jediwands

Jerry D

I thought that this episode really illustrated how misguided love can have dire consequences, as Ephram crossed a line in his relationship with Madison and Amy couldn’t find the courage to end her relationship with Tommy, to the point where she ended her friendship with her best friend. We also saw that Linda really got to see that being a parent was something she wasn’t prepared for as she offered to take care of Delia for the weekend while Ephram and Andy were away, and Delia made a shocking discovery about Linda.

It was funny to see Ephram, having lost his virginity to Madison, strutting around the halls of the school like some “stud”, but Bright was right when he told him to pace himself, which was good advice that Ephram definitely didn’t heed in this episode.

I loved seeing Will again, and he picked up on the reason for Ephram’s exuberance as he played the piano better than he had ever played before and Will informed him that he had entered him in a jazz contest.

I loved seeing Amy and Laynie together, and I loved the advice that Laynie gave Amy about ending her relationship with Tommy, because he really was bad news. I also liked Amy and Laynie’s conversation about wishing that she could bring her parents back to “The Land of the Living” as they were so consumed in grief due to Colin’s loss, and I really wish that Laynie had stayed on the show, because she was a much better friend for and to Amy than any of her other so-called friends were and she was also a better friend for and to Amy than Hannah later was. We saw that Amy initially took Laynie’s advice to heart and she ended her relationship with Tommy, who initially gave her the out she was looking for them to break up when she talked to him, but it was clear that she wasn’t ready to let go of their relationship, which he picked up on and used in a drug-addled attempt to get her back. Unfortunately, though, we saw that Amy basically ended her friendship with Laynie in this episode when Laynie expressed her anger and concern when Amy took Tommy back after he begged her to not end their relationship, and he told her that he loved her, and she stupidly agreed to go back to him, even though he was clearly back on drugs and he was making promises to her that he had no intention of keeping. We then saw though that Amy realized that Tommy was continuing to lie to her when she saw the message on his cell phone when they were at that restaurant together, so Laynie was right and Amy was so wrong to harshly dismiss Laynie’s advice and concern and go back to Tommy.

Ephram looked so hurt when he told Madison that he loved her but she didn’t return those words, setting into motion a scenario where his feelings of infatuation (I refuse to call it love, because it wasn’t love), crossed over into obsession, and Ephram crossed a line and took actions that he couldn’t take back, further dooming his already doomed relationship with someone he never should have gotten involved with in the first place. We really got to see how unhealthy Ephram’s obsession with Madison was in this episode and how even Madison realized that her relationship with this lovesick boy had really taken a dark turn, but once again, she should have never involved herself with him in the first place, as we saw him tell her all the crazy things he had done in the last 24 hours, and his protests that he wasn’t “psychotically in love with her” proved that he was psychotically in love with her, and they both realized that he had crossed a line and they couldn’t go back to the way things were before, despite his desire to do just that.

I had some foreboding about Linda offering to babysit Delia while Andy took Ephram to the jazz festival in Boulder, and my foreboding was well founded. I felt bad for Linda as she was clearly out of her element trying to play referee with Delia and Britney, and she made some missteps due to her lack of experience with parenting and her not knowing Delia enough, and I felt bad for Linda when her attempt to help Delia by finishing the diorama backfired on her, and I was glad that she went to Nina to get some advice, and I was happy to see Nina offer some sage advice about the best approach to take with Delia. We saw that Delia saw Linda taking a bunch of pills, which obviously alarmed and concerned her, and it set the stage for a future revelation and confrontation about Linda’s condition.

Andy’s conversation with a gruff and no-nonsense Will was uncomfortable to see, but Andy started to realize that Will was starting to lose his hearing, and I was glad that Will later admitted to Andy that was happening, which was such a tragic development for this gifted musician, but he was too stubborn and set in his ways to try any of the treatments that Andy suggested. I loved the advice that Will gave Ephram about getting Madison out of his system through his music, and that she had made him play his best and play his worst, so he needed to channel everything he felt into his piano playing and his advice worked as Ephram played wonderfully at that shopping mall, and Andy acknowledged that Will was the perfect teacher for Ephram.

