A laidback series set in a small Arkansas town populated by a gallery of colorful characters, Evening Shade (1990-94) starred Burt Reynolds (fallen from his 1970s heyday), who earned a People's Choice Award, an Emmy, and a Golden Globe for his well-suited role as Wood Newton, a former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback who returns to his small town to serve as the high school football coach. As the 24-episode 1990-91 first season begins, the team is mired in a 30 games-and-counting losing streak. Complicating matters, Wood's wife Ava (Marilu Henner) no sooner launches her campaign for prosecutor, when she learns that she is pregnant. Evening Shade was created by Clinton cronies Harry Thomason and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, but the show is a Red Stater's dream with its celebration of small-town America and the three F's: family, friends, and faith. In the inaugural episodes, Reynolds seems to have a distracted air, almost as if he's resentful to be there, but he snaps his one-liners with flip panache, while also generously ceding the spotlight to the stellar ensemble of estimable character actors, including Hal Holbrook as Ava's father (and crusty publisher of the local newspaper), Ossie Davis as Blue (sage owner of the local barbeque hangout, whose Our Town-esque narration frames most of the episodes), Charles Durning as the family physician, Michael Jeter as the wimpy-looking math teacher who signs on as Wood's new assistant coach, and Elizabeth Ashley as Ava's southern diva aunt Frieda. Evening Shade boasts its own easygoing rhythm, but also share the same smart and sassy humor the Thomasons brought to their Designing Women. Still, this was never exactly must-see TV, and its value today is essentially nostalgic. Optional. (D. Liebenson)
Evening Shade: Season One
Paramount, 5 discs, 540 min., not rated, DVD: $39.99 September 15, 2008
Evening Shade: Season One
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: