'Once and Again' captures life's pageant

By Robert Bianco (**** out of four) --

All Lily and Rick want is one nice dinner together with their children. Is that too much to ask?

Well, yes, as a matter of fact, it is — and not just because Once and Again creators Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick enjoy throwing roadblocks in front of this adorably conflicted pair, played by America's sexiest fortysomething couple, Sela Ward and Billy Campbell. A smooth meal is impossible because in this terrific second-year series, as in the real world, life refuses to adapt to our plans .

The joy of Once and Again is its ability to find the humor and drama in just such small, everyday problems: the tension of your first day in high school; the desire to see your sibling succeed — but not so much that you feel threatened. Herskovitz and Zwick don't need fantasies and guns to grab your attention; they expect you to be as fascinated with the inner workings of the American family as they are.

The second season opens where the last one left off, exploring a world that has expanded beyond the romance of Rick and Lily to encompass their extended families.

In tonight's premiere, that exploration focuses on the show's extraordinary young actors, as Jessie (Evan Rachel Wood) faces a first day in high school with less help from Grace (Julia Whelan) than she might wish.

Eventually, Grace learns a lesson — then forgets it, then learns it again, which is the bumpy path progress usually takes. And while Jessie's suffering may be a bit exaggerated (wouldn't she have any friends left from eighth grade?), her father's terror at seeing "even the slightest shadow on that face" seems right on the mark.

This first-rate kickoff leads to an even stronger episode next week, as Lily's sister, Judy (Marin Hinkle), turns the bookstore into a singles club for readers — against the advice of her older sister. The show twists and turns, but it inevitably leads back to Campbell and Ward, two abnormally talented and attractive actors who are able to make ambivalence seem enticing.

At the core of the episode is a sobering examination of sibling rivalry. ("It's like someone handed me a pamphlet on how to be in the wrong," says a chastised Lily, "and I followed the directions exactly.")

But the show also supplies a touching story about modern loneliness and the lengths to which we'll go to escape it .

What distinguishes Once and Again is this stunning ability to hold life up to the light like a crystal and examine all its facets. Not everyone, however, will be enchanted by the trick: As with every show Herskovitz and Zwick have done, some people find this intense examination of life's nuances excruciating.

But for those of us who love the show and its creators' work, it's a pleasure to have them back once again.__USA TODAY (October 24, 2000)