jediwands

jediwands

Irv: Every small town worth its salt has a place like this. A place where the landscape invites us to blend in for a while. Ours is called “Buck’s Rock.” It’s been graced with its own heavenly light that, for most people eliminates any and all doubt of a higher power. The purpose of Buck’s Rock is quite familiar. It’s a place where the lazy days of childhood play themselves out. A place free from the responsibilities of adult life, a place of innocence.

^ The opening is such a great demonstration of how unique this show is. Just read those words, they are fabulous, perfectly displaying what this very major episode is going to be all about. I love this show so much.

The opening scene between the trio of Bright/Amy/Colin is so powerful. We see these childhood friends together, having fun. You catch a glimpse of what they used to do together. Of course you also understand that Amy is way more into the romantic relationship (or fantasy) with Colin than he is. She bought the fantasy, Colin did not. Too bad Colin never told her they weren’t meant to stay together long-term. It would have saved her from getting clinical depression, hanging on while he was in a coma, and before he passed. It wasn’t right that Colin didn’t let her know and I don’t buy he was trying to be sensitive about it. He was only making things worse delaying the inevitable. They weren’t meant to be past a childhood crush. Berlanti makes this very obvious from the start. I like the childhood friendship trio though.

Uncle Brian is great. His love and respect for Andy is evident from their first scene together. I love how they can kid around and he can be such a great "uncle" to the kids, but he and Andy can also talk seriously without reserve.

I love that Andy answered Brian's questioning about going back to NY without hedging or acting all torn about whether or not Everwood is really where he belongs. He was just very self assured about the whole thing. They could easily have gone for some trumped-up storyline about whether or not the Browns were going to stay in Everwood, but they didn't. Thank goodness. Good acting on Treat's part, like always.

Abbott meals are always worth paying extra close attention to.

It is very interesting to hear Rose say she needs to keep an eye on the Hart's store. It proves how friendly the Abbott's and Hart's are. Sure, this is a small town but you feel a connection between families because their kids are close. I don't think the parents of both families are necessarily close because if so, we would have seen the Abbott's more actively around the Hart's when they were struggling with Colin's passing. But during this time period, there is some close interaction between the families and it resolves around their children being close.

Also interesting to note is Colin was interested in the alcohol first, not Bright when there's the next flashback. In addition, Amy's all mad at Colin once again, pointing to the tension and relationship crumbling, further backing up Laynie's words that Colin was clearly breaking up with Amy before the accident took place. Thank you, Berlanti, for making it clear that Amy and Colin were on the level of big bird, nothing more.

I love how Amy calls Ephram. Once again, it demonstrates their emotional connection and how much Amy needs Ephram, how much they need each other. Amy called Ephram to be with her during the surgery because he was the only one who could ease her worry.

I love the Nina/Ephram talk. What an episode highlight. Nice, little beautiful twist you didn’t expect. She was there for him like a mother, urging him to go see Amy because Nina cared and knew what was going on between Ephram and Amy. One of my favorite scenes of the series is literally this one. I enjoyed it because we get a glimpse of Andy's future wife, an amazing woman that will be a great second mom to Ephram and Delia.

Chills, complete chills and total grin on my face while watching this exchange:

How can you not love these two? They are so sweet with each other. They are so meant to be. You can feel their connection like the sun beating down on you in 90 degree weather, clear skies. Their unstoppable connection is so gorgeous and vibrant! They are so cute, I can hardly even take it.

Twix!

What a classic Ephram/Amy scene with Greg/Emily melting into each other as Ephram/Amy. Their chemistry is so natural and powerful.

The back and forth with the surgery and accident hits me like a ton of bricks. Powerful, oh so powerful stuff.

Chris Pratt NAILED the scene where he's telling his dad that he's remembered the accident all along. His anguished "Amy's gonna hate me forever" was just so spot on. You can see how much he really does love his sister, and he knows there's no way to make this thing okay, but he just can't carry it alone anymore. I clearly remember this being the scene the first time I watched the series, that made me realize Bright was more than just a jerk bully. He really got my attention in this episode, and I came to love him more and more as the series went on. Oh Bright, you slay me with your confession. It is not your fault, Bright. Honestly, it was fated, Colin dying was fated. For as horrible as that sounds. Colin instigated so much and Bright sort of followed. I can see why Bright feels responsible but it's ultimately not his fault. Chris Pratt's delivery was so heartfelt. What a moment and epic twist.

Oh man:

I love these two... so much! They are so meant to be, it gives me warm little flowery feelings while watching them. LOL. Ephram's words are so amazing, he knows just what to say, and their emotional connection is flowing like the most beautiful waterfall you've ever seen.

I like how the episode ends with the trio, once again, having fun together. I do like the friendship Bright/Colin/Amy had together.

This was one of the most important Season 1 episodes, let alone, the entire series. This episode really does carry you to Home. It’s a game changer.

