Season 2, Episode 22: The Second Time Around
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Aired: Wednesday, May 2, 2001
Rating: 6.7/11
Quotes
Credits
Written by Winnie Holzman
Directed by Dan Lerner
Guest starring
Paul Mazursky as Phil Brooks
Bonnie Bartlett as Barbara Brooks
Mark Valley as Will Gluck
Christina Chang as Amanda
Michael Tucci as Arnold
Featuring
Samantha MacLachlan as receptionist
Doreen Calderon as client
Featured music
When the Red, Red Robin by Harry MacGregor Woods
This episode got a Thumbs Up! from the June 12th issue of Soap Opera Digest.
Right Wedding
Boy, oh, boy, do TV shows love weddings. In addition to being big ratings grabbers, the inevitable "Will they or won't they?" contrivance can provide them with miles of promotion. Does it get us to watch? Usually. Is there always a clever resolution? Well....
Once and Again avoided the usual connubial pitfalls and gave us that clever resolution (and then some) with the season-finale wedding of Lily and Rick. Instead of relying on overused plot devices to manufacture tension and intrigue, what we witnessed was a moving, well-crafted episode that focused on character-driven choices and their repercussions.
The show opened with Rick and Lily panicking that their wedding was days away – and neither had the money to pay for it. Convinced a smaller affair would signify to the other that their wedding was not important, they continued the charade of wanting a big blow-out. After an argument (and a hard look at their finance), the couple called off the ceremony. Soon after, Rick and Lily ditched their overblown plans and got hitched simply – with only family in attendance.
What made this episode stellar was the careful attention to fine details involved in a wedding: Rick's uptight ex, Karen, crying upon learning the nups were still on; Rick reciting his vows in Hebrew to honor Lily's heritage; the ghost of Lily's dad appearing to help Lily move on; Lily's mom showing up unexpectedly; shy Jesse performing a song that she and rick used to sing.
Talk about knowing how to honor and keep ... your fans.
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