Everwood

Plot

Main article: List of Everwood episodes

Everwood follows Dr. Andrew “Andy” Brown, a widowed neurosurgeon who relocates from New York City to the small town of Everwood, Colorado, with his two children, Ephram and Delia, after the death of his wife. The move forces the family to confront their grief while adjusting to small-town life. Andy’s arrival disrupts the local medical community, particularly his relationship with longtime town doctor Harold Abbott, though their professional rivalry gradually develops into mutual respect and friendship.

Much of the series centres on Ephram’s difficult adolescence, his strained relationship with his father, and his long-standing feelings for Amy Abbott, Harold’s daughter. Early storylines focus on Andy’s decision to return temporarily to neurosurgery in an attempt to save Amy’s boyfriend, Colin Hart, who has been in a coma following a car accident. Although the operation initially appears successful, Colin later dies from complications, a decision that leaves Andy ostracised by the town and deeply affects Amy, who struggles with grief and depression.

As the series progresses, the characters face personal and ethical challenges involving illness, addiction, loss, and forgiveness. Ephram pursues his talent as a pianist while navigating romantic relationships and resentment toward his father. Ephram's relationship with Madison, Delia's 20-year-old babysitter, and her eventual pregnancy further strains his relationship with Andy but serves as a catalyst for Ephram’s emotional growth and reconciliation.

The ensemble cast is further developed through subplots involving Harold and his wife Rose, whose marriage is tested by political pressures and Rose’s battle with cancer; Bright Abbott’s gradual maturation after years of recklessness; and Nina Feeney, Andy’s neighbour, whose on-again, off-again relationship with Andy is complicated by her own romantic entanglements and responsibilities as a single mother.

In the final season, the characters confront adulthood and long-term commitments. Ephram rediscovers his passion for music through teaching and chooses a future in music education, while Amy struggles to define her identity outside of her relationship with him. Following personal losses, including the death of Edna Harper’s husband Irv, and the collapse of Nina’s engagement to another man, Andy and Nina finally acknowledge their feelings for each other and become engaged.

The series concludes with Ephram and Amy reuniting in a more mature relationship, Andy finding personal happiness and stability in Everwood, and the town’s residents moving forward after years of shared hardship and growth.

Series finale

Everwood's series finale, which aired on Monday, June 5, 2006, was seen by 4.07 million viewers.

The final episode, "Foreverwood", was written as both a season and a series finale. Because of the impending WB/UPN merger into the CW Television Network, the future of the series was uncertain, and the producers wrote two endings. Originally, the producers had scripted a montage for the "series-finale cut" that went forty years into the future to show a majority of the regular characters at Andy's funeral, showing the series coming full circle; this was never filmed due to budgetary reasons as well as the producers' hopes that they would receive a fifth season.

Everwood was canceled in favor of a new show, Runaway, which Dawn Ostroff then canceled after only three episodes had been shown, and for a new season of 7th Heaven, which had just had its series finale. The finale of 7th Heaven had 7 million viewers. Everwood had an average of 4 million viewers (which, if it was sustained, would have put it in the top 5 CW ratings for the following year).

Cast

Main

• Treat Williams as Dr. Andrew “Andy” Brown: A widowed neurosurgeon who moves his family to Everwood.
• Gregory Smith as Ephram Brown: Andy’s son, a talented pianist.
• Emily VanCamp as Amy Abbott: Daughter of Dr. Harold Abbott and Ephram’s primary love interest.
• Vivien Cardone as Delia Brown: Andy’s younger daughter.
• Debra Mooney as Edna Harper: A nurse, friend of the Brown family and mother of Dr. Harold Abbott.
• John Beasley as Irv Harper – Edna’s husband and town resident.
• Chris Pratt as Harold Brighton “Bright” Abbott III: Amy’s older brother.
• Tom Amandes as Dr. Harold Abbott: Everwood’s established physician and father of Amy and Bright.
• Stephanie Niznik as Nina Feeney: Andy’s neighbor (recurring season 1; main seasons 2-4).
• Merrilyn Gann as Rose Abbott: Harold’s wife and community figure (recurring seasons 1-2; main seasons 3-4).

Recurring

• Nora Zehetner as Laynie Hart: A friend of Amy and Ephram. (seasons 1-2)
• Marcia Cross as Dr. Linda Abbott: Harold’s sister. (season 2)
• Sarah Lancaster as Madison Kellner: Delia's babysitter and Ephram’s older girlfriend (seasons 2-3).
• Scott Wolf as Dr. Jake Hartman: A general practitioner who competes with Andy and Harold (seasons 3-4).
• Sarah Drew as Hannah Rogers – Amy's friend and Bright's eventual girlfriend. (seasons 3-4)
• Anne Heche as Amanda Hayes: A town resident who becomes involved with Andy. (season 3)
• Justin Baldoni as Reid Bardem – A medical student involved with Amy. (season 4)

Home media

Warner Home Video has released all four seasons of Everwood on DVD in Region 1. While the entire series was shot in 16:9 widescreen, the first season DVD is presented in a cropped 4:3 aspect ratio. The final three season releases retain the original 16:9 aspect ratio; they also feature extensive music substitutions. In Region 2, Warner Home Video has also released all four seasons on DVD in Germany and in the Netherlands, and the first two seasons in Hungary. In Region 4, Warner Home Video has released the first season on DVD in Australia.