Colin's awakening means more than Bright and Amy getting their friend back. It represents a chance for forgiveness and redemption. Presently, Andy Brown's the hero... Manhattan's finest performing a miracle on the golden boy of Everwood. Harold thanks Andy, Amy hugs and kisses Andy. Andy plays a game of clue with Ephram before they return home, after Andy explains that he was afraid of failing his son if the surgery went badly. His goal to be a father and doctor is working amazingly... so much so, it was almost a given that things would eventually come crashing down for Andy Brown.

The episode closes with another brilliant flashback. The story returns to Buck's Road where Bright, Amy and Colin lay in the sun. Amy remarks that she and Bright don't have all day to lay in the sun. Colin responds, "sure we do." The line suggests we enjoy life as much as we can while we're blessed to be alive, since a perfect day has a timeless quality that allows three friends to sit in the sun with nothing to do but live and enjoy life. It's very sad but hopeful at the same time. Powerful stuff.

The episode's excellent... one of the best in the series. It's a great introduction for Colin Hart and it beautifully told the story that adds more depth to the main arc of the season. The performances are without a doubt, phenomenal. The acting has always been a strength of the series. Berlanti and his writers were great with subtext as were the actors. In any scene, so much is conveyed without much dialogue but the wordy dialogue always perfectly delivers too. What a great episode. What a series.

jediwands

2nd Watch

USWNT coming on shortly so waiting for the game to start. I decided to rewatch the episode again. I already wrote a lengthy review as you can see above but since the thread isn’t active yet I’ll write some more.

In those flashbacks, Colin just has an air of cockiness that I dislike. It’s like fingers down the chalkboard. Even how he addresses Harold bothers me. It’s subtle but there. You can tell he’s sort of making fun of the whole renaissance thing. Then like I said he was the one that handed Bright the alcohol. Hard stuff. Also, as we know, he didn’t say ILY back to Amy. He finds her beautiful, he’s very attracted to her physically but you can tell he’s not connected to her emotionally in a big romantic way. You know what? That is perfectly fine. Man, at that age you shouldn’t be thinking of happily ever after. You should be concerned with days in the sun, in the mountains, sports and parties. Nothing serious. What bothers me is Colin knows it’s a tricky situation. His best friend is Bright. He knows Amy at least thinks she’s in love with him. He should have told her they need to be in the friend zone only. We know he wanted to break up with her. So what is he waiting for? It is very annoying. He sees that she’s hurt over the lack of ILY and instead of telling her why he couldn’t say it back, he comments on how beautiful she looks? That’s totally teasing her, playing with her heart. It’s not right. Tell her the truth, respect her because you’re also respecting her brother, your best friend. He’s just so annoying at the Abbott house. What really bothers me is knowing if he would have broken up with her before the accident she wouldn’t have handled his situation nearly as intensely as she did. He should have broken up with her. This was a childhood friend over anything else.

jediwands

2nd Watch

Andy telling Ephram that Julia would make them mixed music tapes for their surgeries shied that Julia wasn’t always removed from Andy’s professional life.

So nice of Ephram getting breakfast ready for everyone and making him a mixed CD for the surgery.

I like parallel of Andy performing brain surgery versus Harold hardly being able to put together the satellite dish. LOL.

Flashback of Bright and Colin sitting down drinking. Colin says once again he’s encouraging Bright to drink.

Colin had EVERY opportunity to tell Amy why he couldn’t say ILY back (he wanted to break up). Instead, he says she’s the longest relationship he’s ever had, she’s his girl and wanted her to kiss him. WTF. Yes, Laynie doesn’t reveal Colin wanted to break up with her yet but we know she does very soon. It makes this scene and Colin’s behavior even more annoying.

Colin leaves with Bright and couldn’t care less about where Amy is.

jediwands

2nd Watch

Good that we’ve always had the rule of live episodes or sporting events means we can discuss in chat form since that’s what I’m doing this morning. LOL.

You have to wonder who Berlanti consulted to get the medical stories so accurate.

Man, you really see how Colin instigated his accident. The hard liquor, and being so cocky he had to say yes to those two high school guys (he insulted) and show off in his father’s new truck. His ego forced all of this. Bright literally went along as his follower. Of course that doesn’t mean Colin deserved his outcome. But he is the reason (along with fate to a degree) why he passes away so early. Free will, his choices created the perfect storm. Like why would Colin force Bright to drive knowing he had been drinking? So stupid. Yes Bright could have said no and he was trying to. But it was clear Colin dictated their friendship, he was the leader. This was all on Colin.

The Ephramy scenes at the hospital are so Golden. I love them so much. I’ve never look at a Twix the same since Ephramy.

The direction going from the complication during surgery to the truck accident, back and forth was pure brilliance. Then Bright walking with Chris giving the best performance of his early career was so well done.

everwoodfan52

My thoughts.......