Bright’s advice to Ephram about undoing the damage caused by Ephram saying “I love you” to Madison was hilarious and so typically Bright, but I later felt bad for Bright as he had to listen to Ephram ranting obsessively about Madison and he once again had to cover for Ephram as he crazily decided to drive all night to see Madison and then drive back to get to the recital. Ephram really crossed a line from infatuation with Madison to a dangerous obsession with her in this episode, as he did drive all night to see her only to feel crushed when he saw that she was doing fine without him, and then he drove back without seeing her and he walked out on his audition, presaging what he would later do at his Julliard audition after she told him about their baby.

This episode ended on a rather dark note as Ephram and Madison sat next to each other on her couch but they were worlds apart, and Delia know harbored knowledge about Linda that she wasn’t ready to share with Andy, and Tommy walked back to Amy’s table at the restaurant and she knew that she had made a mistake by going back to him. Like Irv as the narrator said, “We hope the comfortable rhythms of familiarity will hold off the inevitable just a little longer,” but the inevitable was coming for all three of the doomed relationships depicted in this episode.

jediwands

Thoughts while watching

- Ephram telling Amy to be happy sarcastically as he’s secretly bragging due to sex with Madison is gross. I never picked up on this before but so mean of him to say this to her, insinuating she controls clinical depression or downplaying it even. Especially since Ephram understands Amy is clinically depressed, and he knows why he's so happy, deep down knowing Amy would be devastated if she knew what he just did with Madison.

- Even Bright thinks Ephram is insane. Look at Bright's nonverbal communication to understand what Bright thinks of Ephram's hyperactive, obsessed behavior.

- Irv’s Voiceover takes a shot at Ephram too.

- Will/Ephram banter is perfect. I really love this pairing. We needed more of Ephram/Will and less of Ephram/Madison in S2.

- Laynie is right, Tommy only came clean after the fact.

- Tommy’s phone/beeper going off… yes, he is a drug dealer.

- I cannot get the image out of my head seeing a mother kiss his son inappropriately when I watch Ephram and Madison. It just feels so wrong on so many levels and he looks like a little kid.

- Will insulting Bright’s rapping in the car (as well as his name, "Bright" since he thinks he's dumb) is pure brilliance.

- Bright’s advice is so bad.

- I love how Bright went along on the trip though as it shows the friendship between Ephram and Bright is real. Notice Berlanti didn't have show Ephram asking Bright. It is not necessary, it is assumed Bright would naturally go with his best friend out of town with his father and teacher. I love this.

- Will is not impressed by the charming Andy Brown, famous neurosurgeon.

- Brittany is annoying. Poor Linda.

- Amy, quit thinking about Tommy, he manipulated it so you’d eventually take him back.

- Laynie wanting her parents to come back to the land of the living is sad and confirmation her parents essentially shut down after Colin’s passing. Laynie has absolutely no family left. She mentions she did a lot of things wrong, I wonder what she means by that. Laynie is giving Amy sound advice throughout the entire episode.

- Ephram is the definition of annoying. A boy obsessing over an adult woman he had no business having sex with, told her he loved her and she didn’t say it back. He looks like he needs medication.

- Ephram just leaving Bright out of town alone for a night (and making him cover for him) so he can do the most ridiculous thing (driving all night and not caring about leaving his friend and neglecting piano while Will and Andy took out time to be there) is selfish and totally insane.

- Poor Linda with Delia and Brittany.

- Tommy saying Amy was keeping him clean is total bull. He should never put that kind of pressure on her. Amy, stay away from him.

- Ephram drives all the way there to see Madison with her band only to leave shows the obsession and immaturity.

- Poor Linda can’t win. LOL.

- I love that Linda went to Nina.

- Amy, not cool leaving Laynie at the movies then getting mad in the morning after she was making sense.

- Sucks about Will’s hearing loss. I really hated finding out about this. I guess just like Linda's HIV, they went with Will's hearing loss so both amazing guest actors would be able to leave after S2.

- Loved the honesty Linda displayed to Delia. Bedroom scene was perfect.

- All because of Ephram’s selfish immaturity upset over Madison he wasted Will’s time, Andy’s time, and Bright’s time. Way to go, Ephram.

- Bright slurping on his drink in the car is hilarious.

- Delia seeing all of Linda’s pills is heartbreaking. How good is Vivien Cardone?

- Will stopping at the mall was such a sweet twist.

- Amy, don’t get back together with him.

- It is funny that Amy says she doesn’t know French considering Emily is 100% fluent in French.

