Andy) be such a consistent bad cook?
• Ephram has to teach Andy how to be a parent..
• Louise...wake up! Stop allowing Harold to boss you around. Horray!! Good for you! Harold is shocked and pissed. About time!
• That was sweet of Mrs. Hart to bring Amy flowers. I guess she has her moments. Amy looks stunning!
• Amy is so devasted to realize that Colin really may never come back. She holds so much hope.
• Poor Andy. Everyone is blaming him. It's not easy being a medical genius. So much responsibility.
• At least Delia got some closure with Magilla. So sad. and so sweet. Poor Delia has to say goodbye to too many people. No one..especially a child should have to endure that.
• Amy is in no way okay..her mind is all over the place. Stay with Ephram. He's there for you. Paige and Kayla won't be any help.
• Harold..good talk. He often gives very very wise advice..inbetween his snark. He is talking for Colin, but mostly for his daughter. He is desperate for Amy.
• I absolutely love the song that Ephram wrote for Amy...so beautiful. What I have never understood is that if the song was not finished...why did Ephram bring it rolled up to the concert to give to Amy?
• A song definitely trumps flowers for me.
• Andy is allowed to be scared and doesn't have to be superhuman. I guess it is much easier to be indifferent and clinical when you are not personally involved with your patients. Yeah..Andy's going to do it.
• Bye, Dr. Trott...for now.

jediwands

Certain forms of depression are hereditary. Studies suggest that variations in many genes, rather than one single gene, combine to increase the risk of developing depression.

jediwands

I guess we know which way she would have wanted the vote to go yesterday.

What amazes me about this is pure biology explains Magilla’s behavior. NOT that it should have to. But guaranteed she knew this was normal based on his situation. Horrible parent.

everwoodfan52

I think you're right!



She's not doing her child or anyone he comes in contact with any favors in how she and her husband have decided to raise him. Ignorant people.

jediwands

Exactly. So horrible.

How would you compare this episode to the others? What would your ranking be?

Jerry D

I thought that this was another incredibly moving and engaging episode of Everwood in the incredible first season of this show. As always, I liked how Irv’s narration set the tone of the rest of the episode, saying that everyone has a touchstone, a last line of defense against the mayhem and sorrow of this world, and in this episode, we met someone who would be that touchstone for Andy, Doctor Gretchen Trott.

I liked seeing Dr. Trott banter with the ever-pompous Harold as he was greatly irritated by her presence and by the way she would put ideas in people’s heads and then disappear, leaving him, in his own mind, to pick up the pieces, and I liked how she called him on that, and it was hilarious to see Andy’s amusement when she had him call himself a parasitic misery loving egomaniac, which was a very accurate self-assessment on Harold’s part! I got a kick out of all the different people lining up to see Dr. Trott, and their varying reactions to her advice were really amusing.

I thought that Colin’s father was pretty arrogant when Andy explained the procedure that Colin would have to go through, but Andy’s confidence won the Harts over, but much to everyone’s surprise, instead of them turning Andy down, Andy initially turned them down, as we learned later in the episode.

I thought it was a little bizarre that Magilla turned out to be a “borderline hermaphrodite,” and I thought it was sad that Delia had to lose her only friend for reasons that she didn’t understand. I didn’t like Magilla’s parents’ harsh reaction to Andy and Delia when they went to talk to them, and I was glad that Edna told Dr. Brown about Magilla’s situation, and it showed once again that she has a warm and understanding heart underneath her gruff exterior, and her doing that prompted Andy to talk to Magilla’s mother again so Delia to say goodbye to the only friend that she had at that point. It was so sad when Delia asked if there was something wrong with her and that she didn’t want to make any more friends because she didn’t want to say goodbye to anyone else. Once again, I was struck by what a gifted actress Vivien Cardone was at such a young age in this episode.

