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Once & Again Episode Guide
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JanuaryJanuary 31, 2000Something was missing from this episode....what was it again? Oh yes, the star of the show!! Apparently, the writers of the show had no problem omitting the entire Manning family from this week's episode. I suppose that Sela Ward was too busy making commercials for Sprints' nickel Sundays. What did happen? Karen's relationship with Lloyd Lloyd (played by James Eckhouse of Beverly Hills 90210) has intensified, but Karen is feeling smothered by Lloyd. He wants to see her all of the time. One day at work, Karen meets her new client, a doctor named Leo. Leo and Karen are trying to create new public housing. He is a young guy and good-looking. One night, the two kiss. The next day Karen breaks up with Lloyd. Nothing is official between her and Leo, but Karen can tell that she's not meant to be with Lloyd. The next night, Leo and Karen kiss again. It seems that the two have a lot of passion between them.Eli also has love problems. He feels that Jennifer is too intense. She comes over to his house all the time and is very needy. He starts flirting with this girl named Cassidy who plays on the girls' volleyball team. One day, Jennifer sees Cassidy at Eli's house. She realizes that Eli is not being quite loyal. Eli tells Jennifer that he wants to remain a very good friend with her, but that he does not want to be with her. She will not be his friend, so the two separate. Eli is now with Cassidy. But the scene is more complex, because Jessie got very upset when he saw Eli cheating on Jennifer. Jessie thought that Eli should be loyal to his girlfriend. Eli had also asked his dad for advice, and Rick advised that Eli should not feel obligated to be in love with Jennifer, and that if he did not like Jennifer that he should dump her. I suppose that this is all. QUESTION OF THE EPISODE: Is this show about the love of two
divorced people or two families? I think what we all want to see is love, not family.
January 24, 2000I am so happy that this show was back. Unfortunately, I write this synopsis four days after the show aired. So some of the details will be left out, but I promise you that everything of import is in this description. And let's admit that this show deserves to be described in entirety. Lily and Jake have begun to see a mediator. The mediator will work out who gets what assets when the divorce is settled. Unfortunately, the mediator (who happens to be a pregnant lady, ready to have birth at any moment) says that the house and businesses may have to be sold to insure that the estate is divided evenly. Jake sends realtors over to the house to find out the value of the home so Lily sends an appraiser to Jake's restaurant. The two are in a big fight over whether or not the house must be sold and then Jake says that if Lily gives him some time that the house may be saved. She can't be sure but she hopes. That's all for the mediation.For those of you who were alive during the run of thirtysomething, Miles Drentell has decided to expand his advertising company to Chicago. Rick's partner, David, has been commissioned to design an intimidating building for Miles' company. David and Rick go to meet Miles. Miles at first calls Rick, "a man too robust and handsome to have much of a brain," but after talking, Miles changes his mind. Miles calls Rick up and tells Rick that he will only continue to give business to Rick's company if Rick takes over the account, and David leaves. Rick goes to talk to Miles about this without telling David. But David finds out about the meeting. David is hurt that the meeting took place, but says that Rick should take over the account. David says that what Rick did to him is like what Lily did to Rick in not telling one another about something. But what made David bring Lily up in conversation? Grace becomes a tutor in high school. Who is she supposed to tutor? Eli. Is this arrangement a coincidence? No. Eli's girlfriend, Jennifer, switched Grace's name for the name of another girl who was supposed to tutor Eli, b/c Jennifer feared that Eli would like the other girl too much. So, Eli and Grace get together to tutor, and one day Rick and Lily show up at the same time to pick up their children. They meet, and the kids leave them alone. The two talk about nothing but The Stranger by Camus which serves as an example of us not being part of that which is happening to us. The short novel also deals with estrangement and what not, and I think that everybody should read this book b/c it is so remarkable. When the kids are alone, Eli asks Grace if she arranged for her to tutor him. She explains that Jennifer switched the names. Anyway, Rick is now thinking about Lily and gives her a phone call. The two get together. He tells her that "I tried to hate [you], but I never succeeded." At this point, I'm so excited b/c it seems like they're getting back together. But then Rick admits that "the love was so right, but the timing was so wrong." He explains that the two of them may love each other, but that they don't belong in a relationship with each other right now. By the way, he