Alas, nevermore for 'Once & Again': ABC ices praised Friday emotion-laden drama

In ways it was a very contemporary, if avant, TV drama, ultimately perhaps too so, with characters forever clutching coffee cups to their chins, eyes looking beyond for a greater meaning to life, as emotions seem to unravel out of control, rekindling old wounds and older loves among attractive but entirely too thin actors and actresses.

Imagine Bergman comes to the suburbs and you have "Once & Again."

Or had Once & Again."

This heavy-emoter seemed was bounced around the schedule, ending up on Monday night before ABC decided to axe the show after just three seasons. amid declining ratings.

When it first debuted and again in an updated review in November 2000, TV critic Andrew Wallenstein praised the show but also noted its troubles finding a time slot where it could flourish.

"The ratings have not been kind to this outstanding drama in its second season, with time-slot competitors 'Judging Amy' and 'Dateline NBC' grabbing the majority of viewers. Its third episode of the season dipped to a dangerously low 6.3/10, which is cause for concern.

"'Once' is not only a terrific show but miraculous for seemingly defying one of TV's most feared commandments: Thou shalt not create a drama about both adults and teens. 'Once' circumvents that stricture in an interesting way, and has plenty of other innovative approaches worth noting."

The show's last airing will be on April 15, in a special finale.

The decision to cancel the show comes despite a heavy write-in campaign by loyal fans.

Despite such support, the show has seen a steady erosion of ratings this season, with a 33 percent decline in adults 18 to 49, to a 2.8 rating/8 share.

ABC says the decision to cancel the show was based solely on the show's drop in ratings.

"We have been particularly moved by the outpouring of support by so many fans in their efforts to save the show," said Ed Zwick, an executive producer of the show, along with Marshall Herskovitz, in a statement..

"And we're grateful that ABC has given us the chance to create a final episode that does justice to those who have been so loyal to the series."__ Media Life Magazine (April 1, 2002)

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