Evening Shade

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Evening Shade ranks 4,276 out of the 18,228 shows on TV.com.

The 31 users who count themselves as Evening Shade fans have written a total of 5 reviews.

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This gentle rural sitcom, Evening Shade, starred Burt Reynolds as Wood Newton, an ex-pro football star who returned to his Arkansas home town of Evening Shade to coach the high school football team (the Mules), which had not won a game for two years. His wife Ava was elected the town's prosecuting attorney... more »

This gentle rural sitcom, Evening Shade, starred Burt Reynolds as Wood Newton, an ex-pro football star who returned to his Arkansas home town of Evening Shade to coach the high school football team (the Mules), which had not won a game for two years. His wife Ava was elected the town's prosecuting attorney while pregnant with the couple's fourth child. Although their eldest son Taylor was the team quarterback, he inherited little of his father's sporting prowess.

Assisting Wood is Herman Stiles, a fragile mathematics teacher uncommonly unsuited to the task of football coaching. Other regulars included cantankerous Dr Elldridge and Ava's father Evan, who disapproves of Wood's laid-back lifestyle and who has never forgiven him for stealing his daughter away at such a young age. (Ava was 18 when she got hitched to the 30-year-old Wood.) The series was narrated by Ossie Davis as Ponder Blue, the laconic and philosophical proprietor of Ponder Blue's Barbecue Villa, around which much of the action takes place.

Evening Shade was marked by its sharp writing and measured, almost leisurely pacing, a style dictated by Reynolds with his deliberately understated performance as Newton (he also produced, wrote and directed episodes). (Adapted from BBC description)less «

• Evening Shade on CMT

  Does anyone know why Evening Shade is airing on CMT. I'm glad it's being show again, but why did CMT decide to become a network NOT devoted to country music anymore?

  Does anyone know why Evening Shade is airing on CMT. I'm glad it's being show again, but why did CMT decide to become a network NOT devoted to country music anymore?less «

  RoxieVelma Last online 1 day, 17 hrs ago
  5 comments, last one Apr 19, 2006 + Add Comment

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  10 Perfect

  Or at least get it on to DVD. Outstanding cast! Outstanding writing! It is a shame that todays younger viewers have not been exposed. hide « show »

  One of best shows and cast of our time. Well written and acted. We will never see another show of it's kind. We will never see another ensemble cast as wonderful as those on Evening Shade. Addressed issues without forcing a political view point. Hal Holbrook, Burt Reynolds, Ossie Davis, Charles Durning, Ann Wedgeworth ... what else need be said. Bloodworth-Thomason at their very best!
  
  Best show - The Road Trip. Writing that has yet to be matched. It is time that we plead to have this show release on DVD. Let the "me" generation see a quality show with quality values.

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  thccatbert Added Apr 8, 2008 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  One of he best shows ever. hide « show »

  I wish that Evening Shade would come back on TV like the other older shows that are available. I absolutely loved that show. It just got better every season and I couldn't wait until the night it came on. If there was a way of getting the entire 4 seasons on DVD I would buy it in a minute. So, if anyone out there knows if it will ever be on TV again or if it will come out on DVD let me know. I WIll be the first one in line to buy it. What a great show it was.

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  CLane55854 Added Jan 21, 2008 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  What a cast! hide « show »

  This was a great, great show. There wasn't a dull or subpar episode. Look at the cast!! When do you get a group of actors like this in supporting roles: Ossie Davis, Charles Durning, Hal Holbrook, Michael Jeter, Elizabeth Ashley, Ann Wedgeworth. Brilliant actors alone, but all in one show?!? Unheard of, and an amazing treat every week. We never missed it. Each character fully developed, written with nuance and wholly inhabited by the actors. I'd love to see reruns!! And Burt's portrayal was always masterfully understated - never tried to hog a scene or used little Burt-isms. He was Wood, with the authority a retired football star coach would have. I loved this show! Anyone who loves the theater or is an acting student should buy this if it's available. They don't make comedies like this anymore - now it's all sex and slapstick, badly done at that.

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  motherseer Added Jun 22, 2007 All my reviews
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  7.8 Good

  Fun Comedy For Reynolds & Friends hide « show »

  Burt Reynolds is a big movie star, but he did some of his finest work on this CBS sitcom. He stars as Wood Newton, a one-time football star, who returns to his hometwon of Evening Shade, AK to coach his old high school's football team. The show has a laid back, easy going feel as Mr. Reynolds surrounds himself with familar faces such as Charles Durning and the late, great Ossie Davis. The show helped bring back respect for Mr. Reynolds and he would win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on the show.

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  brewsblingsteen Added Aug 3, 2006 All my reviews
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  8.7 Great

  actually a funny show hide « show »

  i was in high school in arkansas when this show was on. i thought it was a really funny show. not just because of burt reynolds(who is hillarious), but because of the whol cast. if you've ever been to evening shade, you would see that it's not much like it was portayed on television, but still a great little town.

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  CAPNDEL Added Jun 13, 2006 All my reviews