Where Are They Now?
Exclusive: Creator Marshall Herskovitz on Once and Again, 10 Years Later
From the Cleavers to the Huxtables to the Pritchetts, the American television family has evolved (or devolved, in the case of the Kardashians) faster than a fish next to a nuclear power plant. On April 15, 2002, ABC ended our relationship with one of our favorites, the Mannings and Sammlers of Once and Again. The complications, joys, and heartaches of blending two post-divorce families had never been told in such a relatable manner. For show creator Marshall Herskovitz, who along with Ed Zwick created other iconic shows such as My So-Called Life and Thirtysomething, it was the cast of Once and Again which made the show so special. “When you do a TV series, you can’t have a lot of dysfunction or life will be miserable [on set],” he tells Snakkle in an exclusive interview. “We have always felt that it was right from the beginning to make sure that the dynamics were honest, open, and respectful. There was a way that both Sela [Ward] and Billy [Campbell] set the tone for the show in such a wonderful way. It really was a family.” Ten years later, we’ve teamed up with Herskovitz to remember why we loved Lily, Rick, and their complicated, unified family. By Katherine Butler
Touchstone Pictures
Shane West as Eli Sammler on Once and Again
West starred as Eli Sammler, the learning-disabled basketball star son of Rick and Karen. While Once and Again dealt with the difficulties experienced by children of divorced families, Herskovitz shares that he would have taken this conflict much farther today. “When we did Once and Again, I was divorced,” he shares. “But I hadn’t come into contact between too many problems between parents and stepchildren. Were I to do Once and Again again, I would have created a more conflicted relationship between one of the stepparents and one of the friends. It would have been more fun to show open warfare.”
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