I could completely empathize with Andy’s initial decision to back away from the possibility of performing a very risky surgery on Colin, because for the first time in his career as a surgeon, he considered the effects that taking this step might have if he wasn’t successful. Before his wife’s death, Dr. Brown never considered the impact that his profession had on so many lives, but now, he’s fully aware of that impact, and for the first time in his career, Andy was scared, as he finally admitted to Gretchen. I thought it was great to see how Andy is evolving as a person, and that he isn’t perfect, but I think this episode really showcased his character wonderfully, and it also showed us sides of some of the other characters that we hadn’t seen before.

I liked seeing Louise stand up to Harold, undoubtedly prodded on by a visit to Gretchen, and Harold’s confrontation with Gretchen was hilarious.

It was so moving and heartbreaking to see Amy break down in tears at the ballet recital at the thought that Colin wasn’t coming back, and she had to be carried out by Harold, and Ephram’s disdainful look toward Andy was tough to see, because just like Andy often wanted to be seen as a hero in his profession, Ephram wanted to be seen as a hero in the eyes of the girl that he loved. This scene also showed that the depression that Amy suffered in Season Two had already begun to manifest itself in Season One in scenes like these, and that Harold and Rose should have been more attuned to what their daughter was going through.

I was really surprised and touched that Harold showed such emotion in trying to convince Andy to perform the surgery on Colin, and we saw that behind all his aloof and disdainful behavior towards Andy, he actually both admires him and is jealous of him for having the “gifted hands” that he didn’t have, because he had wanted to be a surgeon but he didn’t have the hands for it, so he had to settle for joining his father’s practice and being a small-town doctor. I was moved to tears as Harold told him that he owed it to Colin and his parents and to his heartbroken daughter, but most of all he owed it to him to perform whatever miracle he had up his sleeve for Colin.

I was also really touched by the way that Amy poured her heart out to Ephram when she said that she had initially told him that she was okay, she actually wasn’t okay, and she related the story of how she had gotten on the wrong bus on a class trip to a brewery in the fourth grade and Colin had walked back three miles to look for her and stayed at the brewery until nightfall because he didn’t want to leave her behind, showing Ephram how much Colin meant to her but also showing him how much he meant to her in that scene. I thought that Ephram writing a song for Amy was incredibly sweet, and I liked how Amy sat next to him and she asked him to play it for her, and it showed the depth of feeling that he had for Amy.

I was impressed by the way that Andy opened up to Dr. Trott, as he voiced his fears, and as he acknowledged, to both himself and her, that he’s no longer the impersonal professional that he was, but a physician and a father who has a personal involvement with his patients, and he now sees his patents as people who have an impact on his life, instead of seeing them simply as patients that he viewed with a professional detachment.

Overall, I really thought that this episode of Everwood was excellent in every way, and I’m looking forward to the next episode.

jediwands

Wonderful thoughts.

How would you rank the episodes so far?

I loved the Andy/Gretchen dynamic. The short amount of time they spent together was really a positive influence on Andy.

Jerry D

After reading this, I re-watched that scene and I added to my own comments to that scene. Brilliant analysis. I love how you discuss this show in so much depth.

Jerry D

Here is how I rank the episodes so far:

1. Pilot
2. The Great Doctor Brown
3. Deer God
4. The Doctor Is In
5. The Kissing Bridge
6. Friendly Fire

My Internet is down due to the cold weather so I'm posting this from my phone. It feels strange!

jediwands

Thanks.

I remember watching the Ephram/Amy interaction in this episode and being blown away. I had never seen anything like it before, Berlanti inserting such a strong spiritual element between them, let alone the incredible chemistry between Greg and Emily. Dawson and Joey who? Remember how I discovered Everwood because you told me to tune in. At the time I was so upset with Williamson over his mistakes. Watching Everwood was like the medicine/bright light I needed. I remember thinking Greg Berlanti was going to do it right with Everwood. Not just the main pairing but overall show was near perfection. I also fell in love with Vanessa Taylor‘s writing. After this episode, next to Berlanti she was my favorite writer. Michael Green as well.