"Once and Again" canceled

[Chris415]

Hi everyone,
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I know there was a thread about this a few weeks ago. I just read online that they just pulled the plug on the show. The last one will be April 15th.

I don't watch a lot of tv, so it makes me sad when they pull a quality tv show and leave other crummy shows on for years. :(
Chris

[boisewinesnob]

Well, I knew this would be inevitable. I can't believe the 12-yr-old mentality that the networks cater to. Any show with intelligent writing and decent acting never lasts!

[wallycat]

I liked the show, but they kept moving it and holding off for weeks and I finally found something else I got addicted to...

[lynnred]

Same producers of 30something and my So Called Life. I loved those shows and this one as well. Guess they need to leave room for The Bachlor and Wrestling............:confused: :mad: :rolleyes: :( :o :eek:
Lynn

[jazzcat]

I haven't seen it much lately, however always enjoyed it. Again I agree, it seems the "more intelligent" shows get pulled.

Bummer

[Jewel]

Yeah, but the good news is that Survivor is still going strong, so some of the intelligent shows make it!! :p

[luckylori]

Sob!

[BarbaraL]

There's an ongoing thread "Typhoid Lisa" about people "killing" threads -- they post, then no one else responds to the thread. I feel that way about TV shows . . . seems like shows I like get cancelled. I liked Thirtysomething (I know, the whole world hated it), Sisters and Once and Again. Guess I like Marshall and Herskovick? (the producers).Seems like no one likes character development, layers of personality, complicated plots. . . Sometimes I think it's because these are ususually not "feel good" shows -- people are dealing with troubles -- blended families, aging parents, financial problems . . . you know, the kind of stuff people really experience. It's much more escapist to watch something where problem's solved in 22 minutes.

[Meg O'C]

I am sorry to hear this too. I really like this show but they didn't give it much of a chance the way they kept moving it around!!

I also like Marshall and Herskovitz a lot. I loved Thirtysomething - even thought I was in high school and college while it was on. I actually managed to tape most of the episodes when they were showing re-runs on Lifetime about eight years ago and then I was so excited when they started showing re-runs again on Bravo this past summer but now they have stopped that too.

Oh well, I agree - all the quality shows get canceled. I guess I just have an excuse to go buy some more books now!

[boisewinesnob]

I can't believe they are cancelling it!!!! I mean, we have known for weeks, but the last show tonight was just great. How can they do this to us :mad: .

And what an ending.....

BarbaraL, Robyncz, MegO'C, Chris, Lynn and anyone I forgot to mention.
Are you all crying with me???

Suzy

[Robyncz]

I haven't seen the last two yet, but I have them on video tape. I'm almost crying just thinking about the fact that it's over!

DH and I have been too busy to see any tv in the last couple of weeks, but I am really looking forward to sitting down and watching what I've taped, including The last two O&A, A&E's Schackleton, and my 24 fix. Unfortunately, with my two toddlers, it could be weeks before I get the chance.

Oh well!

[Chris415]

Originally posted by boisewinesnob
I can't believe they are cancelling it!!!! I mean, we have known for weeks, but the last show tonight was just great. How can they do this to us :mad: .

And what an ending.....

BarbaraL, Robyncz, MegO'C, Chris, Lynn and anyone I forgot to mention.
Are you all crying with me???

Suzy

Yes, cried over the ending. I'm glad they tied the ends together, so you know everyone is going to be ok. I keep hoping another network or PBS will see what a great show this is and pick it up.

I thought it was weird that about an hour before it came on, they were touting "the acclaimed show" the finale.?! Why would ABC be saying what a critically acclaimed show this was, when it was their decision to cut it?

The only good thing that came out of this is I have a 6 am yoga class, so now I can get more sleep! :o
Chris

[boisewinesnob]

Originally posted by Robyncz
I haven't seen the last two yet, but I have them on video tape. I'm almost crying just thinking about the fact that it's over!


I didn't mention any of the specifics of the final show because I had you in mind and remember you saying you usually tape it and watch it later. :) I didn't want to spoil it for you.
Oh, wouldn't it be great if this show came back?

Chris, I guess ABC gets higher ratings with "the bachelor" or similar garbage :rolleyes: . Will they ever call THAT show critically acclaimed? NOT!!!

[valchemist]

I've only watched the show a couple of times. but I rarely watch tv. (don't have cable and only get 2 stations - local ABC and CBS).

I liked the episodes that I saw, so it is too bad that it's being cancelled...

or not?

did anyone see this?

DRUDGE REPORT SUN APRIL 14 2002 15:41:22 ET

'CANCELED' SERIES 'ONCE AND AGAIN' SET STAYS UP, ACTORS NOT RELEASED; SELA WARD FAINTS DURING PRODUCTION OF FINALE

**Exclusive**

LOS ANGELES -- The set of the "canceled" DISNEYABC series ONCE AND AGAIN has not been destroyed, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, just as lead actors of the drama have been told they cannot pursue other projects.

The developments raise a possibility that ABC has not completely ruled out bringing back the program.

