[jediwands]

Originally Posted by Jerry D (View Post) I also think that both Colin and Bright were to blame. It was fate, as they say. Bright felt guilty because they were drinking and he was the one driving (I think that he led people to believe that Colin was driving though) but I don't think that either one of them should have taken all the blame for what happened. Colin was Everwood's Golden Boy, and he probably put on a good act to make adults feel like he was this wonderful guy, but I personally think he was an arrogant jerk, much like Bright was in Season One, and the more Colin became "himself" after he woke from his coma, the more arrogant he became. He was nice to Ephram at first, but then he was horrible to him and he beat him up, and he even beat up a shocked and hurt Bright for defending Ephram, so the guy was just no good in my book. I think some people blamed his behavior on his brain injury, and that may have factored in, but I think he was a conceited arrogant jerk before and after his accident.

I think so too. I believe if Harold knew how upset and confused Amy was in that scene right before the accident he would have been livid over the lack of communication and how Colin was making Amy feel... especially if he found out Laynie revealed that Colin was breaking up with Amy but hadn't yet.

I get the sense that the Abbott's didn't truly know Colin and he did, like you said, made them believe he was this wonderful guy. It is ironic that Harold was initially so critical of Ephram yet probably knew very little about Colin.

[jediwands]

Originally Posted by secretk (View Post) The thing with the Harts is that they thought that Colin was driving the car. Or maybe I am remembering it wrong, but I thought that everyone thought that Colin was the driver and not Bright. The Harts had no reason to blame Bright if they thought that he was in the passenger seat. That being said with or without Harts there should have law enforcement involved in that accident. Unless Bright flew the scene. There is no way police was not called.

Yes, they didn't know but it's kind of strange they didn't question Bright more about what truly went on. I think it would have been natural for them to even boldly come at Bright and ask about the exact particulars leading up to the accident.

I agree with this. Realistically speaking Bright would have needed more time to get over this. Amy as well. Yes Amy was starting to realize that she did not love Colin, but this did not mean that he was not important for her. It was to be expected of her to have issues with Bright for the accident. However Berlanti did not want to focus on Colin too much I believe. And he definitely did not flesh out Bright enough. Sometimes I believe that the parents ignorance for Bright were actually reflection of the writers neglecting Bright as a character.

I think so, too.

That aspect yes . I just meant that for me with or without Colin's death Ephram and Amy would have gotten together and Browns would have moved to Everwood. In this sense Julia's death for me was more focal for that aspect than Colin's coma. I always believed that Colin knew that he would die. I always thought that Colin's violence was actually him coming to terms with his own destiny, end and death. He knew deep down what was going on with his head. He knew that his life was over.

Interesting. I never thought of his extreme anger/violence being about coming to terms with his own destiny. You could be right. I am on the fence on the violence... part of me thinks it was all brain related and another part of me believes it was slightly his personality too. I think it's possible that the Colin we saw at the dance was more the real Colin and the one picking a fight with Ephram and Bright was all brain injury. But who knows, it's possible this was Colin coming to terms like you suggested. Good take.

[jediwands]

Originally Posted by secretk (View Post) It is strange, but I think we were to assume that the Harts were in total denial. They were in the same denial after Colin woke up. Not sure why and it's definitely something I do not see my parents doing. I can't say if it's realistic or not. It seemed like they could not face what had happened to the point that they did not even know how to help their own daughter dealing with her brother being in a coma.

You're absolutely right. The alcoholism and complete denial continued. That is why I didn't want to see their story end when it did. Laynie just disappeared. We never even found out how she was doing, if she was okay, how her parents were and if she had a relationship with her parents. This really bothered me that we were never able to find out what happened. If Berlanti didn't want the three returning to the screen, he easily could have had Amy and Bright tell the audience how things were going. But we received zero follow up whatsoever. Kind of annoying. Laynie wasn't a guest star. She had a prominent role at times in seasons 1/2. She deserved better and the audience deserved to know too.

It was due to a lot of things. Colin's rage and violence was for me multi dimensional. There was the emotional element of total confusion and frustration with himself for not being like he used to be. There was the emotional element of losing Amy which was the only person that was besides him. There was the emotional element of Amy wanting him to be like before and him knowing that he can't be. There was the emotional element of him not living up to the expectation of people. Then there was the physical element and his surgery. And Ephram's like of Amy was the trigger that set all of this. However the more Colin went on violent rampage, the more afraid he was about his life. In the end both Bright and Colin were afraid. I took this to believe that Colin was actually not violent. If he was pre accident, Bright would not have been that surprised. Bright's shock pretty much confirmed for me that this was not something normal for Colin. And at that moment Colin realized that this was not something normal for him either because he saw the fear in his best friend's eyes. But then again I do have different and I guess unique view on Colin's story .

