jediwands

jediwands

This episode is my least favorite of the entire series.

I remember this from back in the day:

Description over on TWoP:

^ LOL.

Anyway, Everwood Confidential. It was dumb. The whole storyline is forced and stupid and unfortunately, the Judge is not a compelling enough character to carry the episode (unlike Daniel in A Thanksgiving Tale, I really appreciated). I found the story about the mass burial site far more interesting than the "murder mystery" and wish they had focused on that instead. The Judge could easily have let it slip that he and Hal Sr. knew about a bunch of bones in his yard but lied about it rather than the stupid "dead and buried" hitchhiker/dog stuff and had that be the focus of the mystery. Whatever.

Random thoughts:

- I thought Harold in detective mode was really cute, though. It's a nice nod to how alike he and Amy and Edna really are later in the season when Edna and Amy try to figure out the lights in the sky.

- The Townies are so conservative and judgmental.

- Sick Delia is hilarious! I adore that tomboyish girl. I can relate to Delia growing up.

- Matthew is such an obnoxious p.r.i.c.k. Andy nailed it when he told Ephram that Matthew's not supposed to be his frat buddy.

- Amy definitely wasn't too disappointed that Ephram and Laynie weren't going to work out. So cute.

- Harold admitting to Edna he had more of a working relationship with his father was sad.

- When Harold found out at the end that his dad loved him... very nice moment.

- Ephram's date with Laynie until Ephram turns all weird and not so nice was interesting. Unfortunately, she never felt good about Ephram’s true feelings. Her intuition was sound.

- Andy and Harold talking about parenting was sweet. The story of Harold making Bright cry at least four times is hilarious. Flashback on one would have rocked.

In this episode, we see slightly annoying Ephram come out again... I hate that Andy has to apologize for not letting Ephram go to a bar at 15 without a chaperone. Why is this even in play? Andy can be wrong but he is not wrong here.

- Andy instinctively hates Matt and has immediate issues with Madison. He knew. This is why I am a huge fan of Andy Brown. He tried, he really tried.

The biggest thing to come out of this episode is the following dialogue:

Finding this out about Colin breaking up with Amy before the accident was massively significant. I think it further promoted Amy's fantasy thinking they were this big thing when they really were not. They were a childhood romance that was destined to end sooner or later. The accident prolonged the inevitable and of course there was his unfortunate death but I really think this bit of news was to show that Amy's dedication to Colin, while noble, did not necessarily stack up to what the true reality of their relationship was pre-accident. What we do know: Amy/Colin = merely a fantasy based on the S4 flashback between Ephram/Amy and Amy confirming as much. But we also know that Amy was in love with Ephram during this time period, not Colin.

I do think this is my least favorite episode of the series, especially since it takes place in S1. S1 was basically perfection minus this episode. This episode just felt out of place, like it was tossed in there. However, when we see what episode follows this one, it is pretty clear Berlanti wanted this episode to be filler in order to give the audience a huge payoff, demanding the attention of the audience in the powerful and amazing episode known as The Unveiling.

everwoodfan52

My thoughts.....


It's obvious that we are in for a random storyline filler that will take us away from important stuff! I'm just not interested and can't imagine anyone who is.

You just touched my spit! How adorable is a sick Delia! And such a drama queen.

See how rumors can spread in a small town? or in any town!

Why is Andy always the town Pariah? Poor guy is as popular as his last mistake!

Laynie and Ephram are so adorable together. I love their banter.

Ephram dropped Laynie's hand....so obvious. Poor Laynie.

Ugh...Matt. How obnoxious can a music teacher be? Andy is not too thrilled with him and what kind of person tells the parent of his student....the person who is paying him...to stay away from the lessons?!?

Ephram is so adorable when he's flustered....trying to make up with Laynie. Of course she's going to give him another chance.

It appears that neither parent gave Harold any warm parent relationship. So sad.

Laynie really likes you, Ephram...too bad you blew this again!!

Andy and Harold are adorable together. I love when they discuss parenting.

This murder case is getting even more boring if that's possible!!