Reception

Critical response

Robert Bianco for USA Today was not enthusiastic about the show's premiere and gave it a two-star rating out of four. He found that Everwoods main problem was that it "never knows when the corn syrup is thick enough" due to its clichés. On the more positive side, he wrote, "Clearly, WB's goal here is to find an acceptable time-period companion for 7th Heaven, and it's entirely possible the network has. The scenery is pretty, Smith has the earmarks of a star in the making, and Williams actually is quite appealing—when the script isn't forcing him to behave as if he were insane." TV Guide was critical of the pilot episode and accused it of being a "bit excessive and sentimental" and self-consciously quirky, but that "it's beautifully acted, crisply written and has first-rate production values."

Advocacy group the Parents Television Council ranked Everwood as the group's No. 1 "worst network TV show for family viewing" on their list of the 2003–04 season. The PTC criticized "the careless and irresponsible treatment of sexual issues—especially when the teenaged characters are involved" and stated "Everwoods reckless messages about sex without consequences are expressly targeted to impressionable teens."

In 2003, TV Guide named Everwood one of "The Best Shows You May Not Be Watching".

Ratings

Seasonal rankings (based on average total viewers per episode) of Everwood on the WB.

Accolades

Everwood received two Emmy nominations: Outstanding Main Title Theme Music (2003) written by Blake Neely, and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (2004) for James Earl Jones's turn as Will Cleveland.

Treat Williams has also received two Screen Actors Guild award nominations in 2003 and 2004 for his role as Dr. Andy Brown.

Soundtrack

1. "Lonely People" – Jars of Clay (popularized by America)
2. "Trouble" – Kristin Hersh (popularized by Cat Stevens)
3. "These Days" – Griffin House (popularized by Nico and Jackson Browne)
4. "The Only Living Boy in New York" – David Mead (popularized by Simon and Garfunkel)
5. "Summer Breeze" – Jason Mraz (popularized by Seals and Crofts)
6. "Father and Son" – Leigh Nash (popularized by Cat Stevens)
7. "The Harder They Come" – Guster (popularized by Jimmy Cliff)
8. "Don't Be Shy" – Travis (popularized by Cat Stevens)
9. "Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels)" – Toby Lightman (popularized by Jim Croce)
10. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" – Stereophonics (popularized by Roberta Flack)
11. "Cathedrals" – Jump Little Children
12. "Main Title Theme for Everwood" – Blake Neely
13. "A Love Song" – Treat Williams (bonus track; popularized by Anne Murray)

Notes

References

References

1. (November 4, 2005). "Our New Life in Everwood". MGN Limited.
2. Pierce, Scott D.. (July 15, 2002). "Show's crew warms up to Utah". [[Deseret News]].
3. Chaston, Deanne W.. (Winter 2003). "Everwood films in Utah".
4. Ford Sullivan, Brian. (May 17, 2006). "The CW Unveils New Logo, Sets Pickups". [[The Futon Critic]].
5. Ausiello, Michael. (May 19, 2006). "What the Hell! 7th Heaven Killed Everwood!".
6. "2006–07 primetime wrap". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
7. "Everwood DVD news: Date Change for Everwood - The Complete 4th Season".
8. "Everwood - the Complete 1st Season (6 Disc Set) @ EzyDVD".
9. "Everwood: The Complete First Season (DVD 2002) – DVD Empire".
10. "Everwood - Seizoen 1 (dvd)".
11. "Everwood: The Complete Second Season (DVD 2003) – DVD Empire".
12. "Everwood - Seizoen 2 (dvd)".
13. "Everwood: The Complete Third Season (DVD 2004) – DVD Empire".
14. "Everwood - Seizoen 3 (dvd)".
15. "Everwood: Season 1".
16. "Everwood".
17. "Everwood: Season 2".
18. "Everwood: Season 3".
19. "Everwood: Season 4".
20. Bianco, Robert. (September 15, 2002). "Sweetness is 'Everwood' weakness".
21. Donahue, Steve. (2002). "MY KIND OF TOWN".
22. "Top Ten Best and Worst Shows on Primetime Network TV 2003–2004". parentstv.org.
23. Flynn, Gillian. (May 16, 2005). "Everwood review".
24. Roush, Matt. (March 31, 2003). "THE SIX BEST SHOWS YOU MAY NOT BE WATCHING". [[TV Guide]].
25. (2002). "TV Guide Book of Lists". Running Press.
26. "2002–03 Ratings". [[Nielsen ratings.
27. "2003–04 Ratings". [[American Broadcasting Company.
28. (May 27, 2005). "Hollywood Reporter: 2004–05 primetime wrap". The Hollywood Reporter.
29. (May 26, 2006). "Hollywood Reporter: 2005–06 primetime wrap". Hollywood Reporter.
30. "Blake Neely {{!}} Awards & Nominations". Emmys.com.
31. "Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for 2004 – Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series". Emmys.com.
32. Ryan, Maureen. (September 19, 2004). "'Everwood' and 'Gilmore' not run-of-the-mill teen soaps". [[Chicago Tribune]].
33. "The 9th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". SAG Awards.
34. "The 10th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards". SAG Awards.