Tears flowed and treasured memories were rekindled on Wednesday as the cast and creator of “Everwood” gathered for a 15th anniversary reunion at the television critics press tour in Beverly Hills.
“I think there’s a great mutual love among the whole cast,” Treat Williams told reporters. “… This is one of the nicest days I’ve ever had.”
Williams was joined on stage by former co-stars Gregory Smith, Emily VanCamp, Tom Amandes, Debra Mooney, Vivien Cardone, Stephanie Niznik, John Beasley and Justin Baldoni. Also on hand were creator Greg Berlanti and executive producer Rina Mimoun.
“Everwood,” a heart-filled family drama, aired for four seasons (2002-06) on The WB. It was never a big ratings hit, but it had a strong core of devout followers who blew through the tissues on a weekly basis, much like the fans of “This Is Us” do now.
The storyline followed Dr. Andy Brown (Williams), a world-renowned neurosurgeon who moves his young children (Smith and Cardone) to the charming small town of Everwood, Colorado, after the death of his wife. In honor of the show’s 15th anniversary, The CW has made all four seasons of the show available on its digital streaming site, CW Seed.
Some tears were shed on stage, and even among the group of usually jaded journalists in the ballroom, as the panelists recalled the blend of writing, performances and chemistry that made for a beloved piece of television.
Berlanti, who now runs a robust stable of shows made up mostly of superhero sagas, got choked up when he was asked what “Everwood” — a show he created when he was 29 — meant for his legacy.
“It’s an emotional day for me,” he said. “The show was about coming of age and I was so lucky that I made it when I did. … People who know this show know me that way. Every four or five years, I try to do something as personal again.
“Tragedy makes us real,” he added. “We suffer tragedy and we become richer, deeper, more meaningful people. I hadn’t suffered those things when I was 29 years old. I think about how differently I see things now than at the time.”
Noting that TV in recent years has delivered very few family dramas, Berlanti said that the mass popularity of NBC’s “This Is Us” could pave the way for others.
“I do think the success of ‘This Is Us,’ hopefully, will encourage people to do this kind of storytelling again,” he said.
Williams said he could sense that the cast and crew were onto something pretty special from the early days of filming in Utah.
“I really felt like we were channeling (Frank) Capra at his best,” he said.
The veteran actor couldn’t hold back the tears when Cardone shared an early memory of how she, at the age of 9, was nervous and homesick when she began work on the show. Williams, she said, promised to be her “temporary father” if she would be his temporary daughter.
One cast member who didn’t make the reunion was Chris Pratt, who was just a young, fledgling actor — not a big-screen star — when he appeared on “Everwood.” He was recalled for his eager-to-learn ways.
“I told him he was going to be a star,” said Beasley. “He had a great personality. He had charm. He was a good-looking white boy.”
Reporters wondered if “Everwood” could make some sort of comeback the way “Gilmore Girls” did via Netflix.
“No one’s asked,” Berlanti replied, “But I think we’d all like to work together again.”
Williams is all for it, insisting he’s “ready to go on Season 5.” But could it pull a big mass audience? Maybe.
“Look at ‘Game of Thrones,’” he said. “It’s just ‘Everwood’ in fur.”