"The new pilots for Fall are coming in horribly weak," whispers a top network source in Burbank. "All options may need to be considered. It's going to be a scramble."

[Despite being moved into seven different time slots over its three year run, ONCE AND AGAIN pulled in more viewers last week than DISNEYABC's renewed DREW CAREY. ABC sets its new schedule in mid-May.]

Meanwhile. actress Sela Ward dramatically collapsed during production of this week's emotional finale [Monday 10 PM ET/9 PM CT], the DRUDGE REPORT can reveal.

Ward, who was taken to the hospital, fainted on the set from stress and high-blood pressure.

MORE

"She had just lost her mother," says a ONCE AND AGAIN insider. "DISNEY only shut down production for a week, to allow her some healing, before she was ordered back."

The uncertainty of the show's fate added to Ward's fragile emotional state, says the insider.

"We all loved working on this series, with all our hearts and souls, we all feel like we're dying."

The show's finale was shot over 8 days. Production wrapped on March 20. [Ward returned to do pickups, missed after her collapse, the following week.]

The closing scenes include a controversial break in The Fourth Wall, which has led to wide-speculation among production staffers that creators Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick want out -- even if DISNEYABC U-turns and comes home to conscience.

The superduo continue to expand into movies. Zwick is directing a new Tom Cruise fuss-film being produced by Herskovitz.

As the lights come and the camera pulls back -- ONCE AND AGAIN fans and lovers of intelligent entertainment may find direction from the bumper sticker featured on the Range Rover driven by Ed Zwick's wife.

It simply reads: "KILL YOUR TV"

[boisewinesnob]

Val,
you're just teasing us!

[valchemist]

maybe, maybe not. :)

we can always hope.

[BarbaraL]

Yes, Suzy, I was crying with you. What a tough situation! I can't help thinking the kids and the divorced parents might have an opinion about the kids moving to Australia! Plus, I have my own issues with men thinking women should always automatically defer to them, but we won't go there . . .

[Meg O'C]

Good episode Monday night. I will really miss this show. I liked all the characters so much. That article gave me some hope though!!

[RebeccaT]

thought you guys would be interested in this article from E!Online....




"Once and Again"...Once Again?
Tue Apr 23,10:41 AM ET

It's the show that refuses to die.


Just like Elvis sightings, it seems ABC's romantic drama Once and Again is living beyond its death--which supposedly occurred in a series finale last Monday night.

Or did it?

First, the Drudge Report claimed that ABC, unhappy with its latest crop of pilots, ordered producers not to tear down the set and told the show's stars to keep their schedules open for a possible fourth season. Now, show costar Billy Campbell tells TV Guide Online that he received a phone call from his Emmy-winning costar Sela Ward saying they might still have jobs.

"She called and said, 'Have you heard? It's not definite that we're canceled," he said. "Apparently on the same day that they canceled us, [ABC] called the studio and said, 'Don't knock down the sets, don't release the actors, and why don't you work us up a tentative budget for a Year Four.'

"I don't know what to think," he added. "They can't even kill us with dignity."

No word on whether Ward was simply reading the Drudge Report for her information, or whether the network really is considering reviving the critically acclaimed series from Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz.

By all official indications, ABC is sticking with its original announcement--that it's over. Said a network spokeswoman Monday: "Officially, all we can say is that Once and Again has had its series finale on ABC."

No one may know for sure until May 14, when ABC announces its fall lineup to advertisers. The show's April 15 finale ended on a nostalgic note, with its stars speaking to the camera about how the series has affected them.

Once and Again fans, whose previous "Save Our Show" campaigns were successful, continue to email ABC to bring the series back. But more signs have appeared that Once and Again is truly gone: ABC on Monday finally pulled down the show's message board from its Website.

"That's not good," noted Catherine Challenger, who runs the Once and Again fan site OandAfans.com, and helped pay for another ad that ran Monday in Daily Variety urging ABC to bring the show back.

But "we are still campaigning," she added. "There's a lot of conflicting information coming out right now, and I'm not really sure what to believe. I'm still hopeful, but I think it's getting less likely that it will come back."

Herskovitz, meanwhile, is remaining realistic about the show's chances.

"I was told we're not coming back, so I'm working under that assumption," he tells the Philadelphia Inquirer. "But if all ABC's development fails, it's remotely possible they could bring us back. It would make them look good."

That, of course, means Herskovitz would have to walk away from his role producing the upcoming Tom Cruise flick The Last Samurai, which starts shooting this fall in New Zealand. But he insists that he'll be ready if Once and Again lives on.

"It's complicated," he adds. "I'd hate to see the show die. On the other hand, I've already accepted the reality. If they bring it back, I will be there."

[Robyncz]

Finally watched the last two episodes tonight. Waaaaaaahhhhhh. What a perfect ending. And I thought the little interview clips they did with the actors at the end were very interesting. That show obviously meant a lot to the people that worked on it, as well as to its audience.

I'll keep hoping that those rumors about a return are based on some grain of truth, but I don't have much faith. . .