Laynie and Ephram ended too darn soon!

I love Ephram's Brooklyn jacket! Of course he would be wearing very cool...expensive Diesel jeans.

Amy does not look very disappointed that Ephram and Laynie broke up.. Wonder why. LOL

There goes Everwood's property value!

I love that Harold heard that his dad bragged about him on the golf course. He so needed that.

Delia is such a cute little nurse....and is getting a taste of her own medicine! lol

I love Ephram's smiles...especially when they are aimed at Andy.

everwoodfan52

Your thoughts are my thoughts, Michelle!! Not my favorite episode...and definitely a filler to bring out the important fact that Colin was going to break up with Amy.
Too bad Ephram was so over the top in insisting that Laynie not tell Amy about this. He again made it so obvious that he cares for Amy a great deal and would do anything to prevent her being hurt. Poor Laynie did not stand a chance and she and Ephram deserved more than 2 dates considering their huge potential and commonalities. Such a shame. Laynie was such a wasted character.

jediwands

We’re in sync.

I really do believe the most important part to this otherwise filler episode is for us to remember Colin was breaking up with Amy. They were not strong or destined. Also, did you notice how Amy was back in fantasy-mode big time obsessing over getting letters to Colin via Laynie? I don’t think it was a coincidence she was like that in addition to feeling guilty for Colin finding out about kissing Ephram twice. We were meant to see Amy back in fantasy-mode while Laynie told Ephram that Colin was breaking up with her right before the accident. Further demonstration Amy wasn’t in reality and their relationship wasn’t solid or serious throughout any part of it.

Laynie really was a wasted character. Greg and Nora had such a nice chemistry going on. It’s really frustrating we didn’t get to see more of them. They were literally used for Amy to get jealous and Colin finding out about Ephram/Amy. Nothing more. So frustrating.

jediwands

Right?

Easily the worst episode of the series. It didn't even feel like an Everwood episode. Yes, some slightly cute moments (not thanks to the writing, all due to the chemistry between the actors) but overall this episode was so blah and unrecognizable.

Loved it.

I know, right. Incredible.



Sooooooooooooooo true. We discussed this several episodes back. Andy really has it rough in every season.

Ditto.

Laynie knew immediately Ephram carried a torch for Amy. She is smart and he is bad at lying. Not a good combination.



Putting aside what we know happens later on... he is a pile of trash. I cannot stand to even look at his face. He's horrible. He doesn't have one good quality.

Since Madison takes over our screen in the next season and beyond (and thus, becomes a villain) you really do forget about how bad Matt is. He's vile.



Very sad. So much so, you have to wonder how he ever found someone so kind and loving as Rose. Psychology can get in the way and you sabotage relationships in the future since you don't feel worthy.

So frustrating!

The best.

I know it.



Love his outfit there.





Loved Brenda freaking out.





It goes in a circle... parents take care of you then you take care of your parents...

Jerry D

This episode fell a bit flat for me, although it did allow us to see a different side to Harold as he fought to clear his father’s name and reputation as a man in the late stages of dementia seemed to implicate his father in a “murder” that had happened long ago. We saw the opening scene where Irv described the retirement home in Everwood as a place where people go when life is through with them before they're through with life, and I found that to be so sad but so true, as I remember going to a retirement home with my father and grandmother when I was a teenager to visit a friend and former neighbor of my grandmother’s and I found the place to be so incredibly sad and depressing.

One thing that Everwood does so well is to tell the stories of so many characters, both young and old, in a way that makes you understand all the frailties of the human condition. One story that the writers told tonight was the effects that old age can have on certain people, as we saw that Judge Marvin Harrison was living in his dreams of the past, and like Edna said, it was heartbreaking to see someone that she knew and cared about that way. Marvin’s “confession” set the theme for this whole episode, as Andy, feeling guilty that he had unwittingly gotten Marvin arrested for murder, combined forces with Harold, who wanted to clear his father’s name, since Marvin had “implicated” his father in his “crime.” As it turned out, the “body” that was buried by Marvin all those years ago wasn’t the body of a person, but of the family dog, but Andy and Harold “dug up” a lot more than they bargained for when they dug up Marvin’s backyard, and Harold brilliantly deduced that Marvin’s former house had been a burial ground for the influenza epidemic of 1918, and it was hilarious when Brenda fainted when this news was revealed as her own home was on that burial ground.