does admit that the line is very corny. But I am so upset at Rick for making Lily get together with him just so that he can re break up with her. Well, the two say good-bye, and then they kiss good-bye, and then they kiss again. He says, "I can't let you go." She says, "Thank God." And I say thank G-d also, b/c I love this show and don't know what I would do if these two couldn't always be together. NEXT WEEK: "When mother, father, and son all have dating problems, you know times have changed." Eli thinks Jennifer is becoming too controlling. Will he turn to Grace for comfort? NOTE: Hiatus: Shows did not air between December 21, 1999 and January 24, 2000. DecemberDecember 21, 1999I thought this was just great. I cried, and I wept, and my heart was wrenched. So here's what happens. It's Christmas season, and as a present, Rick plans a trip with him and Lily to someplace tropical. However, Lily is having trouble facing Rick ever since she had sex with Jake (yes, it was sex!). Lily doesn't know that she wants to go away with Rick, but she does know that it's over with Jake even though she's having trouble telling this to Jake. Lily tells Rick that she'll ask Jake to take the kids so that the trip is possible. Lily then goes out with the kids and Jake to buy a Christmas tree where Eli sees them together. Lily doesn't notice Eli, but Eli tells his dad that he saw all of the Sammlers (meaning Lily, Jake, Zoe, and Grace). In the meantime, Grace tells her mom that she saw Lily and Jake kissing. Lily tells Grace that nothing is happening between them. Rick then asks Lily what Jake said about the trip, and Lily tells Rick that she hadn't seen Jake. The next day, Rick tells Lily that he knows she saw Jake. Lily tells Rick that it was nothing. Then Lily tells Rick that she had sex with Jake. Rick says that the relationship is over. Time passes and Lily tells Jake that she wants a divorce. In the background of this whole episode we have major disillusionment. As Lily announces her plans for a divorce to Jake on Christmas Eve, Zoe walks into the living room and realizes that there is no Santa Claus. At the same time, Grace realizes that her parents ARE getting a divorce. It's a major catastrophe. Grace comforts her younger sister and ends up comforting herself as well. Also in the background of this entire episode is Lily's construction of a gingerbread house. Naomi tells Lily how hard it is to make a gingerbread house and then Lily doesn't realize it. But on Christmas day, the kids realize that the gingerbread house isn't perfect:. Lily tells her kids, "The beauty of gingerbread is that it can always be repaired." Lily takes this advice as well as some advice from Judy and visits Rick. She tells Rick that she is getting a divorce from Jake and that the sex was a mistake, but she doesn't apologize. She says that she got into a relationship with Rick all too quickly and that it was both of their faults. Rick refuses to react and he just walks away into the night. It seems that their relationship may be over. It was so hard for me to see these two people who I have fallen in love with and who have finally admitted their love for each other split up.QUOTE OF THE EPISODE:She's [Lily] making a gingerbread house. You're [Rick] an architect. Freud would have a field day. --David HOW HARD IS IT TO MAKE A GINGERBREAD HOUSE?Remember childbirth, this is harder. --Naomi GOLDEN GLOBE:This show has been nominated for three Golden Globes: Best Dramatic Television Series; Best Actor in a Dramatic Television Series, Billy Campbell; Best Actress in a Dramatic Television Series, Sela Ward ONCE AND AGAIN NEWS: This phenomenal series will be off the air until January 24, 2000 when it moves to its new night: Monday at the same time: 10:00/9:00 CST PM December 14, 1999Rerun of series pilotOPENING LINE TO SERIES:All I ever wanted, I think, was to be safe. --Lily NEXT WEEK: Lily reveals that she had sex with Jake, but she lies to Rick about it. The catch: Eli saw Jake at Lily's. December 7, 1999A note to ABC. Once and Again is a good show which should not have the endings of episodes aired on commercials. The episode begins with Rick and Lily spending the night together at Rick's apartment. At the end of this nightlong date, Rick suggests that he take Lily and her two daughters out for dinner. Lily leaves early in the morning to get back to her house to see her kids who Jake will be dropping off. She arrives at Jake, and the kids are outside the house with firefighters inside the house. Some wiring in the house blew up. The house is still in tact, and the electricity will be returned after some work is done on the house. Lily calls an electrician for an estimate, but the cost is so great that Jake says he will it do the work. Jake is working in the house and Grace really likes to see her dad at home...until Rick comes over to take out Lily, Grace, and Zoey. The four go to an Italian restaurant, and Grace acts obnoxiously. Zoey seems to kind of like Rick. The dinner is over. Lily returns home, and over the next few days Jake continues to work in the house. She realizes that he is going through some hard times. One day, Rick and Lily talk. Lily says that she thinks that