"Moonlight Sonata" is the beginning of a two episode arc separate from the major Colin Hart arc of season one. We learned that Matthew, the piano teacher, wasn't brought into the show to transform Ephram as a pianist. Matthew's just a plot device created so Berlanti and his writers could tackle a controversial issue in "Episode 20." However, the series' overwhelming strength dwarfs the rare instances of weakness and contrivance. The writers devoted time to building the relationship between Ephram and Matthew so that the fallout would be felt by the audience whereas other shows would've done much less work to make the story matter for a character.
Matthew's students are brought together for a local piano recital. Ephram's paired with Kate (portrayed by the lovely Kata Mara) during their preparation period. Kate's a taciturn teenage girl with more interest in staring blankly at a wall than conversing with Ephram but she's a brilliant piano player. Ephram's excited by her talent but he meets a wall of disinterest whenever he attempts to converse with her about playing. The talent she possesses casts seeds of doubt within his mind. He changes his mind several times about having an audience of friends and family at the recital because Kate's threatening his usual spot in the finale of the show. Strangely, though, Kate plainly states Matthew will never reward her with the finale. Matthew explains to Ephram about the difference between the two players. For Ephram, playing's as natural as breathing. For Kate, her talent's a product of years of practice. The line of reasoning's a facade, though. Matt and Kate have been involved in a sexual relationship for an unknown amount of time. Kate doesn't close because Matt needs to keep his cover.
Ephram finds the two wrapped in a kiss before the recital begins. When the recital concludes with applause (and a lovely smile from Emily Vancamp), Ephram's met by a suddenly talkative Kate. She compliments Ephram's playing and supports Matthew's choice of him for the finale. Ephram's not flattered, only annoyed by the girl's efforts to sweep what he saw under the carpet. Similarly, I felt annoyed by the scene because of how it's written. For a show that successfully avoided the trappings of the overwrought, melodramatic scene that populates generic family-dramas, the writers dropped the ball in this scene. Maybe the freelance writers brought in for the episode should be blamed but Everwood's staff in season one was exceptional (Vanessa Taylor, Michael Green, Rina Mimoun, John Pogue, Joan Binder Weiss and Greg Berlanti). If someone polished the scene, that's more disappointing. Ephram stresses how immoral the relationship is. Kate stubbornly ignores him and describes how real her love with Matthew is. Fortunately, the scene's short and the rest of the Kate arcs handled in a way I expect from Everwood--with maturity, nuance and shades of grey. Everwood gets a pass for this instance of lecturing the audience.
The fallout between Ephram and Matthew leads to a spectacular scene, between son and father, about adulthood and responsibility. Ephram's reluctant to find another teacher because he's worried about the compromises he might make in pursuit of greatness. Andy admits that he compromised his life to be a great neurosurgeon; that he can't admit regret because he didn't ask himself the tough questions about the balance between professional and family responsibility; that he saved more lives because he missed dinner. Ephram's afraid of that future but his father assures him that he won't evolve into Matthew or even he because he's asking the important questions at age 15. The scene shows the progression of their relationship through the dialogue--they're talking about something that just happened. Ephram listens to his father and he trusts him. And that's a joy to watch.
Magic and mystery surrounds the B story. A mysterious circle of golden light was spotted in the Everwood night sky, which sent the town into a frenzy about the possibility of alien life. Beyond that, though, the astronomical anomaly brought the town together. Specifically, it brought Edna and Amy together. Initially, Amy planned to use her grandmother to see Colin until Edna realized the depth of Amy's plans. She forbade Amy from seeing Colin to teach her a lesson about how fundamental she is to lives of other people like her father, brother, mother, grandmother and Ephram. Had she seen Colin, she would've missed Ephram's recital and he needed her there. Edna also wanted her granddaughter to remember her individuality as well as her ability to function without a boyfriend in her life.
The mysterious glow in the Everwood night sky doesn't portend the invasion of aliens, sadly, nor is it magical. A swarm of bugs were caught in an electrical field, creating a golden glow in the shape of a UFO. Edna and Amy, though, choose to keep their conclusion to themselves. Amy wants the people of Everwood to experience something magical without that magic being tainted by science. Sometimes, the world just needs that. Indeed, the characters of Everwood need some magic before they return to the realities of their every-day life.
Additional Thoughts:
--The conversation between Ephram and Andy's not forgotten in later seasons. In season four, Ephram begins his life as a piano man (I chose the words 'piano man' because I'm not going to reveal whether he's a pianist or a teacher). I'd write more about season four but the .2% chance exists that someone reading will want to watch the rest of the series. I'll offer this--Ephram's arc in season four's a nice reversal.
--I've always loved the B story because of its characterization of Amy. The character's sometimes insufferable when paired with Colin. She shines in "Moonlight Sonata."
--The C story follows the mystery of a lumberjack's welts. Dr. Abbott agrees to oversee a sleep clinic because he wants to disprove the townsfolk that the lumberjack's been beaten by aliens in the night. The welts came from his wife's sleep disorder. She took her anger out on him in her sleep (because he planned on working in Alaska for several months). The case-of-the-week's forgettable but Tom Amandes, once again, makes the story worthwhile. In addition to the medical mystery, he argues with various townsfolk about the existence of other life in the universe. Dr. Abbott's comically best when pompous.
--Wendy Mericle & Patrick Sean-Smith wrote the episode. Michael Schultz directed.
UP NEXT: "Episode 20"--Dr. Andy Brown confronts important moral and professional issues when a pregnant 18 year old and her father come to him for guidance. Meanwhile, Ephram is humiliated in front of the entire school when his date for the Spring Formal ditches him at the dance to make out with her boyfriend; and Amy and Colin have a huge fight when she chooses to console Ephram against Colin's wishes. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SLOLKY
THE YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE WEEK
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