For 'Once,' They Saw It Coming By DONNA PETROZZELLO
ABC's "Once and Again" creators Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick hoped to see the story of Rick and Lily Sammler linger just a little longer -- but they weren't surprised when ABC executives decided to cancel the show.
"We were hoping to do this series for at least four years, so to have it for three isn't a failure," Herskovitz told The News last Friday, a day after the series finale was set for April 15 at 10 p.m.
The critically praised show appealed to a small but loyal group of viewers, who often peppered producers with e-mails expressing their fondness for the drama. Herskovitz said that he and Zwick twice invited fans to visit the show's set.
"We had a real sense that many people were connected to the show, which was emotionally buoying to us," Herskovitz added.
Despite the fans' loyalty, Herskovitz said they had expected ABC to kill the show.
"We've had utterly no reassurance from ABC for months that this show would be coming back," Herskovitz said. "I think we understood that there was little chance it would be anything other than dead."
To prepare for the show's swan song, the writer/producers began working on final scenes earlier this year. Herskovitz said ABC executives told him last Thursday that the final episode of this season would be the series finale as well.
The result is "Chance of a Lifetime," an episode the two wrote with partners Sue and Daniel Paige.
The episode was shot in early March, although they weren't sure until last week it was really the end.
In the episode, Rick (Billy Campbell) will receive a job offer overseas at the same time that Lily (Sela Ward) gets life-altering news. As a result, each will be forced to reassess their professional and personal priorities.
"We'll point to the continuing lives of all the characters in one episode," Herskovitz said. "We won't say everything about what life will be like for them, but there will be signposts for a few characters that will lead them in interesting directions." __ New York Daily News (April 1, 2002)
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