jediwands

ALLSTAR.. Indeed. hshapir is definitely a hardcore Creek fan.

Totally, hshapir. That scene was an absolute, TOTAL surprise. I simply adored that scene! You are so right.. I mean, they had a cute scene in season 1 together in Is There A Doctor In The House?.. But other than that short but cute scene in season one, nada. I also loved how Andy mentioned Nina and Edna as the obvious choices, but we got Amy to be there for Delia. That rocked! There better be continued moments between these two. Honestly, this moment is one of the very best on the show, ever. It reminds me of all the precious and golden E/A moments of season 1. Outstanding.

Yeah, what a freaking joke about Amy needing to lose ten pounds. Telling anything that ridiculous to EVC's character is just off the wall. I'm surprised he could even take a look at the gorgeous EVC and even fake it to the character of Amy with a straight face and make such a hideous remark. Also, I totally forgot about Cameron being the annoying reporter that Joey rips. Thanks for that reminder.

ergo.. Great post. Love your comments and ITA that this is one of the best episodes, hands down.

Gaby. Thanks so much for that bit about the Lookinlands. I totally saw the resemblance!

Jerry D

Hi everyone! I'm sorry that I haven't been around in a while, but between work, running Fan Forum, and dealing with some pretty serious health issues right now, I haven't had the time to write episode commentaries.

I really did enjoy this episode though, and I'll be writing more about it, and some of the other episodes as well, as soon as I find time. I really enjoyed the fact that Amy was the one that Delia could turn to to talk about the changes she's going through, and Amy's warm and understanding reaction to what Delia was telling her was a heartwarming thing to see.

Wilpen (Michelle), you're doing a great job over here. Keep up the good work.

jediwands

Jerry.. Thanks so much for the kind words. That means so much to me, coming from you.

We miss you over here, Jerry. While I know we are all eagerly awaiting to read your superb episode commentaries, taking care of yourself is the most important thing right now.

I'm so glad that you enjoyed tonight's episode.

Please take care of yourself, and we all look forward to reading your commentaries. Why? Because you're simply the best, Jerry.

MissCongeniality

I was so happy with the end of this episode that I will excuse the lack of Bright. I have always wanted to see Amy and Delia interact and it was great to see them talking. Moody!Amy was a trip, but I understood that she was going through a little self-doubt...but I have to say that Harold had a point. You don't just drop something for over a year and expect to get into a professional-level class for it with a week of practice.

Jake & Nina are just too great. So glad that Nina's not still pining for the adulterer, er, Andy. That whole A/A thing was just sickening to me. It was good to get some background on Jake too.

For some reason, I haven't been able to retain much from the episode, but I absolutely loved the last scene. Very cool.

Thanks for the interesting DC trivia. It's like our own little reunion over here. I was thinking that more than one former Everwood star would end up guesting on J&B and creating the same effect over there...

COOLCAT200

Liked tonight a lot. I was so glad Delia was on tonight and I felt so bad for her when she said she wanted to talk to her Mom. I loved the scene with her and Amy it was so great she was the person she could talk too. I liked Nina and Jake it was nice. However I just don't like Andy and Amanda Next week looks really good. a Road trip. So Principal Green moved Everwood?

hshapir2

thanks wilpen. I haven't really seen season 1, so I wouldn't know. I loved the scene tonight. I hope we get more

totally agree. The ten pounds comment was so unneccessary. I notice a lot of people end up guest starring that were on DC. Mr. Kasdan was at Bright's graduation too. Madison played the girl who was trying to steal Henry from Jen. There are a lot of the same writers and producers, so it makes sense. You're welcome. I guess it brings back good memories. hee

The Crow

I don't have my actual thoughts on the episode in any sort of coherent form at the moment, but I did like the episode overall. That being said, if Berlanti continues to beat me over the head with scenes of Andy/Amanda, I may be forced to record it and watch it later so I can fast forward through those scenes.

P.S. While I thought that the '10 pounds too heavy' line was beyond insane, I definitely think that a big time dance instructor would make a comment like that...mainly because EVC isn't anorexic looking (nor should she be).