- Horrible Ephram/Madison scene at the end. I will say this... at least Madison didn't lie and say she loved him back. At least she paused and didn't go there and cave like she did with sex.

- Perfect theme of this episode... faking that everything is OK rather than face a difficult truth/reality. How relatable is this theme? Every, single, S2 romantic pairing is dealing with this, and both Linda and Will are personally dealing with serious health conditions they try to push away, too.

Thoughts after watching

I know the introduction to seeing Ephram strutting around the hall of the school was meant to be funny but I couldn't accept it. I was disgusted for three reasons:

1. He lost his virginity to an adult woman.
2. He is obsessed and out of control. Bright looked at him in horror for a reason.
3. He said something very insulting to Amy which I have never caught before until this watch:

Ephram understands Amy is Clinically Depressed. You should never tell someone battling depression to smile and be happy. It is insulting and downright cruel. Ephram knew better but apparently did not care during his moment of glory. Do better, Ephram.

The banter and relationship between Will and Ephram is so special. I only wish we could have received more of this pairing over Ephram and Madison. Will just "gets" Ephram and it is a thing of beauty. I also loved how Andy just let Will be Will overall. He didn't care about Will's quirky personality because he was helping his son and Andy could see this and was so appreciative.

This episode reminds me of why I miss Laynie so much after she leaves at the end of the season. Every, single, word of advice from Laynie to Amy in this one was 100% accurate and even important for Amy to understand. I felt so sad when Laynie mentioned her parents basically being "gone" and she has zero family left, while admitting her behavior isn't always perfect either. But why would it be? Her brother is gone and her parents joined him in a way. It is so sad they abandoned their only child left. I didn't like Amy not meeting Laynie at the movie and then getting all defensive after Laynie was looking out for her, begging her not to take Tommy back. It was disappointing. Laynie even promoted Amy reuniting with her family too. She said everything that Amy should have embraced, not rejected.

Tommy was clearly manipulating Amy in this episode. I actually do believe him when he said Amy does make him want to stay away from drugs and dealing drugs. I absolutely think this is true, but it is beyond unhealthy and toxic for Tommy to put all of this on Amy, especially given her depressed state. Amy knows she cannot save him and prevent him from entering darkness again either. Amy realizes this, she checked his phone while he went to the restroom because she doesn't trust him and she knows she shouldn't be giving it another try with him even if that particular text was innocent. His phone was going off like crazy before that so he just got lucky she saw the actual work one when all the others, no doubt, were due to drugs.

Ephram was so pathetically boyish telling Madison he loved her. Then he threw a fit when she didn't say it back. OK, I cannot stand Madison but I actually give her credit for not responding. She didn't want to lie to him and cave like she caved with the sex. At least she didn't just give in and feed his obsession. You could also tell she looked concerned and even scared after finding out he obsessively left Boulder and ran back to her, getting ticked seeing her with the band. Which, by the way, she wasn't doing anything wrong celebrating with her band after a successful situation. I cannot believe I am sticking up for Madison here but honestly, she didn't specifically do anything wrong. Ephram is the one setting himself up for unrealistic expectations and disappointment. However, even if Madison tried doing the right thing here, she still continues to not end this sick relationship with Ephram and that is so wrong. She should have never gotten involved in the first place and ever since, she keeps understanding she needs to end it, yet holds herself back from going there. It is maddening. Their last scene together, thankfully, shows the future of their illegal relationship is coming to an end soon.

I felt for Linda so much trying to handle both Delia and Brittany. She did the best she could and I absolutely loved how she confided in Nina who helped her out tremendously. I loved the bedroom scene between Linda and Delia. Vivien Cardone was magical in the scene with Delia witnessing Linda taking all of those pills for her HIV. Her nonverbal communication affected me from head to toe, it was powerful.

I loved the dynamic between Andy and Will. It was so good seeing Andy embracing Will and even trying to help him with his medical condition as a result of the accident. I wish Will would take Andy's advice on medical treatment but given Will's personality, you can see why he doesn't really want to go there. I loved the advice that Will gave Ephram about getting Madison out of his system through his music, as Ephram listened to him and played brilliantly at the mall, and Andy sweetly acknowledged that Will was the ideal teacher for Ephram. I was not happy with Ephram to basically waste everyone's time in Boulder due to his immaturity but at least it brought the nice mall twist which made it worth it.

