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Everwood Season 3 Episode 4

The Birds & the Batteries

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AIRED: 10/4/04

Andy finds himself at a loss over what to do when Delia naively stumbles upon Nina's vibrator and starts asking questions. Meanwhile, Ephram attempts to write Amy a love letter to show her the extent of his feelings. Amy makes it her mission to make new best friend Hannah (Sarah Drew) popular. Meanwhile, Harold and Rose question Bright's euphoria over being selected "employee of the month" and decide it's time for some parental intervention.
Dr. Abbott becomes worried that his son Bright is settling too little in life when taking a job at a restaurant. Lastly, Andy treats a patient who needs a transplant, but won't tell his wife.moreless

Fan Episode Reviews (2)

Employee of the month, love letters, and vibrators oh my!.

8.8

By Barrybgb, Jun 15, 2005

I titled this episode "Fine Example", because thie episode really is a fine example of how Everwood hits on topics that most other shows(especially ones with families)would never dare go near. Yes, I am talking about the vibrator. It's because of something like that that takes the show above and beyond most everything else, mainly because it takes some risks in it's storytelling and ideas and doesn't sugar coat it or dance around the subject. It hits on something real and doesn't take the easy way out. So, what happened?....

Andy finds himself at a loss for words when Delia comes home from Nina's after playing with Sam. While playing hide and seek and hiding in Nina's room, Delia finds....the object. As any curious little girl would be, she asks her dad about it. Andy and Nina are embarrased about the situation, and I would imagine Nina would be mortified, but it's also hilarious. Delia found an old Penthouse(of Nina's ex Carl)last year, and with that and now this, Andy makes the observation that it's like living next door to Larry Flynt. Instead of going off with the story with Delia, it becomes an argument(and some hurt words)between Andy and Nina. Andy was kind of a jerk to attack Nina for having it and for letting Delia find it. But hold on Andy, it's Nina's house. What someone does behind their closed door is their business, and she doesn't really have to answer it. If someone like Nina who is divorced and with no one in her life in that way needs something like that, then more power to her. And again, the show does a brilliant job of seeing the other side of storylines that the other shows are too afraid to do. This isn't your typical WB show. It's a much more thoughtful, intelligent, realistic, and mature show. Thank god.

Bright comes home and reveals to his parents that he just got a promotion at the restaraunt he has been working at. While Bright and Rose seems happy over this latest bit of news, Dr. Abbott doesn't seem to share in their joy. Why?. Harold seems to think that Bright thinks that this is the top of the line. It doesn't get any better than being employee of the month at a restaraunt. He fears that Bright might find this middle of the road job permanent, and not shoot for something more. That he is settling for too little, too soon, in life. The chemistry, relationship, and storylines between Harold and Bright have always been very interesting, and anytime they hit on it more and more is always a major plus. Is Harold wrong or out of line?. I don't think so. Every parent wants the best for their children. They want them to succeed to their fullest potential. And Harold knows that Bright has a lot of potential. He doesn't want his only son to get lost in just "some job" he knows probably won't go anywhere. It's a storyline that develops further into the season, and Chris Pratt is so good at making Bright goofy and loveable, but also far more complex and smarter than anyone thinks. The rapport between father and son is some of the best parent/child dynamics on TV. I hope to see more of it in the future.

Ephram and Amy. For the first two seasons, they were the two you were dying to get together. And when it finally happened, it was no longer as interesting as it was. Call it the curse of "Moonlighting". Anyways, Ephram writes a love letter to Amy to tell her his true feelings for her, while Amy takes it as her new mission to help make newcomer Hannah(the engaging and adorable Sarah Drew)more popular. And it is with Amy's help that Hannah starts to let loose a bit and become more comfortable in her own skin. Even though Gregory Smith and Emily Van Camp continue to be great actors and bring such nuanced depth to their ever evolving characters, their relationship became the least interesting and was overshadowed by others this season. That is until the "Madison" bomb dropped and brought incredible drama to their union. But it was Hannah and Bright, who you knew early on were great together, and the burgeoning triangle with Andy/Nina/Dr. Dimples that seemed more interesting. But the ensuing drama with Madison later in the season put the spotlight firmly back on our young lovers.

A side storyline with Andy helping a patient in this episode was very good as well. It was much better and stronger than any C storyline, which it was, should be. They could just as easily be time filler, but Andy's cases are usually really interesting and just as good as any of the main storylines for any given episode. Here, he helps a woman who does not have much time left, and who wants to know if she will make it to her daughter's wedding. Her husband hasn't told her that he is in dire need of a heart transplant. He has kept it a secret because he does not want to add to the sadness, or ruin his daughter's big day. Very well written and emotional, this storyline proves that the show can also bring so much to a side storyline. Veteran actor Ernie Hudson(Ghostbusters, The Hand That Rocks The Cradle, The Crow, Oz)plays the husband. Nice little story.