MAKRO

I reacted differently to almost every scene in last night's episode. To me, they ranged literally from the ridiculous to the sublime.
ANDY: One has to wonder what Treat Williams thinks about how his character is being written this year. I'm guessing he couldn't be too happy. Beginning with the series pilot, we saw a man that, although blinded by his obsession with work and possessed of a more than healthy ego, was in his own ineffective way a loving husband and father. Shocked out of his work obsession by Julia's death, his whole life became about his children. His determination to be a better father brought him to Everwood in the first place. His heartwrenching struggles to become a man his kids could admire not only were the crux of the show, but demonstrated the type of basic goodness that made us root for him to succeed. He also demonstrated a wry and sharp wit, which made him even more appealing. So, what happened? Are we supposed to root for this depressed, stressed, ansgt-ridden Andy who seems to have tossed out his basic principles, risking his personal and professional reputations to pursue an immoral and doomed relationship? Does anyone who saw the emotional effect Julia's affair had on him believe he would pursue this course? Who is this guy?
ANDY/AMANDA: Regardless what anyone thinks of this relationship, last night's scenes did absolutely nothing to advance this storyline. At the end of the previous episode, they were having an affair. At the end of this episode, they were having an affair. Nothing happened. It just served to check off another one of Anne Heche's ten episode story arc. The screen time would have been better served in advancing the Edna/Irv situation.
DELIA: The "Delia becomes a woman" scenario was pretty much inevitable. Seeing her on-screen is always a pleasure, but, I could have done without the whole hockey thing. Not that I think there is anything bad about young girls excelling in sports, but because it didn't make sense. When did she practice? Who took her back and forth all the time? Other than a few seconds on rollerblades a long time ago, have we ever even seen her skate? Other than some hat wearing, have we ever seen her display any enthusiasm for hockey? Vivien can obviously skate, and that's great. But the whole "first period" story could have been framed by any number of other scenarios.
JAKE: We learned more about Jake this time around, both personally and professionally, than we had learned in all his previous appearances combined. His emotional paranoia about hurting anybody, and the resulting professional disaster were both believable and affecting. Learning all of this after seeing how well Jake dealt with Sam's injury; you can see why Nina melted. And, since Andy is acting like such a jerk, it's not like he deserves Nina right now. However, I believe there is still more to learn here.
AMYS DANCING: I don't think many of us believed professional dance was in Amy's future. That said, I liked the way this issue was brought up and dealt with in one swoop, allowing her to move on to new passions. It was fun to see Emily display her dancing talent, and she acted the hell out of those scenes, capturing the longing, the fear, and the disappointment perfectly. Another ten out of ten for EVC.
AMY/HAROLD: Although he demonstrated his lamentable lack of tact, Harold was spot-on in his bewilderment and skepticism about Amy's sudden obsession. He knew that for her to compare her situation with Ephram's piano gift was absurd. And his line about ballet having been only one of several childhood dreams about her future Amy had harbored was perfect. Although Amy's dancing has been part of her story since the third episode in Season 1, does anyone remember any inference before last night that she harbored any dreams of a dance career? This was brought on directly by her sudden epiphany last week about having "sacrificed" everything for her relationship and her fear of being left with "nothing" if she and Ephram didn't work out.
AMY/EPHRAM: The E/A scenes in this episode were some of the most enjoyable I've seen in a long time, in fact two of them were among the best ever. I was left with a strange feeling after last week's E/A scene in Ephram's studio. My uneasiness related to two things: 1) Although she said she didn't want to lose Ephram, her statement struck me as lacking any emotional depth. Yes, there were a couple of intense looks, but the lack of physical affection made me think that she really hadn't begun to appreciate Ephram again in any deep sense. There were too many "we'll see's". And, 2) I was left feeling afraid that her sudden panic about needing to undo her "sacrifices" and "get her life back" would send her off too far in that direction to the complete detriment of their relationship. During the first half of Monday's show, I was very afraid I was right. Although they were back to the easy banter stage, and while it was obvious she was enjoying Ephram's over-the-top dedicated boyfriend antics, I still felt any deeper appreciation of him was missing, as she was completely focused on herself and her ambitons.
And then, lo and behold, the writers smashed two home runs! The last two E/A scenes were complete classics. To me, the key scene in the context of their relationship was the one in the Abbott kitchen. Despite her amusing statement to Hannah earlier in the season about usually feeling secure with herself, the fact is Amy has always lacked self-confidence regarding her talents and abilities. This may explain why she became so completely absorbed in her relationships; she felt like she had nothing else to offer. To put it another way, Amy has demonstrated chronic self-absorbtion, but not much self-awareness. I think that's why she seized on the dance thing as the first way to "get her life back". It was the only thing she thought she had. But then Ephram, at his most caring and insightful, FINALLY made her realize that she had the talent and drive to become almost anything, including the President. And that, contrary to her panic last week, it was him who had only one basket to put his eggs in, not her. Ephram's actions here constituted just about the most loving gesture anyone could give their partner. You could almost see the appreciation of him, the true and deep kind, return to her eyes at that moment. This moment, not last week, was her true epiphany; the one which will allow her to move on to a new dream and still allow their relationship to grow. There could have been nothing more important to their future. The last scene confirmed this. Everything about their posture, their tone, and their words conveyed that E/A were truly back.
AMY/DELIA: This scene was close to perfect. I was surprised earlier that Delia didn't want to talk to Nina about "it". But we found out. I've been one of the most vocal advocates for more Amy/Delia interaction. Not only was their one scene in "Is There A Doctor In The House" completely charming, but it makes sense in the context of the E/A relationship that these two become almost sisterly. And Delia needs a big sister figure in her life. Their interaction was wonderful.
AMY/EPHRAM, PART II: As great as it was to see Amy begin to develop her relationship with Delia, that part of the last scene was also a convincing demonstration that Amy was truly at peace about moving on to new dreams. As important as the first "I love you's" of Staking Claim and the first sexual explorations of The Reflex were, the last two E/A scenes of this episode constituted the most significant indication we could have wanted that these two may just have a future in spite of the bumps about to cross their path.
MISCELLANEOUS: 1) Wasn't it nice to see Amy and Ephram spending some alone time in each other's houses instead of locked away in his studio?
2) Amy's remark about having to go off the Pill if she got into the dance class was interesting; not in that context (I knew it caused bloating and made it difficult to diet), but in the context of their relationship. I took it as an indication that they had continued their sexual relationship after The Reflex (which makes sense), although probably not since the big fight. But it also seemed to indicate that Amy felt they had a real future.
3) Jake's ex-girlfriend was beautiful (in Bright's eyes jawdroppingly so) in a "Hollywood" way (zero percent body fat? hee hee), but she didn't do a thing for me standing next to EVC. The writers should have done the poor girl a favor and not put the two of them in the same frame.
All in all, an enjoyable episode; most importantly because it got E/A firmly back on track.