Bright continues to be an excellent best friend to Ephram even if his overall advice is not great. He was right about the biggest thing which is telling Ephram in a million different ways to calm down and take it easy. You can tell Bright is even worrying about Ephram's erratic behavior. I also hated how Ephram blowing off the Boulder piano situation was foreshadowing for what he would do in New York City as well... all due to ridiculous Madison. It is maddening.

The ending of the episode was quite telling, as it showed Ephram and Madison looking miserable, with the both of them deep down understanding they simply are not meant to be, Linda and Will are battling serious chronic health conditions, Delia knows something is wrong with Linda but for now, chooses to keep it from her father (and you wonder if Delia thinks Andy knows too), along with Amy's expression saying it all that she understands she has no business giving Tommy another chance because she cannot save him. In typical Everwood fashion, we are reminded that this is a common theme in life... delaying/denying the inevitable because pain will follow even if overall for the best to face reality, embrace the pain because it will also bring peace.

jediwands

Excellent thoughts, Jerry! We pretty much overall said the same things.

I still wonder what Delia believes she witnessed with Linda and the pills and why she didn't tell Andy right away. At the same time, I wonder why Ephram saw Tommy with Madison's band in an earlier episode and decided not to tell her either. I guess maybe he thought she would believe it was jealousy. But I find it interesting that both Brown siblings saw something that they are keeping hidden right now.

The most underrated scene in this episode for me was the Nina/Linda one. I absolutely LOVED this scene. Everwood could have gone the predictable route and had them dislike each other but that is not the case. Nina is accepting of Linda and helped her out tremendously. I love to see this. It puts women in a good light not always fighting over a man since the reality is women are way stronger than TV gives them credit for. I loved this scene so much.

These rewatches are very interesting to me because I learn something during every new watch. This one two things stand out:

1. Ephram telling Amy to smile for a change when he knows she's clinically depressed. I still cannot get over that hallway scene. It is so beyond disrespectful since Ephram understands Amy has been drowning in depression and you never tell someone depressed how to feel/to smile since it's cruel.

2. Madison really does believe Ephram is crazy obsessed and it concerns her. I never realized just how much until this rewatch. She's the adult, she never should have allowed this illegal relationship she is participating in. But when you look at her expressions while watching Ephram it is clear she is concerned. His behavior is definitely out of control. It is not a normal response to first love, first sex either. He crossed the line and has existed there for a while now.

Jerry D

Thanks! It's so unusual for us to agree on these episodes!

Excellent point. Maybe Delia thinks she's addicted to pills? Or maybe she realizes that Linda is actually sick. It's hard to say. I think that Ephram didn't tell Amy about seeing Tommy with Madison's band because he thought that she might think it was jealousy. As we saw, Amy snapped at Laynie for being the one to see Tommy dealing drugs and telling her about it, so if Amy treated Laynie like that, she would definitely treat Ephram like that.

That really was a wonderful scene. There was no animosity between Linda and Nina at all, and Nina gave her some great advice freely and admitted that she also made mistakes when she pointed out Sam's recent accident and injuries.

What made it worse is that he called her "little Amy," which is a totally demeaning term and he was talking down to her. I hated him saying those two lines: Oh, sometimes it just feels good to smile, little Amy. You should give it a shot sometime. You're so right. It was incredibly cruel of him to say that, especially since he knew that Amy was deep in depression and on medication for that depression. Great catch.

Yes, you definitely could see that Madison thought that Ephram was crazy obsessed with her (which he was) and she was concerned about it, which is all the more reason she never should have gotten involved with him in the first place, and she should have ended their relationship before they had sex. Ephram really did cross a line in this episode and it was scary to see.

jediwands

Quite unusual, indeed.

Oh good point about Delia thinking maybe she's addicted to pills and not sick necessarily. That is very true. Yes, especially since Ephram and Amy, during their bantering and bickering a couple episodes ago agreed basically not to discuss their romantic lives as well. Ephram probably remembered this. What does confuse me is Ephram not inquiring about it with Madison. He could have asked her and even played dumb, asking "who that guy was" hanging out with the band. Madison might have known Tommy was an active drug dealer or chronic drug user since he seemed so friendly around Jay and the others.

It was fantastic. In beautiful Nina fashion, she made herself look down to earth and flawed so that others would feel better. Nina reminded me of an angel in that scene or someone very spiritually aware well past speaking as a mother/one that has experience with children. She was a Sage in that scene, tons of wisdom and even spiritual growth was indirectly inserted in there. It was beautiful.

