'Tos

We'll keep this up for one week and then go on to the next episode. After you've watched the episode, you can comment on it anyway you'd like, big or small. You can focus on certain characters, scenes, quotes, or the episode as a whole. You can tie the episode to the rest of the series, or comment about it as a self-contained episode. It's all up to you! You can always give your thoughts after the one week period, as all rewatch threads will stay open for more thoughts and anymore discussion. Thanks!

Episode 20

Written By: Greg Berlanti & Vanessa Taylor
Directed By: David Petrarca

Imdb

If you haven't already, please feel free to comment on our previous episodes:

The Pilot
The Great Doctor Brown
Friendly Fire
The Kissing Bridge
Deer God
The Doctor Is In
We Hold These Truths
Till Death Do Us Part
Turf Wars
Is There a Doctor in the House?
A Thanksgiving Tale
Vegetative State
The Price of Fame
Colin the Second
Snow Job
My Funny Valentine
Everwood Confidential
The Unveiling
The Miracle of Everwood
Moonlight Sonata

Thief Of Love

And the slow rewatch trend continues!

I haven't rewatched yet -- haven't even done "Moonlight Sonata" -- but I will just say that this was an episode to which I was not looking forward when it was first advertised, the show's political leanings being what they were and mine being what they are, but it ended up impressing me greatly. Very deft handling of a controversial subject.

(However, still annoyed with the fact that, while they managed to revisit the Abbott end of things very, very well in S4, they glossed right over Andy's issues by having him volunteer off-screen to teach the abortion procedure. We couldn't have had one scene of him coming to this decision and addressing his change of heart since S1?)

everwoodfan52

I just have to say that this was not one of my favorite episodes.

Some thoughts:

• "Where are we. Istambol?" I just love when Andy is confused. I honestly don't see him joining the Lodge.
• I never really cared for Kate...last episode or this one...don't like her personality.
• Andy was really wonderful with Kate during their first meeting. He gave her really sound advice.
• Delia just keeps getting more and more adorable. "Do I have natural lovliness?"
• She's also funny. "She a Bongos."
• "Ever since the whole Colin thing....I'm like a leopard with those guys." You got to love Bright and his vocabulary.
• Don't you just love how kids open presents? Tear the paper off...throw present aside....open the next one!
• Poor Delia. Don't you think those moms over-reacted a little?
• Ephram can do "cold" very well. I even felt sorry for Amy who deserved it.
• Andy blows up at Nina a lot...doesn't he? He always comes back in the end to apologize.
• Don't you just love the way that Andy attempts to explain delicate subjects to Delia? Delia: "What's a modicum?"
• Why was Ephram holding his dates handbag? Has your date ever held your handbag?
• Colin was such a jerk to Ephram.'Tos...even you have to admit that that behavior has nothing to do with his brain disorder.
• Thief...you're absolutely right. There was no consistency here. How could Andy ever consider teaching the abortion procedure season 4 when he had such strong convictions against it season one?

jediwands

I kind of liked this episode mainly due to the fact that Amy finally treats Ephram with some decency and stands up to Colin for being a complete jackass. I did find the abortion issue with Andy irritating once we hit season 4 seeing him teaching the procedure. Incredibly bad writing, especially since it sort of diminishes the powerful ghost of Julia who appeared a lot throughout the series, so given the change in Andy regarding this issue in season 1 to season 4 was pretty bunk I have to say.

Couple quotes I loved:

Hee, I love Ephram.

I love how Ephram blows Amy off here. it was awesome! I love how he told her bluntly he was trying to get rid of her and the jealousy she showed whenever she got a clue that Ephram/Bright were up to something as far as the dance was concerned. Great stuff.

Colin's such a dick here. I like how Amy realizes this.

Exactly.

Oh and the best part of this episode? Whenever Ephram/Amy dance on the dance floor. You could feel the sizzling chemistry between Greg/Emily in that scene. Tremendous stuff.

'Tos

I'll get to this soon too (not really in the mood for a big post, or a heavy ep, hee), but this episode is all about Harold/Andy for me. Andy not being able to do the surgery, Harold doing it, their discussions, Harold's backstory, his father's backstory, Andy dealing with Edna/Kate/Delia/Ephram. It's all awesome stuff.

There's definitely some great Ephram and Amy moments too, and Nina is great too, but Harold especially overshadows everything for me. That final scene gives me chills everytime. The commentary is pretty funny and also pretty insightful too, so for Betty and Michelle who have finished, feel free to give the commentary a listen too while you let the rest of us slowpokes catch up.

everwoodfan52

Yeah...just like Rebecca and Justin.

Every one of Ephram and Amy's dances was sizzling hot...wedding dance, bat mitzvah dance. In the words of Hannah...."a heat that would not die."



I love the way that Delia reading "The Last Unicorn" flowed right into Harold walking into the church to confess his sin.

jediwands

So hurl-inducing.

