'Once' hits high spot in poignant portrayal

By Robert Bianco, USA TODAY, (**** out of four)

No show is better than Once and Again when it hits close to home. It hasn't always done so this season. In its efforts to expand beyond the mixed-family entanglements of Lily and Rick — so ideally played and embodied by Sela Ward and Billy Campbell — this exemplary series sometimes seemed to be going through an identity crisis. For weeks, Once was practically held hostage by that thirtysomething interloper, Miles Drentell (David Clennon), and his bog of a development project.

Tonight, however, Once is back where it belongs: in the home, and deep in the hearts of its central characters. Only Once probes this deeply into the inner workings of our families — exploring how they are both our burden and our salvation, how they bring us hope and despair, and how they make us who we are.

Written by Richard Kramer and directed by Jim Kramer, tonight's hour is built around a visit by Lily's mentally ill brother, Aaron, played with nuance and heartbreaking grace by Patrick Dempsey. Aaron has spent years in a group home, but thanks to new medication, he has improved enough to spend a few nights in Lily's home.

The first warning comes from Aaron's caseworker, Shelley (amusingly played by one of the show's producers, Winnie Holzman). "Keep your expectations reasonable," she tells Lily, "and think about what you may need from him." But, of course, Lily needs too much — which leads to a carefully balanced, painfully accurate confrontation with her younger sister, Judy (Marin Hinkle, who deserves to break into this year's supporting-actress Emmy circle). Anyone who has ever had a failing relative will recognize the battle lines: Do you push them to do more, or accept their limitations? And anyone with a sibling will understand how difficult it is for Lily and Judy to see their brother and each other as adults, and not just as larger versions of their childhood selves.

That things will go wrong is a given — and even if it weren't, the plot point has been given away in the promos. What distinguishes Once is the honesty and clarity it brings to the story. Like few other shows, Once is both willing and able to look at the issue from all sides, even if it means making its lead characters temporarily unsympathetic.

Yet despite its many strengths, there's no denying this has been a tough sophomore season for Once and Again. You know a show is stumbling when its best-rated episode of late is out of character: a melodramatic hostage crisis. (In that case, the repercussions, some of which are felt tonight, have been more interesting than the event itself.) Still, a show that plunges this deeply and accurately into our homes is worth rallying to protect. Like the family life it so fully explores, Once is something to be treasured. Even when it's difficult. And even when it's imperfect.__USA TODAY (March 21, 2001)