Right! The "little Amy" made it a million times worse, as it was completely demeaning and cruel. He was not speaking to her as an equal there, he was looking down on her. It was so cruel and sickening given her present mental illness. I never picked up on how wicked and cruel that moment is until this very rewatch. The good news is that was not the real Ephram. He would never go there in his normal state. But it doesn't completely excuse him for the cruelty and ignorance.

Absolutely. Madison has had how many chances to end this unhealthy, toxic relationship and she keeps hanging on. She never should have gone against Andy's wishes in the first place. But she did, and everything she has done ever since has been mistake after mistake after mistake. What gets me is she knows better. She understands this is all wrong, she has from the start. Yes she persists and that's what makes her such a terrible character.

Jerry D

I remember back when the show was on that some people thought that Ephram's relationship with Madison was good because it helped him mature. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ephram regressed as a person due to his relationship with and obsession with Madison, and he gained nothing from being with her. I think that his relationship with Madison and his reaction to Madisongate did serious harm to him as a character, and it brought him close to the point of no return, especially with how he treated Amy in the aftermath of Madisongate.

Jerry D

That's true. They should have had Ephram ask Madison about Tommy.

Nina was such a wonderful character from beginning to end.

It really was cruel and so out of character for Ephram to treat Amy like that. Everything about Ephram's relationship with Madison was toxic, including how he treated Amy in this instance.

It's so mystifying not only why Madison entered into this illicit relationship in the first place but why she would stay in it given how unhealthy and not to mention illegal it was. I'll never understand why Berlanti and the writers pursued this storyline.

jediwands

It is the most common excuse from others justifying why Ephram and Madison were necessary... it helped Ephram mature or some even said it gave him confidence. Huh? Are we watching the same series? I have always been blown away by this false justification because the series says otherwise. Like you said, he gained nothing from being with her and it caused serious harm to the character. Ephram regressed big time as a person due to his relationship and sick, unhealthy obsession with Madison. It is really frustrating to see him in S2 in this current state. It is just as bad as watching Andy in S3. We even get a foreshadowing of the NYC piano disaster for Ephram in this episode as he couldn't care less about piano in Boulder all due to Madison. In NYC, he doesn't go on his audition of a lifetime due to his mistakes and horrible behavior in S2 with Madison. The two biggest relationships in Andy/Ephram and Ephram/Amy were severely affected, not just in S3 but S4 as well. Maddening. It is awful and I will forever be frustrated that Berlanti ever decided to introduce the character of Madison in S2 since she didn't just affect S2, she spread lingering darkness all over the rest of the series and would have continued going there if there would have been a S5.

everwoodfan52

You guys don't need me! You have said it all!

I will watch the episode and comment on your thoughts..

Jerry D

Very well said. It was really hard to like Ephram when he was with Madison. He was overly anxious and he talked at a really fast rate, and he treated his father and Delia horribly, and he was even mean to Amy, as we saw in this episode. He drove Bright nuts with his obsessive talking about Madison and he very nearly lost his friendship with him, and there was no sense of Ephram and Madison being equals at all in their relationship. He acted like a lovesick and dangerously obsessed boy, and she was maternal with him in a creepy way and everything about their relationship was negative and wrong.

Jerry D

We definitely need you and your comments here Betty!

Great! I'll look forward to seeing your comments.

jediwands

Not true.

Sounds good!

jediwands

Perfectly stated.

What makes it even more frustrating is knowing what Ephram also pulls at the end of S3. As a result of getting Madison pregnant, he abandons his sister once again (who once again did nothing wrong) and bolts for Europe as well as dumps Amy who did nothing wrong (laughing in her face for saying she saw a forever with him) WHILE she’s dealing with her mother’s cancer diagnosis. Let’s even back up and observe how he lied to Amy about being sick (right after they slept together for the first time) so he could go see Madison and her band episodes before.

The influence Madison had on Ephram was not a good one for three straight seasons due to multiple reasons.

Jerry D

That's so true. For the life of me, I'll never understand why this character and storyline was introduced and why we were never allowed to be free of Madison. Tommy was bad news, but once Amy finally cut her ties with him we never saw him again, but Madison haunted the show for the rest of its run.