In the end, "The Birds And The Batteries" is a good episode showing just why this brave and incredible show has gotten the critical acclaim from the very start. It's nice to know that there is a very intelligent, warm, and funny show that is incredibly acted and written that the whole family, including parents and their kids, can watch together. There is no better show on TV that raises such topics and tells it like it is that parents can discuss with their kids. A great episode.

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Employee of the month, love letters, and vibrators oh my!.

8.7

By Barrybgb, Jun 15, 2005

I titled this episode "Fine Example", because thie episode really is a fine example of how Everwood hits on topics that most other shows(especially ones with families)would never dare go near. Yes, I am talking about the vibrator. It's because of something like that that takes the show above and beyond most everything else, mainly because it takes some risks in it's storytelling and ideas and doesn't sugar coat it or dance around the subject. It hits on something real and doesn't take the easy way out. So, what happened?....

Andy finds himself at a loss for words when Delia comes home from Nina's after playing with Sam. While playing hide and seek and hiding in Nina's room, Delia finds....the object. As any curious little girl would be, she asks her dad about it. Andy and Nina are embarrased about the situation, and I would imagine Nina would be mortified, but it's also hilarious. Delia found an old Playboy(of Nina's ex Carl)last year, and with that and now this, Andy makes the observation that it's like living next door to Larry Flynt. Instead of going off with the story with Delia, it becomes an argument(and some hurt words)between Andy and Nina. Andy was kind of a jerk to attack Nina for having it and for letting Delia find it. But hold on Andy, it's Nina's house. What someone does behind their closed door is their business, and she doesn't really have to answer it. If someone like Nina who is divorced and with no one in her life in that way needs something like that, then more power to her. And again, the show does a brilliant job of seeing the other side of storylines that the other shows are too afraid to do. This isn't your typical WB show. It's a much more thoughtful, intelligent, realistic, and mature show. Thank god.

Bright comes home and reveals to his parents that he just got a promotion at the restaraunt he has been working at. While Bright and Rose seems happy over this latest bit of news, Dr. Abbott doesn't seem to share in their joy. Why?. Harold seems to think that Bright thinks that this is the top of the line. It doesn't get any better than being employee of the month at a restaraunt. He fears that Bright might find this middle of the road job permanent, and not shoot for something more. That he is settling for too little, too soon, in life. The chemistry, relationship, and storylines between Harold and Bright have always been very interesting, and anytime they hit on it more and more is always a major plus. Is Harold wrong or out of line?. I don't think so. Every parent wants the best for their children. They want them to succeed to their fullest potential. And Harold knows that Bright has a lot of potential. He doesn't want his only son to get lost in just "some job" he knows probably won't go anywhere. It's a storyline that develops further into the season, and Chris Pratt is so good at making Bright goofy and loveable, but also far more complex and smarter than anyone thinks. The rapport between father and son is some of the best parent/child dynamics on TV. I hope to see more of it in the future.

Ephram and Amy. For the first two seasons, they were the two you were dying to get together. And when they did, well, it no longer seemed as interesting. Ephram tries to write Amy a love letter to tell her her true feelings, while Amy has taken it as her mission to help newcomer Hannah(the engaging and adorable Sarah Drew), become more popular. As the season moved forward, Ephram and Amy became overshadowed by most other storylines. That is until the "Madison bomb" finally hit. While Gregory Smith and Emily Van Cmp continue to be fine actors and bring their individual characters to life, it was everyone else's relationships that became more interesting. You knew early on that Hannah and Bright were cool together and others, and they became more interesting. It took Madison and the ensuing drama afterwards to finally bring the incredible drama back to Ephram and Amy.

A side storyline involved Andy helping another patient. Since a lot of these types of storylines seemed to be besides the point of the actual episode, most of these cases are actually incredibly good and interesting and are far more better than a C storyline. While they didn't do as much with this one, or gone as deep, as they could have, it was awfully touching and sad. A woman who does not have long left to live wants to see her daughter married before she dies, and does not know that her husband is in dire need of a heart transplant. The husband has kept it a secret so as not to add anymore sadness to the family, and decides to wait til after his wife has passed to do something. Andy makes a perfect comment about how this man's daughter will need a parent after losing one, and that her future child deserves a grandfather. It's a simple and sweet side storyline that is just as equally affective, and wonderfully done, as any other major storyline.