Raja

Episode seemed lighter than usual which is good. Drama is good but when you overdo the meldodrama you can overdose on it. And the show as coming close to that.

The affair just seems necessary. They are so many problems swirling around without that being thrown into the mix. The show has done a good job of having the characters juggle their problems and their neuroses while still maintaining a good balance of comedy and drama. If you throw too many things in the edifice will break down forcing the show to become too somber trying to resolve all of them or inappropriately dismissive and light in trying to quickly dismiss them. With the Madison bomb set to explode whenever they can get Sarah Lancaster back on the show this is just something the show doesn't need.

Amy becoming inappropriately obsessive over something? Never! Surprised she went for ballet since she should know that is a cruel cutthroat world that mow down an amateur such as herself. From her experience on the dance squad would've at her school would've expected something more in line with modern dance. Might be able to get her a scholarship to I don't know.... that wonderful mythical college we know is going to be invented for Ephram and Amy next year?

I still don't like Jake. While I don't dislike him enough that I'd necessarily want Irv to take him on a ride on the school bus and beat him half to death and leave his dying body in a cave on a distant mountain 50 miles outside of Everwood, I certainly would watch and enjoy that episode. His character still hasn't clicked and I can't help but ask myself... isn't that time that could be used to develop storylines for Bright, Delia, Hannah, or of course my favorite scenario... Laynie!