she really likes Rick, but that her kids should stay out of the relationship for now. Rick says no. He says that she lets her kids rule her life. This really pisses her off, but he is right. The two are now in a fight. Later, Rick calls to apologize and says that he apologizes for being so extreme in language, but that he can't stop the relationship from moving forward and that it has to move forward. Lily seems upset at this thought. As she hangs up on Rick, she goes to her bedroom where Jake is on the phone with some guy. Lily asks Jake what is going on. He confesses that he may lose the restaurant. The two cry together. They start to kiss. As they kiss, Grace walks by and sees this. Keep in mind, nothing would make Grace as happy as her parents getting back together. Fade out and end show.Also this week. Eli and Karen fight. Eli wants to move into the basement. Karen hesitates, but she is pressured into allowing this. She perceives that Eli views her as an enemy. She allows the move but talks with Rick about it. Rick helps Eli move downstairs and doesn't mind that Eli will have his own entrance to the house. Karen is troubled by Eli's sense of independence, and Eli is troubled by his mom's desire to control his life. But Eli complains about his mom being so commanding to Rick. He says to Rick, "At least you divorced her." Rick erupts at this, and from that point on Eli is nice to his mom. NEXT WEEK: Rerun of the season premiere. NovemberNovember 30, 1999There was no episode this week...instead "Barbara Walter's 10 Most Fascinating People" aired.November 23, 1999This episode had so much reality to it. It seems that people are like this in real life. As for me and this busy week, I'll be able to do a brief summary. It's Thanksgiving. Rick spends the holiday all by himself. His kids go to Karen's, and while there, Jessie formally meets Lloyd Lloyd (remember him from a few weeks ago...he was the dorky guy that Karen saw at the basketball game where Eli hurt himself). Jessie seems to really like Lloyd, but Karen seems a little doubtful about her feelings for him. At the end of the night, Jessie and Eli return to Rick's apartment, and Jessie prepares Rick a mini Thanksgiving dinner, which was nice because Rick had been lonely (except for when he visited Lily, which you'll read about in a minute).Lily's parents come over for a few days during Thanksgiving. While visiting, they want to go see Jake. Lily, Judy, and parents visit the restaurant, and parents invite Jake to Thanksgiving dinner. Lily says no, but then says she'll think about it. Later on, parents return to Jake's and invite him. In the meantime, parents try to talk Lily into getting back together with Jake. Apparently, dad had had an affair once, but mom forgave dad so why can't Lily forgive Jake. Anyway, it's Thanksgiving and Lily and Judy are going crazy. Judy is upset because her brother (I forgot his name) couldn't come to Thanksgiving dinner. Apparently, Lily and Judy have a brother who is between them in age. The brother is schizophrenic and is in a mental institution, and for some strange reason can't come out this one day. Another fight involves the fact that Jake is borrowing money from parents (Lily's parents, that is) to renovate and expand the restaurant. The parents don't mind, but Lily and Judy do. Lily is going crazy as everyone fights with everyone, and she calls Rick, and he visits briefly. The two meet outside of her home and parents see them by accident. Visit is therapeutic for both Lily and Rock who had been suffering from overdrive. Lily is then confronted by her parents, and she responds by claiming that she has every right to this relationship. She fights with her parents, but accepts them nonetheless. NEXT WEEK: Rick takes out Lily, Grace, and Zoe. November 16, 1999A good episode indeed. Lily goes away to a book convention for a few days and leaves the kids with Judy. Grace wants to go this birthday party that she hears about from Eli, because there's this guy that she likes who's supposed to be at the party. Judy asks Lily about the party, and Lily says that Grace can go if Judy makes sure that a parent will be at the party. As for Eli, he wants to drive to the party, but Karen says no. Eli asks his dad, and Rick then talks it over with Karen. When Eli promises not to drink at the party, his parents approve his driving. Anyway, Judy tries to get in touch with the parents, but can't. In the end, she allows Grace to go. At the party, Eli drinks some beer when it's shoved into his hands. Grace goes looking for the boy she likes, but he acts pretty uninterested in her. The party is becoming quite chaotic, and one kid passes out from drinking too much. Eli then calls 911 because this kid is obviously sick. He also calls his Dad when his car won't start. Rick gets mad at Eli, because he can tell that Eli had drunken some alcohol. The next day, Eli tells his Dad that he knew his car wasn't broken, but that he didn't want to drive because he had alcohol in his system. Eli just couldn't tell his friends that he was scared to drive, and that's why he pretended that the car wouldn't start. There is a little clash, but I think father and son will be all