I really felt for Harold when he told Edna that him and his father had more of a formal relationship than he would have liked and he wondered if he knew him at all. It was so moving at the end of the episode when Marvin told Harold, as his “father,” that he shouldn’t be bragging about his son so much, and you could tell how incredibly touched Harold was by what Marvin said, and when Marvin told him he was “blessed,” and Harold said “Yeah, yeah I was,” I had tears in my eyes, as I thought of my own sorely missed father. I thought it was so sweet for Harold to give Marvin a Billie Holiday record, and it just shows that deep down, he has a good heart. What a wonderful show this is.

I really liked seeing Andy and Harold “bond” a little as they worked on their case together, especially when Harold admitted that he was far from the perfect father, and that he made mistakes with Bright, as Andy admitted he kept making mistakes with Ephram. I also thought it was hilarious when Andy kept denying that he had the flu, and it was really funny when he acted the same way that Delia had earlier in the episode when he was sick in bed like she had been.

I was so disappointed that Ephram basically ruined his relationship with Laynie because of his feelings for Amy, who he couldn’t have at that point, and I was so sad when he let go of her hand when he saw Amy in the hall hurting her feelings and making her feel like he was ashamed of her. It was so obvious that Laynie really likes Ephram, and she’s been incredibly sweet to him and they have a really nice rapport with one another, and I got a kick of watching him nervously waiting outside of her door, saying “don’t screw up,” because I’ve been there a few times myself in my life. I thought that their date was going wonderfully until Laynie revealed that Colin was thinking about breaking up with Amy before his accident, because Amy liked him more than he liked her, but that he was in love with her now and that everything was more equal between them, and Ephram reacted in a way that revealed his true feelings for Amy as he begged her not to tell Amy that information. I have to say though that Ephram was incredibly sweet to be so protective of Amy’s feelings, this obviously brought his own feelings for Amy out into the open, and he hurt Laynie’s feelings in the process, and he also hurt himself, because he really blew the opportunity to be with someone really nice by pining away for someone he couldn’t have, and he threw away his chance to be with a really nice girl who genuinely liked him and who he had a good rapport with. I really did see real chemistry between Ephram and Laynie, and I hated to see him continue to pine away for Amy and throw away his chance for happiness with Laynie. I was glad that Ephram was truthful with Laynie, and considering everything, I think she was pretty understanding, but it is so hard when you “have a thing” for someone, even though you don’t want to, so I definitely feel sorry for Ephram in that regard, but Ephram did hurt Laynie’s feelings, and he knew it and he knew that he had thrown away his chance to be with her, and I really wish that things had gone differently between them because I really liked Laynie.

I didn’t like Matthew and the way he treated both Ephram and Andy, but I thought that it was a very telling comment when Matthew told Andy that Ephram’s heart wasn’t in playing his music right now because he has issues with Andy, and the fact that Andy is so interested in seeing Ephram resume his music lessons with the passion that he once had was the reason that Ephram won’t do it. Obviously, many issues do still exist between Andy and Ephram despite the relative period of tranquility that we’ve seen between them recently, but I also thought that the reason that Ephram was distracted from his passion for music wasn’t due to Andy, it was due to the fact that he was in love with Amy and his unrequited love for her overshadowed every aspect of his life.

Overall, I thought that this was a rather disappointing episode despite it having some good moments.

