"ONCE AND AGAIN" IS RENEWED AFTER CHANGES STOP ITS NOSE DIVE

BYLINE: Gail Pennington -- "Once and Again," one of fall's best-reviewed and most-anticipated dramas, quickly turned into a disappointment for ABC. Ratings started strong but then faded, especially after a hiatus and schedule change, and the series was bumped several times during the February sweeps.

But an unusually smart move by the creators saved the show, both practically and creatively. Last week, ABC recognized the treasure that "Once and Again" (9 p.m. Mondays on Channel 30) has become and rewarded it with early renewal for fall.

Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, who previously worked together on "thirtysomething" and "My So-Called Life," realized a few months into "Once and Again" that the series was getting monotonous. Conceived as a tribute to second-time-around love, the show had focused heavily on the relationship of Lily Manning and Rick Sammler (Sela Ward and Billy Campbell), divorced parents who in the pilot fell hard for each other at first sight.

Charming though Lily and Rick are, even the most devoted fans began to grow weary of all the kissing and cooing. At times, watching the show was like going out with newlyweds: in a word, embarrassing.

Zwick and Herskovitz had the answer; maybe the network nudged, or maybe it was their secret plan all along. After the show's move to Mondays in January, the story lines began to focus increasingly on their other characters in the ensemble, and the result is one of the smartest series now running.

Lily's sister got a story thread, and a love interest. So did Rick's ex-wife, Karen, and even their daughter Jessie. Two of the strongest episodes of the season focused on the illness and death of Lily's father. Julia Whelan, as Lily's sensitive daughter Grace, continues to be an important presence, as does Shane West as Rick's son, Eli.

Together, all these characters form a sprawling, messy, modern extended family more realistic than any seen on television lately. Of course, realism doesn't often play well on TV; consider the fate of NBC's canceled "Freaks & Geeks," so painfully accurate in its depiction of high school that many viewers ran screaming.

"Once and Again," however, leavens its realism with intelligence, insight, humor and (of course) romance. That this satisfying and addictive series will return in the fall is a victory for good television.

In more early renewal news, ABC also announced last week that it was picking up "The Practice" (for a fifth season) and "NYPD Blue" (for an eighth). No surprise there. ABC Entertainment execs Stu Bloomberg and Lloyd Braun labeled those two and "Once and Again" as "signature shows for our network."

"The Practice," created by David E. Kelley, debuted in March 1997 and has won seven Emmys, including best-drama prizes the last two years. It's the No. 2 network drama among viewers in the prized 18-49 demographic, trailing only NBC's "ER." Viewership of "The Practice" is up a third from last year.

"NYPD Blue," one of ABC's most reliable performers since its debut in 1993, is also showing increased viewership this year after a slow start. "Once and Again" is the top-rated new drama of the season among adults 18-49, ABC said.

(rest of article "snipped")__St. Louis Post-Dispatch (April 12, 2000)