right. However, we do learn that Rick's dad and brother are both alcoholics (although I think the Dad may be dead, and the brother's name is Mike). As for Grace, she is very upset about the party because the boy won't talk to her (BUT we do learn the next day that the boy had asked some questions about her), and because things got so out of hand. She tells Aunt Judy about the horrors of the party, but doesn't tell her mom. Lily DOES find out about the horror of the party from Rick. Lily then gets very upset at Judy for not checking up on the party. Grace gets mad at Lily for getting upset at Judy. Lily and Judy make up. I'm sure that Grace and Lily will also make up. The episode brought out some great things about the feelings that parents have for their children, and I was really quite moved and forced to think about the way my parents treated me, but not too much.QUOTE OF THE EPISODE: Can we make a rule not to mention the names of our exes or children in bed. --Lily to Rick NEXT WEEK: It's Thanksgiving and Lily's parents want Lily to reunite with Jack. What will happen when they learn about Rick? November 9, 1999Have I mentioned lately just how much I love this show? This was a simple enough episode. The first story involved Eli. In case you didn't know, Eli has a reading disorder so Rick has really been pushing Eli to do well. Eli studies hard for a test on "The Great Gatsby," and when he doesn't do so well, Rick gets upset. Keep in mind, Eli could probably have done better if he had more time on the test, but his reading disorder prevents this. The two have a fight, and the next day while at Karen's house, Eli won't go to school. That night, Rick visits Eli and tells him that he (Rick) was wrong for pushing him (Eli) and placing unfair expectations on him. Rick realizes that Eli has to make his own future and it is wrong for Rick to impose a sense of intelligencia unto his son. I loved this scene where the two talked, it was so sweet. The other story involved Rick and work. A note, we meet a guy named David who is Rick's partner at the architecture firm the two of them own. Anyway, Rick has a big presentation for a client, and he starts working late nights and canceling dates with Lily. This brings back memories for both Rick and Lily. Rick remembers how his long hours alienated his wife and made her feel worthless. Lily remembers how Jake used to work long hours and then pretend to work longer hours so that he could cheat on Lily. Lily just wanted to be part of Jake's life on any level and would accept any commitment. Lily is attracted to a man who can take charge and be commanding. (NOTE: this full commanding man must sacrifice some of his personal life according to Rick, but Lily teaches us that Rick's philosophy is wrong..one can be strong without sacrificing love.) She is afraid that the same thing is happening with Rick. Of course, the same thing may be happening between them (save the cheating), but we know that it really isn't, because the two are so in love, and in the end, Rick realizes that he can always squeeze in some time for the woman he loves.QUOTE OF THE EPISODE:Women were born to wait for the men to return from the hunt. --David on Rick's long workdays CYNICISM OF THE EPISODE: Man is never five minutes from failing his soul. Five seconds. --Rick NEXT WEEK: Grace goes to a party without telling her mom. Some guy gets really drunk at the party and ends up in the hospital. November 2, 1999A simple episode actually. All four of the Sammlers go on a trip to see Eli play basketball. Eli shares a room with his dad, and Jesse shares a room with Karen. The two rooms are right next to each other...it's like a family again. Eli is doing really well at this basketball tournament until he sprains his ankle in the winning moment of the game. He can't continue in the tournament and this hurts him, and we have a touching family moment. In the background, Karen sees this guy that she knows at the basketball game. His name is Lloyd Lloyd (that's right same first and last name,) (NOTE: Lloyd is played by James Eckhouse, aka Jim Walsh on Beverly Hills 90210). She's not really attracted to him, but she gives him her phone number to prove to Rick that she can have men in her life. He then calls her, and she decides that she should date him. However, she'll date him so that she's in a relationship, not to prove something to Rick. As for Lily, she's all alone. The children are at Jake's and Rick is with his family. When Grace calls to complain about her dad's girlfriend, Tiffany, Lily comes over to save Grace. The story on Tiffany is that she is this girl that Jake barely likes, but she shows up without notice while the kids are at Jake's apartment. Zoe loves Tiffany, but Grace hates her and so Grace wants out. Lily comes and takes the kids, both of them. Then Tiffany complains to Jake about he's an angry man who blames people for everything bad in his life. Jake realizes Tiffany is right and so while he may have lost her, he won't lose his daughter. He goes over to Lily's and Lily apologizes for taking the children ahead of time, and he says that it was OK, and then he talks to Grace and the two of them are all good.QUOTE OF THE EPISODE: Part