LAist Watches: Everwood

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When Everwood hit The WB airwaves a few years ago, the drama was so thick you could cut it with a knife... if you were lucky. Despite dealing with death, comas and more death, Everwood was a hit. This was due in part to superb writing and a formidable ensemble. Propelled by the wholesome audience of 7th Heaven, it found a comfortable, albeit angst-filled niche on the network line-up.

Over the course of two seasons, we've watched Ephram and Andy (Treat Williams) patch their broken family and subsequently survive the icy storms—both literal and metaphorical—in the fictional, small town of Everwood, Colorado. Like Gilmore Girls or even the ill-fated Mountain, all WB dramas suffer/benefit from having an unbelievably attractive and incredibly witty group of townies. Everwood offers a bit more diversity than the other shows on the network, but everyone (except a character named Bright, ironically) seems too smart for their own collective good.

On the season premiere, the headstrong Andy (one of three town doctors) was still pining after Nina, the hot-but-unavailable girl next door. The two have been dancing around their obvious attraction for two years. Both are inconveniently unavailable and have predictably bad timing. Yet, they're always there for one another and seem to embrace just a moment too long when consoling each other. That's part of the soapy charm of the show.

Last spring, the good doctor professed his love to Nina just before she was whisked off to an exotic getaway with her new beau Jake (Scott Wolf). Nina is forced to (eventually) chose between Andy and Jake. She chooses Jake (of course). But not before she and Andy share an intimate dance (of course).

Meanwhile, Amy is at odds with her cancer-stricken mother, Rose. She gave up her chance to go away to an ivy league college to care for her mom, and Rose was not pleased at all. The caregiver role is nothing new for Amy as she once doted on her coma-stricken boyfriend and tended to the emotionally volatile Ephram. When Amy developed a crush on Justin, a med student working with her mother, we weren't surprised to find out that he's gay. To complicate matters, the matriarch and patriarch of the town are getting married. This is the catalyst for Ephram to return and all the various dramas to collide.

The premiere episode was uncharacteristically light, funny and promising for the new season. The addition of a gay character, and the innocent romance between Bright and Hannah, signal a new season of twists and turns. In a move that we think is wise, the show is moving more towards being a "dramedy." Gone are the screaming matches between Ephram and Andy, at least for now. Hopefully we'll see a few more laughs to balance out this well-written and likeable drama on The WB. Given the current landscape at the network, they need Everwood.

LAist's take:
This is defintely a TiVo-worthy show. If you haven't watched over the course of the past two seasons, the learning curve may be an uphill battle. But judging from the season premiere, the focus is on new relationships and the present dramas. So a history with Everwood may not be necessary. We're going to tune into the show a few more weeks to see what's in store. Everwood is the kind of show that grows on you over time.

Disclaimer: Also, although I work with Warner Bros., I'd be the first to steer you away from a stinker. (e.g., avoid the entire comedy block on The WB!) That being said, Everwood is wholesome and intelligent programming. It's biggest fault is that sometimes it's too intelligent and too "angsty." But you should give Everwood a shot, if you have room in your TiVo.

Everwood airs Thursdays at 9/8c (new night) after Smallville.