Evening Shade S1

Evening Shade was the comeback show for Burt Reynolds and the follow-up show for Marilu Henner. As a rule these shows are usually a disaster but Evening Shade was beautifully written with a supporting cast to die for. Produced by Linda Bloodworth Thomason at the height of her Designing Women success.

The show focuses on Wood Newton (Reynolds), a former pro football player who has returned to his home town of Evening Shade, Arkansas to be the town's high school football coach and his wife Ada (Henner), a lawyer who becomes the town's DA. The following cast of supporting characters round out the show:

Herman Stiles (Michael Jeter)- Wood's assistant coach

Frida Evans (Elizabeth Ashley) - Ada's free thinking sister

Ponder Blue (Ossie Davis) - The owner of the local bar and grill

Evan Evans (Hal Holbrook) - Ada's father

Merleen Eldridge (Ann Wedgeworth) - Evan's younger girlfriend

Dr. Harlan Elldridge (Charles Durning) - The town doctor

Burt Reynolds received an Emmy Award fot this season - his only career Emmy. Plus Charles Durning, Michael Jeter and Elizabeth Ashley receive nominations for this season.

This show brought together some of the finest actors from Broadway including five Tony Award winners.

Michael Jeter was fresh off his emotional Tony Award win for Grand Hotel and this show made him a star. He won the Emmy for the second season.

Charles Durning also was fresh off his Tony win but he had been a major character actor in all mediums for the last twenty years. He received two Oscar nominations in 1982 & 1983. And prior to the show, received 4 Emmy nominations.

Ashley had been a confirmed Broadway star since her 1975 Tony Award win.

Ann Wedgeworth also received a Tony Award for Neil Simon's Chapter Two.

And And of course Holbrook (Tony winner in 1966) has been working in all mediums for longer - including working with his wife, Dixie Carter, on Designing Women.

Ossie Davis was a two time Tony award winner with over 30 years on Broadway, Films and Television when he joined this show. Prior to this show he received two Emmy nominations.

As you can see, this show brought together a great cast of stars.

The DVD set contains all 24 episodes of this charming comedy series' first season.

Evening Shade is a 1980's throw back to the great TV of the 1960's. Burt Reynolds leads a cast veteran actors in a modern day Andt Griffith show.

Wood Newton (Reynolds) is a former pro American Football player who has retired and returned to his childhood home with his wife (Marilu Henner) and his kids, the small town of Evening Shade, Arkansas. He's now the coach of the local high school football team. His assistant Herman Stiles (Micheal Jeter) acts like a Barney Fife to Wood's Andy. There is his friend Ponder Blue (Ossie Davis, who looks like he is having a ball doing this), The town Doctor and his wife (Charles Durning and Ann Wedgeworth) and Wood's Father in Law (Hal Holbrook)

One could wish this DVD would have Reynolds, Holbrook, Durning or Henner doing an audio commentary track. However this aint happening

We have lost the talents of Micheal Jeter and Ossie Davis. This show is a showcase to their acting talents.

so go get some shade and bask in its laughter

Bennet Pomerantz Audioworld

This is a terrific show and I'm so glad it's finally out on DVD. All the characters are fantastic and funny. I was sad to finish the last DVD in the season.... I can't wait for Season Two to be released!

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 37 reviews  4.7 out of 5 stars