Emma
11-20-2002, 04:06 PM
'Everwood' not sappy as it might seem
By Rick Kushman -- Bee TV Columnist
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Monday, September 16, 2002
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So Treat Williams plays this New York doctor, and he's such a big deal he gets on magazine covers and everyone loves him. Except, of course, his kids, who he never quite has time for.
Then his wife dies. Now Dr. Dad, angry teenage son and oh-so-cute young daughter must reconnect and learn to lean on each other, so they move to Colorado and blah, blah, blah. Pass the sugar and tears.
Except, no. WB's new drama, "Everwood" (premiering at 9 tonight on Channel 58), is far better than its been-there, teach-us-something setup sounds.
It is actually a witty, at times challenging, charming little drama that manages to straddle WB's two key demographics -- cool young viewers and families.
There are moments of pop culture a la WB's terrific "Gilmore Girls" -- "That's Harrison Ford in 'Mosquito Coast' crazy," the son (Gregory Smith) complains at one point -- and there are points of genuine angst, such as Williams and Smith yelling "I hate you!" at each other in misplaced grief and in a typical bout of father-and-son relations.
This is not world-class television. But not everything needs to be, and in a season when the networks are determined to do family programming, "Everwood" shows that not every story involving a family needs to be cloying.
The overall approach is gentle, but once you get past the setup -- and past Williams delivering the line, "You say it's crazy, I say it may be the sanest thing I've ever done" -- the whole, generally witty story feels like it's being told with a twinkle in the eye.
The centerpiece of the show is the setting. Andrew Brown (Williams), world-famous neurosurgeon, moves his family to Everwood, Colo., because his now-dead wife liked the sound of the place. It turns out to be a beautiful mountain town, home to plenty of quirky characters, a spot with echoes of "Northern Exposure," but just echoes.
It all starts with a lyrical voiceover by John Beasley -- we learn later he's the school bus driver -- who reassures us that this is a good story and we're watching some fine folks.
Yes, by cracky, that Everwood is a warmhearted, eccentric little town. But for every precious moment, "Everwood" breaks back into real drama with complicated family dynamics, or into a "Dawson's Creek" drama, with extraordinarily articulate teens battling love, life and each other.
You can feel the producers are straining for offbeat -- such as the snippy local doctor (Tom Amandes), or Brown's decision to provide his medical services free. You can't help doing the math on that free doctoring and wondering how much he used to charge for his services.
But Williams pulls it off with appeal, somehow coming up likable and understated while still a big-deal doctor.
The key to the series, however, looks to be Brown's bond with son Ephram. In the first episode, it's got all the anger and tense expectations of a solidly complex father-and-teen-son relationship, and if it doesn't get too repetitive -- starts angry, heals every week a bit -- it could be on to something.
There's nothing groundbreaking in "Everwood," but it is unabashedly good-hearted and there is a lot to like here. Plus, the scenery is spectacular.
By Rick Kushman -- Bee TV Columnist
Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Monday, September 16, 2002
------------------------------------------------
So Treat Williams plays this New York doctor, and he's such a big deal he gets on magazine covers and everyone loves him. Except, of course, his kids, who he never quite has time for.
Then his wife dies. Now Dr. Dad, angry teenage son and oh-so-cute young daughter must reconnect and learn to lean on each other, so they move to Colorado and blah, blah, blah. Pass the sugar and tears.
Except, no. WB's new drama, "Everwood" (premiering at 9 tonight on Channel 58), is far better than its been-there, teach-us-something setup sounds.
It is actually a witty, at times challenging, charming little drama that manages to straddle WB's two key demographics -- cool young viewers and families.
There are moments of pop culture a la WB's terrific "Gilmore Girls" -- "That's Harrison Ford in 'Mosquito Coast' crazy," the son (Gregory Smith) complains at one point -- and there are points of genuine angst, such as Williams and Smith yelling "I hate you!" at each other in misplaced grief and in a typical bout of father-and-son relations.
This is not world-class television. But not everything needs to be, and in a season when the networks are determined to do family programming, "Everwood" shows that not every story involving a family needs to be cloying.
The overall approach is gentle, but once you get past the setup -- and past Williams delivering the line, "You say it's crazy, I say it may be the sanest thing I've ever done" -- the whole, generally witty story feels like it's being told with a twinkle in the eye.
The centerpiece of the show is the setting. Andrew Brown (Williams), world-famous neurosurgeon, moves his family to Everwood, Colo., because his now-dead wife liked the sound of the place. It turns out to be a beautiful mountain town, home to plenty of quirky characters, a spot with echoes of "Northern Exposure," but just echoes.
It all starts with a lyrical voiceover by John Beasley -- we learn later he's the school bus driver -- who reassures us that this is a good story and we're watching some fine folks.
Yes, by cracky, that Everwood is a warmhearted, eccentric little town. But for every precious moment, "Everwood" breaks back into real drama with complicated family dynamics, or into a "Dawson's Creek" drama, with extraordinarily articulate teens battling love, life and each other.
You can feel the producers are straining for offbeat -- such as the snippy local doctor (Tom Amandes), or Brown's decision to provide his medical services free. You can't help doing the math on that free doctoring and wondering how much he used to charge for his services.
But Williams pulls it off with appeal, somehow coming up likable and understated while still a big-deal doctor.
The key to the series, however, looks to be Brown's bond with son Ephram. In the first episode, it's got all the anger and tense expectations of a solidly complex father-and-teen-son relationship, and if it doesn't get too repetitive -- starts angry, heals every week a bit -- it could be on to something.
There's nothing groundbreaking in "Everwood," but it is unabashedly good-hearted and there is a lot to like here. Plus, the scenery is spectacular.