`Once and Again' picks up steam

"Blessed with ecstatic reviews and strong early ratings, ABC's ''Once and Again'' seemed destined to grow into a major success.

Then it looked like ''Once and Never More.''

Viewers started wandering away, complaining that the lovers Lily Manning (Sela Ward) and Rick Sammler (Billy Campbell) were too whiny and the plots lacked pizazz.

Competitor ''Judging Amy'' on CBS overtook the show, becoming the hot new drama. And ''NYPD Blue'' returned to the schedule, pushing ''Once and Again'' to 10 p.m. Mondays.

The show, which drew 16.8 million viewers at its September premiere, was down to 10.8 million last week in its first Monday telecast. It ran third in total viewers, close behind two other freshman dramas, CBS' ''Family Law'' and NBC's ''Third Watch.''

Despite those dire signs, ''Once and Again'' delivered a powerful episode that indicates the producers have the show back on track.

They intensified the tensions between Lily and her estranged husband, Jake (Jeffrey Nordling), by putting them in marital mediation.

They gave Rick a scary opponent in Miles Drentell (David Clennon), a crafty figure resurrected from ''thirtysomething.''

And they pushed Lily and Rick to the brink of parting forever before the characters changed their minds during a passionate fade-out.

The show ''needed more conflict,'' said Stu Bloomberg, co-chairman of the ABC Entertainment Television Group. ''I love that relationship of Lily and Rick, but I was craving more. I wanted more obstacles, more story.''

The producers' compelling changes suggest more viewers should give ''Once and Again'' another look.__Boston Globe (January 31, 2000)