ONCE AND AGAIN: BOY MEETS GIRL {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The pilot for this dramatic series about Rick Sammler and Lily Manning, two middle-aged parents who deal with the realities of divorce while they cope with raising their children and dating. The format of this series combines a traditional story line with revealing soliloquies by some of the main characters. In this episode, Rick and Lily meet for the first time at the school both their children attend when Grace is injured playing soccer and Eli has a conference with a school counselor. Although Lily is still in the process of getting a divorce, and her family is reeling from the effects of her separation from Jake, she is immediately drawn to Rick and excited by the prospect of dating him. Rick feels the same way about Lily, and he is filled with anxiety when he asks her out to dinner. Although their first date is somewhat awkward, they both leave feeling giddy and optimistic. However, Lily returns home to find that her daughters are very anxious about her becoming involved with a man other than their father. In addition, Grace is going through a period of teenage anxiety that requires special attention. So when Rick and LilyÕs second date is interrupted unexpectedly by Jake, Grace, and Zoe, with disastrous results, Lily decides that she should focus on her duties as a mother rather than on her needs as a single woman. She meets with Rick and explains that since her separation is so new, dating affects both her and her daughters very strongly. Rick is also occupied by his own family problems. Eli is having serious academic problems at school, and his mother, Karen, thinks that Rick is to blame, for the most part. Lily and Rick take time away from each other to tend to their children's needs, but as Rick points out, they feel a strong connection that people rarely find, and neither of them is willing to give it up. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 21, 1999 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:45:33
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:58980
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Dating (Social customs) - Drama; Divorce - Drama
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV series, 1999-2002
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Edward Zwick … Executive Producer, Created by, Writer
- Marshall Herskovitz … Executive Producer, Director, Created by, Writer
- Peter Schindler … Producer
- Debra Petro Lovatelli … Co-Producer
- Richard Kramer … Consulting Producer
- W.G. Snuffy Walden … Music by
- Sela Ward … Cast, Lily Manning
- Billy Campbell … Cast, Rick Sammler
- Jeffrey Nordling … Cast, Jake Manning
- Susanna Thompson … Cast, Karen Sammler
- Shane West … Cast, Eli Sammler
- Julia Whelan … Cast, Grace Manning
- Evan Rachel Wood … Cast, Jessie Sammler
- Meredith Deane … Cast, Zoe Manning
- Todd Field … Cast, David Casilli
- Marin Hinkle … Cast, Judy
- Kelly Coffield … Cast, Naomi
- Kimberly McCullough … Cast, Jennifer
- LaTanya Richardson … Cast, the Counselor
- Vanessa Lee Chester … Cast, friend #1
- Julie Marie Berman … Cast, friend #2
- Anna Mathis … Cast, the Secretary
- Suzanne Lanza … Cast, the Assistant
- Nicola Theodoropoulos … Cast, the Soccer Coach
- Jordan Fremin … Cast, the Laughing Mom