"The Birds And The Batteries" is another great episode, and another fine example of why this show has been so critically acclaimed right from the very first episode. It's nice to know that there is something far more informative and serious for everyone, including parents with their kids, to watch.moreless
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Cast & Crew: STARS

EDIT

John Beasley	Irv Harper/ Narrator
Anne Heche	Amanda Hayes
Debra Mooney	Nurse Edna Abbott Harper
Tom Amandes	Dr. Harold Abbott Jr.
Gregory Smith	Ephram Brown
Scott Wolf	Dr. Jake Hanson

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

EDIT

Ernie Hudson	Bill Hoover	Guest Star
Denise Dowse	Laura Hoover	Guest Star
Brenda Sue Cowley	Mrs. Clark	Guest Star
Whitney Lee	Brittany	Recurring Role
Jan Felt	Louise	Recurring Role
Ben Hammond	Sam Fenney	Recurring Role

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (5)
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- This episode indicates that Laynie Hart (Nora Zehetner) has left town. However, the circumstances behind her departure and where she has gone are not told.
  EDIT SHARE
- Ephram says that he has spent a whole week showing Hannah around. However, Rose tells Amy in 3x01 For Every Action… that Everwood has only one main street and Ephram has been complaining ever since he arrived that the village is too small to be any fun.
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- We learn that Brittany has a brother.
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- In the dinner scene between Ephram and Amy, when the camera is on Amy, Ephram's arms are on the table, when looking at Ephram, his arms are down by his side. There is an inconsistency.
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- In Act 4, it opens with Dr. Brown in a beige shirt with Dr. Hartman, then when he talks to Nina on her porch next, he is in his maroon shirt from the previous day, then in the final scene with Delia on the couch, he is back in his beige shirt. The editing group jumped back a day and back again.
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QUOTES (6)
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- Luise (To Andy about Mrs. Clark): I tried to stop her sir, but she's very strong.
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- Harold: You'll never guess who I ran into today.
  Bright: Paris Hilton.
  Harold: Who? No.
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- Andy (To Jake): Alright, I'll do it. But not because I like you. I still don't like you.
  EDIT SHARE
- Delia: What are you guys talking about?
  Andy: Cheese! Uh--cake. Cheesecake.
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- Andy: First of all, her--whosiwhatsit was under her bed.
  Mrs. Clark: Is this a joke to you!?
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- Nina: I told you from the start that you should talk to her if she brought it up and instead you said 'cheesecake'!
  Andy: It was a reflex!
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NOTES (3)
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- Even though credited, Debra Mooney (Edna Harper) does not appear in this episode.
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- Even though credited, John Beasley (Irv Harper) does not appear in this episode.
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- Episode Music:
  Bran Van 3000 - Rock Star.
  Jars of Clay - Lonely People.
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ALLUSIONS (9)
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- Episode title: >The Birds & the Batteries.
  
  It is a takeoff of the expression The Birds and the Bees, the traditional sex talk that parents or guardians give their children upon reaching puberty.
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- Andy: Nina, what is it about your house? Penthouses, foot massagers, it's like living next door to Larry Flynt!
  Penthouse is a men's magazine which was Playboy magazine's major competition when first published by Bob Guccione in the late 1960s. Larry Flynt is the controversial publisher of Hustler, a raunchy magazine for men.
  EDIT SHARE
- Laura Hoover: I think my rage scared away the reaper a little longer than most.
  A figure commonly used to represent death, The Grim Reaper is a skeleton or solemn-looking man carrying a scythe, who cuts off people's lives as though he were harvesting grain.
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- Ephram: I tell you she's a writer and you turn her into Stephen King.
  Stephen King is the prolific author of screen plays, short stories, and novels. His works have been made into movies, including Carrie, Salem's Lot, The Shining, The Stand, and many, many more.
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- Amy: And remember when that girl... got her poem published in Cosmo Girl! We can get her [Hannah] published in Jane.
  A monthly magazine for teen girls, "Cosmo Girl!" is a place that one can go to when wanting to laugh, get good advice and get the scoop on everything fun and new. Jane is a women's magazine that provides advice without preaching.
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- Laura Hoover: Will I get to see my baby girl in her wedding gown? It's a Vera Wang. Cost more than my chemo.
  Vera Wang is a successful bridal gown designer.
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- Bright: Paris Hilton
  
  Harold: Never guess who I ran into today.
  
  The great-granddaughter of hotel magnate Conrad Hilton, Paris Hilton is an heiress, socialite, and sometimes runway model. She and best friend Nicole Richie have appeared in The Simple Life, a reality TV show. Her most notable appearance in film (besides a sex video posted on the Internet) was a cameo in the Ben Stiller film Zoolander, in which she played herself.
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- Hannah: I'm not Daria
  Sarah Drew voiced one of the characters from the cartoon series "Daria." She voiced the character Stacy Rowe.
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- Hannah: I'm not Daria.
  References Daria from the hit cartoon series Daria. Hannah mentions that she isn't like the cartoon, who is sad, depressed and vaguely resembles her.
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