Hee, Sarah as Hannah delivers that line so perfectly.

Oh yes, indeed, all of the EA dances were sizzling hot. The chemistry feels completely real and natural all thanks to Greg/Emily performing their magic that simply transfixes you with such captivating intensity.

ETA: Harold, yes this was such a big episode for Harold. I forgot to mention this due to not being satisfied with the lack of continuity on Andy's end throughout the series with regards to the topic at hand. That last scene was incredible and totally unpredictable given how on paper we would have thought the two doctors would have never changed roles here but they so did because this was so Everwood.

SPORTSUSA

So well said. Agreed.

Agreed here too. I absolutely feel that this episode circled around Andy/Harold and their huge storyline but overall I think what was taking place between Ephram/Amy was rather significant in its own right, not to mention the demonstration of Colin's enormous flaws. Betty, I entirely agree with you that Colin in this episode was just being the real Colin and quite frankly I do not like that Colin. His actions had nothing to do with his brain disease, nothing. This was the real Colin and he treated Ephram like crap and even disrespected Amy in a way given the fact that he knew that Ephram means something to Amy and he didn't care. Sure, he was jealous and had two eyes, he knew what was happening between Ephram/Amy but oh well, you face reality instead of treating Ephram like complete crap in the manner that he did. Colin has such an arrogance to him that I do not like. Bright's so called arrogance and Colin's arrogance are two separate things. At least Bright had some endearing qualities to him EVEN while he was going with insulting Ephram. Colin, on the other hand, did not. He was called "Golden Boy" for a reason and it's a reason that I didn't like. Did I feel sorry for his very heartbreaking life? Yes, of course. But deep inside of Colin was still a person I didn't care for no matter how hard I tried.

Tom Amandes was rather amazing in this episode. His acting was top notch. However, now that I know Andy is wishy washy his situation diminishes in importance, especially like you very brilliantly said, Michelle, how Julia's ghost was poked in season 4. But Harold and what he went through was tremendous.

jediwands

The other thing that I found profound with Harold at the end is how much he cares for Andy. To give up and sacrifice his deep moral beliefs (yes, he also took his job seriously but there was more to it) in favor of helping out Andy said something very significant about what was happening between Harold and Andy. At the beginning of the season you felt like they couldn't last more than two seconds in a room together without Harold wanting to slap Andy's liberal mouth silly, yet at the end of the season we clearly see how much these two have evolved. They developed a true friendship.

SPORTSUSA

Down with every word.

It was lovely watching these two interact in this episode and the episodes that follow. They started off so shaky with Harold not at all comfortable with Andy and even Ephram for that matter and what is intentions were with Amy but as they start to bond things change. This episode transformed them even more.

'Tos

I was hoping to get to this episode this weekend, but that's not looking likely, hee, so the new thread is up.

Taryn74

Episode 20 is one of those really top-notch episodes to me. I agree with Thief that I found it an incredible portrayal of something that I do not personally endorse, and any show that can do that is really doing something.

Kate's dad was just....ugh. Why was he acting like Matt just up and left? Didn't he order Matt to leave once he found out about them dating? (Or maybe Matt lied to Kate about that...hmm. I wouldn't put it past him.) I'm glad Kate at least had Edna at the end to you know, care about how she was feeling and drive her home and all since Daddy Dearest couldn't be bothered. Blarg.

Does anyone else find it kind of hard to keep up with how Ephram/Amy/Colin feel about each other from ep to ep? Watching them back to back makes it really obvious that sometimes they go from being friendly at the end of one ep to not even speaking to each other in the next one - with nothing in between - and vice versa. It's a little jarring.

I think Delia saying that Andy helped her with the gift probably didn't help matters. Of course we know he only gave an opinion on the wrapping paper, but it makes it sound like he approved of the gift itself which (IMO) puts that situation on a whole different level. And...it was porn. It wasn't just a suggestive calendar with girls in bikinis or anything.

Andy and Delia at the table discussing it later was *hysterical*. "You're probably wondering why I've gathered you here..." as Delia looks around wondering who he's talking to. BWAH!!!

This is a petty nitpick, but why is it called Episode 20 when it's actually the 21st ep? That bugs me.

'Tos

I believe that the title is because The Pilot counts as episode zero, not episode one. So, for production purposes, "Episode 20" is the 20th episode. Just not to us normal folk, heh.

Still hoping to get to this before 2010, hee.

SPORTSUSA

It's interesting since I am the opposite as you guys... completely liberal and pro choice yet I didn't necessarily love how it went down. Very interesting. Just something to think about. LOL.

Taryn74

Do you mind expanding on that? I remember in the commentary the writers were a little ...surprised that the ep had such a negative reaction with the pro-choice viewers, and I always wondered why. Was it Harold's confession at the end? Was it Andy's speech? Kate's reaction afterward? Other?

Just curious, not looking to debate the issue.