"Once and Again" on its way out:
Critically acclaimed show to end its ABC run in mid-April

By Laura J. Tuchman

"Once and Again," ABC's critically acclaimed drama starring Sela Ward and Billy Campbell, will air its last show on April 15, according to TVinsite.com. The Web site's "breaking news" story, posted Friday morning, quoted ABC Entertainment Chief Susan Lyne as saying that fans deserve "a fully realized conclusion" to the relationship between Lily and Rick Sammler, the couple played by Ward and Campbell.

Those who watch the Edward Zwick-Marshall Herskovitz ("thirtysomething" and "My So-Called Life") show might quibble with Lyne's assessment since Lily and Rick seem fully realized in what is the second marriage for both.

"Once and Again", a show about couplings, uncouplings and blended families, first aired in September 1999 and recently made the switch to a Monday night, 10 p.m. time slot in a bid for more viewers.

It's the show's many other relationships -- in the two families brought together by Lily and Rick's marriage -- that fans will wonder about: Lily's sister, Judy Brooks (Marin Hinkle), and Sam Blue (Steven Weber) and his young son, Jamie. Rick's ex-wife, Karen Sammler (Susanna Thompson), recuperating from massive injuries after being hit by a car. And Lily's daughter, Grace Manning (Julia Whelan), whose relationship with her high school drama teacher, not to mention her step-siblings, seems to cause unending confusion for all involved or not involved.

And then there's the Sammler branch of the family tree: Eli and Jessie Sammler, son and daughter of Rick and Karen. Is Eli straightening up for college, or just heading for a garage-band future? And Jessie's interest in a girlfriend over a boyfriend -- when will the whole family figure it out?

Every so often, Aaron Manning [sic] enters the picture, too. That's Lily and Judy's troubled brother, just moved to an independent-living situation, apparently with a girlfriend. But how long can that last?

Perhaps the show will wrap up all these questions with a neat bow. Or perhaps not.

Since it's start, the show has wound its way through seven time slots, making it tough to develop an audience. But the show's writing and characters -- complete with black-and-white, sometimes flashback-laced monologues -- have never faltered. Ratings rose a bit since the move to Monday nights (from Friday), but with 6.5 million weekly watchers, the show is still ABC's lowest-rated drama. (A highly rated show like NBC's "Friends -- has been know to draw more than 28 million viewers.)

In its first season, Zwick and Herskovitz managed to work in the character of Miles Drentell, the horrid boss of "thirtysomething, -- and he was just as crazy as ever. There's no telling what this small-screen team will be up to next. But fans should make sure to tune in. __ MSNBC.com (March 29, 2002)

Home

2002 Articles Archive Index