• Such stunning scenery!! What was Colin thinking? Probably that he was going to break up with her.
• Colin is a little sadistic with Amy...pulling off her beloved necklace and forcing her to do something she didn't want to do. Then he jumps into the lake....where is the necklace? Still in his hand??
• I don't know how those surgeons last 8 + hours in an OR.
• Uncle Brian.....love him!! ,So glad Andy invited him to come and assist with the surgery. Brian gives Andy so much positive reinforcement that he desperately needs.
• I am wondering what Bright is thinking. Does he want Colin to survive and wake up?
• I always wondered why Brian asked Ephram to go outside with him. Come on....he didn't know how to turn off the car?
• Delia is so adorable!
• Awe....Ephram really does like Andy.
• Amy has so called friends, but she called Ephram from the hospital. That should tell you something about her feelings for Ephram. I really wished that Ephram picked up her cues that she really needed his company.
• Nina and Ephram talks...love them. Nina always gives him such good advice...and he does the same for her!Go to the hospital, Ephram!
• I would have loved to see Amy babysitting Sam.
• I adore the A/E vending maching scene! Ephram is so clever and funny...just what Amy needs.Ephram is great company...funny...helpful..sensitive.and Amy really appreciates it.I'll bet Amy has never has such a sweet fun time just hanging out with Colin.
• Now we finally find out Bright's real feeling regarding Colin's survival. Bright feels so much guilt over what happened and is afraid that if Colin dies during surgery..he would have killed his best friend. But...with no surgery taking place Colin may stay alive.
• I can understand Mr. Hart's pain, but what he said to Bright is downright cruel.
• I feel really badly for Ephram that he has to so often listen to Amy go on and on about her feelings for Colin. Ephram is just a good listener and offers such empathetic advice often because of his own experiences. But...how much can a guy take?
• Amy hugs Andy. Andy: Considering a career in Neurosurgery? Ephram: I am now.
• I love those warm Ephram/Andy moments at the end of episodes. Clue doesn't come in travel size? A travesty!!

Thanks for the reminder about the game, Michelle!

Jerry D

Every time that I watch one of these episodes, my wife asks the same question: Did you cry? And I always have to answer yes!

My episode commentary will follow shortly.

jediwands

Love these last exchanges:

Mother’s Intuition.

PS: Mrs. Sharon Hart is played by Nancy Everhard who is also the wife of Tom Amandes.

The last Ephram/Amy, Ephram/Andy and Irv’s narration moments are just so good:

jediwands

She knows you.

jediwands

LOL. I didn’t remember until this morning.

Jerry D

Yes she does!

Jerry D

I thought that this was another emotionally powerful episode of this show as we saw, in a series of flashbacks, the circumstances that led to the accident that put Colin in a coma, and some surprising secrets were revealed that put everything that happened in an entirely different light.

The opening flashback showed an idyllic scene between Bright, Amy, and Colin as they swam and relaxed at a place called Buck’s Rock, and we got to see a glimpse of Colin Hart before his accident. Colin seemed a bit cocky, and he was caught off guard when Amy told him that she loved him, but he didn’t say it back, a fact that would haunt Amy as she put her necklace, which he had playfully taken away from her on that fateful day as he dared her to jump in the lake with him, in his hand as he was being prepared for surgery.

I liked seeing Andy explain the surgery that he would be performing on Colin to the Harts, but once again I found them both a little arrogant when Mrs. Hart asked Andy for some kind of guarantee, and Andy responded that he had performed over 2,600 surgeries and he never had one where he cared more about the outcome.

I loved meeting Brian, Andy’s second in command, as he brought gifts from New York, and I loved the conversation between them as Andy expressed his fears about performing the upcoming surgery on Colin, and I loved it when Brian said “Before you took me under your wing, Andy, I never believed that there were people put on this earth to fix God’s mistakes. That’s the kind of gift that doesn’t go away. Sleep easy Dr. Brown. You’re going to be great.”

I liked seeing Delia’s concern that Andy would be working at the hospital all the time again, and Andy assured her that it was only this one time, and I thought it was touching that Ephram made Andy a mix CD for his upcoming surgery.

I liked that Amy called Ephram from the hospital, showing that she was thinking of him, but Ephram sort of said the wrong things to her in his nervousness, much to his regret.

We saw in the flashback that the ever-pompous Harold was so concerned about appearances as the whole Abbott family was dressed up in Colonial outfits, and we saw that Amy and Colin had an argument about the fact that he didn’t say I love you back to her when she said those words to him, and he still wouldn’t say I love you at the 4th of July celebration, and she left him hurt and angry.