You make a wonderful point about Bright being so surprised when Colin went apesht in that violent rage. He was shocked, his jaw was on the floor. I bet Colin didn't bully come to think of it. I don't think Amy would have put up with bullying either. She didn't even care for her group of friends and was different from them. But I don't think she would have tolerated Colin being mean to others just for something to do. I still think he did have some arrogance and faults but yes, I don't think he was violent and a physical bully, you are right.

[wickedrum]

what I don't understand is why they give people driving licences at 16 in the US. Most kids are way too young to understand the implications of what they're doing at that age!

[everwoodfan52]

Originally Posted by wickedrum (View Post) what I don't understand is why they give people driving licences at 16 in the US. Most kids are way too young to understand the implications of what they're doing at that age!

I totally agree! It's not 16 in every state. Where I live in NJ it's 17. I think that's still too young!

[jediwands]

That’s a great point. There’s a reason why you can’t vote, gamble in many states until you’re 18. But I think it also depends on the person. My niece is very mature for her age so when she got her license at 16, she was more than ready. She’s 18 now and acts 21/22, very mature. I personally felt ready at 16 and had zero problems but I know plenty of people who weren’t ready. There’s probably more not ready than are ready. Betty, I didn’t know it was 17 in NJ! I figured it’s 16 everywhere!

Check out the age in South Dakota: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driv..._United_States

[everwoodfan52]

Originally Posted by The Apt (View Post) That’s a great point. There’s a reason why you can’t vote, gamble in many states until you’re 18. But I think it also depends on the person. My niece is very mature for her age when she got her license at 16, she was more than ready. She’s 18 now and acts 21/22, very mature. I personally felt ready at 16 and had zero problems but I know plenty of people who weren’t ready. There’s probably more not ready than are ready. Betty, I didn’t know it was 17 in NJ! I figured it’s 16 everywhere! Check out the age in South Dakota: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driv..._United_States

Kids get their permit at 16 but must be 17 to get a drivers license.

[jediwands]

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) Kids get their permit at 16 but must be 17 to get a drivers license.

That's cool. I think I like that better. Like I mentioned, I know my niece was more than ready at 16, I know I was, I am sure you were, as were your children (even if you and your children waited one more year)... but there's some that simply aren't ready and another year would make all the difference in the world. The ones that are ready could sacrifice for the greater good if it went across the board the New Jersey way.

[ds44]

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) Kids get their permit at 16 but must be 17 to get a drivers license.

They came up with graduated licenses by here. At 16 you can drive until 6pm but only with a licensed driver over 25 beside you for the first year. In the second year you can’t use the highway after 6 and there is driving curfew after 11 for the second year.

[everwoodfan52]

Originally Posted by ds44 (View Post) They came up with graduated licenses by here. At 16 you can drive until 6pm but only with a licensed driver over 25 beside you for the first year. In the second year you can’t use the highway after 6 and there is driving curfew after 11 for the second year.

It's like that here, but not too many kids follow this rule!

[ds44]

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) It's like that here, but not too many kids follow this rule!

The cops usually arrest the kids. But some do get away with it

[wickedrum]

Here we can get it at 18. I went for mine at 19. Sure I was able to drive, but thinking back I now know I was rather reckless/careless at that age even so 16 for me is mindboggling.

[Jerry D]

When I was a kid in New Jersey, we got our driver licenses at 17 with no restrictions. I didn't really start driving until I was 19 and I had my first car though. My parents hardly ever let me drive their car. I was a pretty irresponsible driver when I was young, but I was fortunate that I never got any tickets or into an accident back then.

[Jerry D]

Originally Posted by secretk (View Post) I guess you can't expect from kids to be too responsible you know. Sure there are such kids but maybe they are the minority. Not all kids that age realize the consequences of reckless driving.

Absolutely.

[jediwands]

I just think it varies depending on the person. Like I said, my niece Anna could have had her license at 15 driving on her own and she would have been fine. At 16 when I got mine I felt like I had been waiting forever. It really depends on the person. Plus, grown adults can drive like maniacs without cognitively realizing what they are doing. Let alone the drinking and driving. It really depends on the person.