of you hopes that they won't be able to go on without you. --Rick NEXT WEEK: Rick's life is in ruins when he's too busy at work to spend time with Lily and his children. OctoberOctober 26, 1999So here's the thing, I hate it when TV shows focus on money, because it distracts from the storylines that made us interested in the show in the first place, but this show does that with some flare. Lily receives a phone call from the bank saying that her mortgage is overdue. She calls Jake to work this out. He says that it's no big deal. But because Judy wants to put in a coffee shop at the book store and the washing machine needs to be replaced, Lily freaks out. The storyline becomes really freaky from here in that all of these emotions are running through Lily so I'm going to skip some of the facts and just patch together an interpretation of mine. Lily tells Rick about the coffee shop, and she asks him for some advice about what to do. Keep in mind that Rick is an architect. Rick doesn't like what Marty (Marty is an artist/architect that Judy likes) plans on doing and Marty gets offended and leaves. Somehow Lily indirectly asks Rick for help and before we know it he's starting construction. Judy gets upset that Lily has co-opted her (Judy's) plan for a coffee shop and made it her (Lily's) own. Lily takes out her financial frustration and her sister's banting on Rick. In the end, Lily and Judy bond and Judy admits that she's always been jealous of her sister being able to do everything, and Lily admits that she rejects Judy because Judy tries to tell Lily how to do things (these ideas sound similar, but they actually are quite different). It was a total bonding experience in which the two sisters admit how much they care for each other without actually saying anything. Lily makes up with Rick, not that he was ever mad at her. As for Jake, he pays the mortgage and pays for a new washing machine, but Lily realizes that she needs something concrete. She asks that they get a legal separation with financial guarantees. Jake flips out and realizes that his marriage may be over, and he initially refuses to the financial agreement, but then says that they can do something informal as long as there are no lawyers. What will happen? Who knows! It was a cute episode even though I hate these money episodes. Let's hope that next week we see some Rick-Lily action.QUOTE OF THE EPISODE: Know me well enough to know when to ignore me. --Lily NEXT WEEK: It's a new episode, I just forgot what it's about October 19, 1999This has got to be the most infectious show on TV. I'll do the small story first. Jake wants to get back together with Lily. He goes so far as to kiss her. He tells her they should get counseling, but she knows that he is still a philanderer and doesn't trust him. Now the big story this week revolved around Jessie (Rick's daughter). In the beginning of the episode she gets her period. That same day she is supposed to go on an annual hike with her dad. As they get ready, Lily drops by (it's a brief planned, spontaneous event). Rick is so tense with the situation that he cuts his finger while making a sandwich. They go to the hospital where Lily and Jessie talk and seem to get along. But later on, we realize that ll is not well. Jessie ditches her friends at the mall and rejects her father's affection when he finds her. In the end, Jessie has to realize that her family life can no longer be as it once was. It was just so darn great and touching.QUOTE OF THE EPISODE: If you're popular in high school, then you're messed up for the rest of your life. --Jessie NEXT WEEK: Jack faces financial troubles. Rick starts construction on a coffee shop in her bookstore against her wishes. October 12, 1999It seems that this show has climaxed and that the episodes will get no better. This is not to say that this was a bad episode, but previously each episode was better and better. Now, we may have reached our greatness plateau. I'm going to keep this description short. Eli was forced to stop covering up for his Dad and Lily. Karen blamed herself for his covering up, but it was the fault of all involved. Judy doesn't like this whole relationship thing especially after she lends her apartment to Rick and Lily only to come back early and find them "using" it. Naomi is torn between her two friends...Lily and Karen (the girlfriend and the ex-wife). As for Gracie, she seems to be becoming a cool girl as one of the more popular girls from Eli's gang asks why Gracie why she is always giving her (the popular girl) such dirty looks. A friendship is formed. Also, the very end of the episode was sweet when Grace and Lily realize that even though they are mother and daughter, they each have things that are their own private affairs. It was quite touching in a "this-episode-gave-me-the-goosebumps" kind of way.QUOTE OF THE EPISODE:"Many scientists believe that in the near future, people will actually be having sex in their own homes" --Rick's friend on the many places Rick and Lily have had sex and the many places they've been caught NEXT WEEK: Lily meets Zoe and Zoe begins to cry. Will Lily and Jake rekindle their fire? |
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