I liked the conversation between Nina and Ephram when she told him about Colin being a charmer and that Ephram would like him and he would like Ephram. I loved how Ephram told Nina about his feelings for Amy and how she encouraged Ephram to go to the hospital to be with Amy, and that he had to decide what kind of friend that he wanted to be to Amy. I liked it when Ephram said “You know, I forgot how good women are at this stuff,” showing how much he missed Julia’s advice, and also showing that Nina was capable of at least partially filling that void with the advice that she gave him.

We saw in the flashback scenes that Colin had brought a flask of whiskey to the 4th of July celebration and that they were both drinking, and we saw that they had both taken off in Colin’s father’s truck as a worried Amy looked on.

I liked the way that they juxtaposed the expertise that Andy and Brian displayed performing Colin’s very involved surgery with the flashback scene of Bright and Colin racing their friends in his father’s truck, and we saw that it was Bright that was driving when they had the accident, and that Colin had put Bright up to driving the truck right before they had the accident. I was so moved by Bright’s tearful confession to Harold that he was the one driving the truck when they had the accident, and that they were drinking, and Chris Pratt did an incredible job in that scene.

I thought that it was very brave of Bright to confess to the Harts that he was the one driving when they had their accident, but Mr. Hart was really cruel when he lashed out at Bright and when he said “That shouldn't be my son in there.” I was glad that Mrs. Hart showed caring and understanding toward Bright, unlike her husband, as she confessed to Bright that she thought that she knew that her son was drinking and that he took the car keys, thus helping to alleviate some of Bright’s anguish and feelings of guilt.

I loved it when Ephram showed up at the hospital, much to Amy’s delight, and I loved it when Amy told Ephram that he was a good friend.

I loved the scene between Ephram and Amy when she told him that when Colin woke up, she was going to tell him how sorry she was as she related the story about the fight that they had and I loved it when Ephram said that he used to blame himself for the accident that caused his mother’s death, but the truth was is that it was what it was, an accident, offering her the kind of comfort and empathy that she couldn’t get from anyone else. I loved it when Amy said that it was kind of amazing that of all the people she knew in her whole life, he was the only one that showed up.

I liked how Brian told him that he was better than he was before and “if you finish this sabbatical, come back home. We still need the guy that can fix God's mistakes”, but Andy replied that Everwood was his home now and that he was working on one of God’s bigger mistakes, namely the way he had treated Julia and their family.

I liked the final scene between Ephram and Andy, and the final idyllic flashback scene as Irv narrated and Colin, Bright and Amy relaxed at Buck’s Rock, before the fateful accident that changed all their lives.

Overall, I thought this was another excellent episode of this wonderful show.

Jerry D

I saw the whole accident scenario in a completely different light now that I got to see this episode again. Bright really was just going along with what Colin wanted and he knew he was in no shape to drive, but he just did what Colin pushed him to do. It was also key that Colin had brought the liquor that contributed to the accident. I remember Bright telling Harold that he had been driving when they had the accident but I forgot that they both told the Harts. I think we saw where Colin got some of his arrogance from: his father. In both this episode and the previous episode, Mr. Hart came off as pretty arrogant to me, and what he said to Bright was downright cruel.

This was the only episode where we got a good glimpse of pre-accident Colin, and to be honest, I don't think he was all that different from post-accident Colin once he got his memory back. I really liked Colin initially when he hadn't yet recovered his memory and he befriended Ephram, but as he did get his memory back, he became more and more arrogant, and we saw glimpses of that arrogance in this episode. Amy could well have been right that Colin was running away from her when him and Bright took off, and it seems like their relationship wouldn't have lasted much longer if that accident didn't happen.

Jerry D

When Ephram said "Maybe...he was just having a hard time with the words. You know, sometimes people really want to say something, but, you just can't," I think he was talking about himself. He wanted to tell Amy that he loved her, but at that point, he couldn't, considering how obsessed she was with Colin. You really have to hand to to Ephram to offer empathy to a girl who was in love with someone else when he loved that girl with all his heart.

jediwands

I’ve never gotten a terrific feeling from Colin but this rewatch I really did find him borderline devious:

1. He played it stupid acting clueless why Amy was upset initially. Are you kidding me? He knew damn well why she was upset. Before he finally admitted it he’s flirting and calling her beautiful which is absolutely ridiculous because we know from Laynie he was breaking up with Amy. He played with her heart and feelings. He takes off with Bright in his father’s truck he stole knowing Amy would look for him too.

2. He subtly made fun of Harold’s dress.

3. He liquors up Bright at the Abbott’s then on the hill. Due to his arrogance he forced Bright to go with him to meet those other guys to show off his truck knowing they had been drinking.

4. He even makes fun of the one guy too. Funny how he made fun of him for throwing up when we know Colin was puking in the sink post-surgery as his brain was deteriorating.

5. If someone ever ripped a necklace off of me like Colin did with Amy I would punch the person in the face. I think the point was he was trying to get her to not be afraid but I still hated how he went about it.