The WB gambled this fall with Everwood (Thursdays, WNAB-TV Ch. 58, 8 p.m.) when they decided to move it to the most watched night on television. Now in its fourth season, the network also put Everwood opposite the top-ranked CSI and hoped that by having it follow Smallville they could at least be remotely competitive.
Thus far things have worked fairly well, with Smallville enjoying a creative resurgence and Everwood capably blending topical drama, sentimental events and change-of-pace comedy. The producers have also kept things fresh, tracing changes in the relationships between Dr. Andrew Brown (Treat Williams), his musically gifted son Ephram (Gregory Smith) and his daughter Delia (Vivien Cardone), as well as his encounters with onetime competitor turned partner Dr. Harold Abbott (Tom Amandes) and close friend and confidant Nina Feeney (Stephanie Niznik).
Tonight’s episode deals with some major developments affecting other characters, most notably Ephram, his former girlfriend Amy (Emily VanCamp), her brother Bright (Chris Pratt) and his new girlfriend Hannah (Sarah Drew). There’s also a secondary storyline involving a kidney patient of Brown’s and his refusal to accept a transplant from his daughter (Gina Ravera).
Everwood is the type of program that is appealing to viewers with both young and teen children because it poses realistic scenarios and dilemmas and doesn’t always offer easy solutions. It also doesn’t shy away from controversial subjects, offers complex characterizations, and is extremely well acted, written and directed.
Like its network mate 7th Heaven, here’s a fine show that is also among the few problems suitable for family viewing that’s neither animated nor thematically timid.
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