I liked Delia and Amy bonding at the end.

smoothaise

I would agree with you, but ... Dawson's Creek pulled off that not happening, and I think Everwood could as well. Personally, I think they already dropped a hint or two as to what to expect. And personally, I don't think Ephram is gonna get into Juliard.

jediwands

Thanks hshapir. So true. It's kind of neat to see the same faces, and like you said, it brings back some good memories. Regarding that comment about Amy being 10 pounds over the ideal weight, that was so annoying. Although, like The Crow.. I suppose that a dance dude would say something like that just based on the fact that Amy wasn't unhealthy thin. I love how Ephram told her that she was hotter than all of those girls as well as telling her how thin she actually was. And he was trying to get her to eat cookies. Hee. So sweet.

MAKRO. I love reading your in depth posts. Outstanding stuff. I'm so with you on how E/A are back on track in this episode. I sort of talked about this on the E/A board a bit, but this episode showed how much these two are so meant to be together. It's as simple as that. I'll get more depth with my thoughts on this later on tonight whenever I write my episode commentary. But yes, E/A moved me in a way tonight that gave me a confidence that these two can make it through anything. Maybe they will have their bumps here and there, but this episode represented faith to me. I really see these two making it in the long run. I mean, for all I know, they could take a break at season's end, and while it would bum me out, it wouldn't devastate me because I know they are in it together for the long run. I've never felt more confident about this. Their relationship is so healthy, real, and loving. They are headed for that happy ending no matter what roadblocks are put in front of them. Sure, they might get a few detours, but eventually, they will get right back on the right road towards one hell of a happy ending.

I also agree that it was simply refreshing to see Amy hanging out in the Brown's house. I loved it. I also loved how comfortable they were together as they decided on what to eat for dinner that night. It was all about normalcy to me, even with Amy having that dance thing on her mind. I loved how she deferred talking about it until later. And Ephram's talks to her blew me away. How much does this guy cherish her? He simply adores her. You can see it in his eyes, his words, and in everything he does. I just love these two. I'll continue more comments about them later on.

I also totally concur about Jake's ex and Amy/EVC. I also think they shouldn't have been in the same scene together because EVC's beauty took center stage.

Raja.. I completely agree with you on still disliking Jake. For as much as I think Scott Wolf is a cutie (sorry, those dimples are adorable. hee), I still know that there is A LOT more to Jake than has been revealed. I can't help but keep hearing what Scott said about his character. He said that Jake was a wolf in sheep's clothing, as well as describing him as diabolical. Hmm.. Pretty strong words. Something tells me Jake has yet to show his true colors.

Also, BRING BACK LAYNIE! Right with you, on that one.

Anyway, I'll be back with my thoughts on the episode as a whole, a little later on!

Cruel Irony

Does Ephram know about Madison being pregant? Because I missed last week and my friend told me he did and I was like "WHAT!"



He doesn't, does he?

BepperGirl

As far as we know, nope. Don't know what your friend heard.

EDIT: Anyone tape the ending credits? I'm trying to figure out the person who played the Registration Woman. It's Leslie something. It's a hyphenated last name. Wing-?. TV Tome says Leslie Wing but I want what she was credited as. Thanks in advance.

Gaby

jediwands

Gaby. I tried to get the full name for you, but the writing is too damn small. I know the first letter starts with a "P" and the last letter appears to be a "Y," but I can't read the in between. It's all jumbled. I tried pausing it and slow motioning it, but it only makes it that much more blurry. Sorry I couldn't help. Could Fanbolt or TWoP have this?

Okay.. Regarding the episode as a whole.. Just a warning that my comments are choppy and they go back and forth and are mostly in sequence of the episode.

First off, anyone catch the opening credit changes? It was different and new pics were added.

I loved the opening scene with Ephram/Amy/Bright/Hannah whenever Jake's ex pops into town.. Amy was so funny whenever she told Ephram and Bright to close their mouths. LOL Ephram's all.. What? I'm not..

Bright: I'm totally going into medicine.
Amy: You might have to start by going to college first. (heh)

I also noticed how Hannah was totally watching Bright during all of this. Hannah so loves Bright! Hopefully something will transpire between these two because they have huge potential in the romance department.

Jake's Ex: She seemed nice but way too bubbly and energetic for me. It was almost as if I wanted to find the nearest light switch so I could turn her off.
I did feel sorry for her because Jake was stringing her along. He should have been up front with her from the start. Her comment to Nina at the end whenever she found out Jake wanted to ultimately end things was classic.. "I hope you fall in love with another gay guy."