Jerry D

Here is my updated Episode Ranking List:

1. Pilot
2. The Great Doctor Brown
3. Vegetative State
4. We Hold These Truths
5. Till Death Do Us Part
6. Is There a Doctor in the House?
7. A Thanksgiving Tale
8. Deer God
9. The Price of Fame
10. My Funny Valentine
11. Colin the Second
12. Snow Job
13. The Doctor Is In
14. The Kissing Bridge
15. Friendly Fire
16. Turf Wars
17. Everwood Confidential

Jerry D

One side note: I love Billie Holiday, and her version of "You Go To My Head" that Harold played at the end of this episode is wonderful. When I read the transcript for this episode, I laughed when it said that the opening lyrics to this song were:

"You go to my head. And you linger like a hard tip rain. I find you spinning in my brain... "

The actual opening lyrics are:

"You go to my head. And you linger like a haunting refrain. And I find you spinning round in my brain..."

How they got "hard tip rain" out of "haunting refrain" is beyond me! Of course, I may be one of the only people that knows the lyrics to that song!

Whenever I hear a Billie Holiday song, I think of my father. One time, one of her songs came on the radio, and I said "She really didn't have all that great of a voice. I wonder why she was so popular?" And he answered "She was a song stylist." Since then, I've really gotten to appreciate her music and I have him to thank for that.

Today was my parents' 68th Wedding Anniversary and my 29th Wedding Anniversary.

everwoodfan52

Yes, Matt was not a nice person, but I had to give him credit for seeing this regarding Ephram and his love for music. Matt was absolutely right here, but perhaps he should have addressed this with Andy in a different way rather than banning him from observing the lessons. That was mean and reminded me of when Mrs. Hart banned Amy from visiting the hospital.

Happy Anniversary to all of you, Jerry!!

jediwands

Everwood Confidential last is very appropriate.

jediwands

No idea how the transcriber got that wrong, lol.

Your father knows his stuff. I say “knows” and not “knew” because he’s very much alive now and always has been.

Congrats and Double Happy Anniversary.

You and Teresa should go somewhere special next year for your 30th.

Jerry D

I laughed when I read that line in the transcript. Once again, Tom Amandes did an amazing job showing a different side to Harold, a kind and caring side.



Thanks! We were talking about going somewhere special for our 30th Anniversary yesterday.

jediwands

So very true.

I found the “heartbreaking moment” a really important moment in the episode for Edna. You don’t often hear her talk in such a purely emotional way but she did here. I also loved Edna’s confidence knowing her late husband was never involved in any murder. She knew.

Everwood is IT.

The one part that confused me was when Harold left that money before leaving. Do you know why he left the money? Was there a specific reason?

What I liked was Delia and her flu was truly the foreshadowing and answer to the mystery of the entire episode... then Andy joined in with a double hint that the flu was the answer, lol. I liked how it connected.

I liked how Ephram explained to Laynie he didn’t even realize he still had feelings for Amy consciously when they were together. He was just being honest. I like that Laynie understood that Ephram wasn’t walking around trying to hide it from Laynie. It just stumbled upon him while with Laynie.

I would’ve much preferred Laynie with Ephram instead of Madison in S2. But I guess the heart wants what it wants. Ephram loves Amy and Laynie is too special to be considered second place.

What bothers me about Matt is he’s not a psychologist and tried acting like one. He teaches music, he didn’t go to school for psychology. I can understand him seeing that Ephram is a normal teen distracted by girls and stressed over everyday life but to remotely get involved in the Ephram and Andy dynamic is inappropriate and crossing lines. He has no clue what is going on between them as a nonprofessional and being around them for two seconds. Annoys me. Yes, he was also (what a surprise, not) wrong since Ephram was distracted due to his heart and love for Amy, not his father.

I also found it completely ridiculous he thought he was cute setting up this twist and wanting Ephram to hear that music and going there in this mysterious way. Dumb. Plus, if he thought Ephram was distracted by wanting to have sex (he doesn’t even know Ephram) then how did he expect Ephram would even concentrate on the music on a date? It made zero sense. If he wanted him to hear that musician, he could have just straight up told him to go listen to him.

Matt thinks he’s some sage who is all knowing and it drives me nuts.

This is how I feel too.

Jerry D

I think that he was wrong about Ephram's attention wandering due to Andy though. I think it had much more to do with his at that point unrequited love for Amy than it had to do with any tension between him and Andy.

Thanks Betty!