The 2012 Summer Re-Watch: Everwood "Do or Die" Review

"Do or Die" was the last writing credit Vanessa Taylor received on Everwood. She left the show after its second season to work on Greg Berlanti's coming-of-age political drama, Jack & Bobby. I bet she contributed it, in some way, to the final two episodes of Everwood's second season. But Everwood was a weaker show once Vanessa Taylor left. Following the cancellation of Jack & Bobby, she had a stint on the short-lived HBO drama Tell Me You Love Me, and then she wrote a made-for-TV movie before disappearing until D.B. Weiss and Dave Benioff hired her on Game Of Thrones. I always admired her work on Everwood. In the TV writing business, where veteran writers stress the importance of imitating a voice, it feels rare for singular voices to shine beyond the show runners. There are exceptions, but, generally, a writer's voice is in a way sacrificed for the good of the show.

Vanessa Taylor's writing stood out because she penned most of Irv's beautiful narration. "Do or Die" had a terrifically written scene to close the episode. Linda's standing in a train station, ready to leave for her adventure in Africa, in front of Andy Brown. The scene is low-key, nuanced, subtle, and the performances are grounded. Andy won't beg her to stay because he knows that's not how it works when someone's going to leave town. Andy chooses to tell Linda the truth about what she means to him and what she added to his life and what he'll take away from their time together. Immature and mature love is juxtaposed in this episode, and specifically, in this scene. Andy's grateful for Linda showing him what it means to live again. From the moment he learned of Julia's death, he survived; from the moment he met Linda, he learned to live again, to feel love, and to give and receive love again. He leaves Linda with those words, a smile, and a hug. Linda cries after he leaves as the episode fades to black because it's not her story. Everwood's the story of Andy Brown.

The love story between Andy and Linda suddenly makes sense in that beautifully written scene. The death of Julia changed Andy's life forever, but Linda's love changed him too. The Andy-Linda union makes more sense in the grand scheme of the series, knowing where Andy begins and where he ends. Season 1 followed a man who needed to fix himself and his family, and he needed to move nearly across the country to do it. Season 2 was about Andy fixing another part that was broken, and Linda's the one who heals him. Andy's story in season two is essentially over with two episodes left. Main characters needed to continually change and learn and grow lest they become static and lifeless on the page; his relationship with Linda accomplished the learning and growth and change needed to advance his arc.

Since Andy's personal arc is over, the writers decided to throw in a difficult brain surgery just to mix things up and keep Andy's storylines interesting. Dr. Donald Douglas stops by Everwood to visit with his old student and discuss a complicated brain procedure. Donald tries to motivate him through reminders of the Colin Hart fallout. Donald enlightens the audience on the fact that the medical community looks down on Andy for the surgery, that his reputation is ruined, and that a successful surgical job on a sick man will restore the reputation of Dr. Andrew Brown. The patient-in-trouble is Donald. Once Andy finds out, he decides to perform the surgery, even though it's risky and personal and could fail like the Colin Hart surgery. Everwood is frustrating when it resorted to last-second medical emergency dramas. The difference in quality between Colin Hart's surgery and Donald's surgery is the amount of time the writers took to tell both stories. Donald's is told in three scenes; Colin got a whole season.

Ephram's the example of immature love I mentioned earlier. Prom season descended on County High. Bright rented a Winnebago and brought four dates to the prom, as he was determined to make prom the best night of his life. Amy and Ephram went together. Bright set the two up after Amy failed to properly ask Ephram to the dance. Amy feels more than friendly feelings for him. Ephram's oblivious because his mind cycles the Madison drama from morning 'til night. Of course, Madison and Ephram run into each other in a convenience store on the way to prom. Ephram immediately sulks. Amy's kind to listen to him drone on and on about the special kind of love only him and Madison could experience. The stupid teenage boy is convinced his love's reserved for Madison. Unlike his father, Andy just thinks about what he lost and not what he gained from his relationship with Madison.

The question surrounding Amy and Ephram on prom night is: will she tell him how she feels? The answer is no. Her feet get cold when Ephram states his inability to love someone again. Amy weakly says she could've felt something for him if Colin hadn't been in her life, and, also, that the passage of time helps heal broken hearts and adds new perspective about meeting new people and loving them more, possibly, than who came before. Ephram doesn't get it. The B story is as frustrating for me as the conversation in the Winnebago is for Amy. It's saved by Emily Vancamp's awesome dress and the look she gives when she wants to leave the gym, a look that could murder a man.

Linda Abbott leaves the story quietly. Her scenes are brief, and few and far between. Harold initially lectures her about abandoning the family again, but he eventually gives her his blessing to leave. Linda's an exiled woman. Everwood doesn't want her anymore. The practice cannot employ her. Andy left her. Harold understands what his sister craves: peace, and so he wishes her peace wherever she may need to travel to find it. "Do or Die" closes on the image of Linda weeping into her hands, quite far from peace.

Other Thoughts:

-The 'Promebaggo' stuff is among the best material given to Chris Pratt.

-Harold informs Andy of Linda's departure but stresses Andy should not misconstrue it as a 'gesture of friendship.'

-Bright lets Ephram know about Amy's 'thing' for him. Ephram's mood immediately changes. Stay tuned.

-Michael Schultz directed it.

UP NEXT: "Your Future Awaits"--Bright doesn't want to attend graduation; Amy accompanies Ephram to a Julliard audition; Andy performs dangerous surgery on Donald. Watch the episode on Amazon.com.

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