The scene where Andy/Delia come inside the house after the game and Delia is on Andy's back was too cute for words. Delia looked so adorable in her uniform. What a cutie she is..

EVC rocked this episode, but what else is new? This girl is such a gifted actress. I honestly feel blessed in being able to watch her perform on a weekly basis. She continues to amaze me.

A/A: Please show me where the nearest bathroom is, so I can promptly hurl from feeling ill. What is the purpose of this relationship? To make everyone feel sick? The minute they hit the screen together, I am busy trying to come up with new swear words that I can shout at the TV. This affair needs to end. Now.

Amy calling Ephram the stepford wife was classic. Ephram telling Amy he is being the supportive boyfriend was so sweet. Amy was eating up all the attention he was giving her. I was so giddy just by how these two looked at each other. Such an intimacy in their eyes. Loved this exchange..

Ephram: You're way hotter than any of them.
Amy: You can stop now. I'll just be a minute.
Ephram: Take two.

Ephram/Delia: I thought it was so cute how Ephram called Delia.. "Rocket Brown." And I was laughing hysterically, whenever Ephram screamed for Andy once he realized that Delia had female issues. My heart broke whenever Delia broke down and said she wanted her Mom. That was so heartbreaking.

EVC: One brilliant dancer! Wow! I found myself feeling cheated for only getting to see her dance for a short bit. How she gets on her toes like she does is beyond me! Man, is she talented. It's more than obvious that in addition to her flawless acting, this girl could have continued on with her dance and had an outstanding career doing that instead.

Harold/Amy: Loved how wise Harold is. His words to her were all knowing and loving towards his daughter.

E/A on phone: Ephram's pep talk to Amy before her try out was so cute. I loved how he told her that if he got into his car right then, he could probably make it in time, with an adorable smile on his face. Too cute. Ephram offering her cookies was so sweet. I love how many times with these two, Amy will bring up something serious in a blunt way, that will throw Ephram off guard and he will start to respond in a bumbling sort of way. Hee. This happened whenever she mentioned she might have to go off the pill. This comment was significant because it proves that E/A are still sleeping together on a regular basis, as well as making me wonder if this comment was somehow foreshadowing.. Not sure how, but I just thought it was interesting how they chose to bring this subject up. Usually, they never mention something that doesn't end up meaning something vital to the future. I have a feeling this comment is along these lines. Maybe we won't know the significance of it until next season or maybe the one after that.. But I think it means something, nevertheless.

E/A communication.. Phenomenal. Ephram's talk to her about how she can be whatever she wants to be was marvelous. Blew me away. How much does this guy love her? You can see it in everything he does.

Jake/Nina: I can't find it in me to like them because deep down, I think Jake's secrets are only just beginning to surface. I can't put my finger on it, but I know there's more to him than just having an unfortunate ordeal in LA with his practice. He has to be somehow involved with either the Brown's or Abbott's and I have a feeling whatever it is, it can't be good.

Bright/Amy: Even though Bright's screentime was short (which sucked) I still loved their sibling bickering about the remote/TV. Also.. Anyone sense a bit of foreshadowing whenever Amy told Bright he should get an apartment? I found that significant.

E/A: Couch scene. Outstanding. They are so cute together. They just "look" like they belong together. It's like they are a well-oiled machine. Everything is in sync and in fine working condition. The love between these two is so evident. They don't need to be physically intimate for me to see how much they love each other. Their "emotional passion" is a constant. It's obvious that the writers prefer to keep the "physical passion" between these two off screen. I have come to the conclusion that this is just fine with me, because their emotional passion rocks.

Amy/Delia: Priceless. I've already mentioned how much I adore this scene. One of my favorite scenes, ever, on this show. Sisterly bond flowing all the way in this amazing scene. If you really listen to how incredibly amazing the words they exchanged actually are, it is simply perfection. I have already watched this scene 3 times now, and it gets better each and every time I see it. Beautiful.

Overall, I really liked this episode, minus the A/A garbage. One of the best this season.

Next week look's incredibly fun. E/A/B/H ditching school looks outstanding and I sense some jealousy developing between Andy/Nina. Should be interesting.

BepperGirl

Thanks anyway. I keep on thinking it's Passersby but that does not make sense.