Once and Again

Once and Again centers on Lily Manning, a divorcée raising two daughters, and Rick Sammler, a widower trying to steady his own family life. Their tentative attraction grows into a relationship that forces each of them to renegotiate parenting roles, old loyalties, and personal boundaries. The show gives equal weight to the adults and their teenagers, showing how breakups, new romances, and blended households create tension and unexpected tenderness. Rather than relying on big plot twists, it focuses on small, believable moments of conversation, therapy, and awkward honesty as these characters try to balance desire, responsibility, and the messy logistics of modern family life.

Created by Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick, the series premiered in 1999 and unfolded across multiple seasons, favoring intimate, dialogue-driven episodes over high-concept plots.

The series earned attention during awards seasons, securing multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations that highlighted the cast and writing. Those nominations reflected industry recognition for performances and for the show's adult-oriented scripts, drawing focus to its actors' ability to convey subtle emotional shifts.

Once and Again had a noticeable cultural effect on how television portrayed middle-aged romance and blended families. Its frank conversations about divorce, remarriage, and co-parenting offered a template for later dramas that wanted to treat adult relationships with nuance and realism. Fans often point to its quiet domestic scenes and honest marital discussions as influential to more mature TV storytelling.

Critical reaction emphasized strong performances, especially from Sela Ward and Billy Campbell, and the series' willingness to tackle grief, identity, communication, and parenting teenagers with restraint. On user-scored platforms it holds a modest average rating of 6.571/10 from 21 votes, reflecting an admired but somewhat niche appeal among viewers who prefer character study over spectacle.