8.9/1052 votes#1 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/1999
Lily Manning, separated from her husband, and Rick Sammler, divorced for 3 years, meet by chance when her daughter, Grace, injures her ankle in a soccer game. They go out on a date, and are instantly attracted to each other.
Director: Edward Zwick
Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz
- 8.6/1035 votes
#2 - Let's Spend The Night Together
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/1999
Rick and Lily ponder taking their relationship to the next level.
Director: Marshall Herskovitz
Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz
- 8.4/1034 votes
#3 - The Scarlet Letter Jacket
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/5/1999
Rick and Lily's families gather at the school carnival. Lily and Karen, who don't know of each other at this point, are paired to work together in a booth there.
Director: Dan Lerner
Writer: Marshall Herskovitz
- 8.7/1033 votes
#4 - Liars and Other Strangers
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/1999
After meeting Rick, Judy expresses to Lily her misgivings about Lily's blossoming relationship with him.
Director: Ron Lagomarsino
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/1030 votes
#5 - There Be Dragons
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/19/1999
Rick introduces Lily to his kids under awkward circumstances.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.0/1026 votes
#6 - A Dream Deferred
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/1999
Lily faces the reality of being on her own and Judy begins to pull away from her Lily. This happens after Rick offers to remodel the bookstore and Judy feels like the ""odd man out"" because Lily and Rick's relationship, she feels, leaves her little time to spend with Lily.
Director: Scott Winant
Writer: N/A
- 9.3/1062 votes
#7 - The Ex-Files
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/2/1999
Being divorced means Karen and Rick must both go to Eli's weekend basketball tournament, creating some awkward moments for them.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/1026 votes
#8 - The Past is Prologue
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/9/1999
Lily and Rick deal with the ghosts of their failed marriages. Rick's becoming consumed with a project at work triggers Lily's memories of Jake doing the same thing in their marriage, causing its downfall. Meanwhile, Eli's frustration with his schoolwork reaches new depths.
Director: Patrick R. Norris
Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz
- 8.7/1028 votes
#9 - Outside Hearts
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/16/1999
While Lily is at a convention, Judy allows Grace (and Rick and Karen allow Eli), to go to a party that ends up with bad consequences.
Director: Todd Field
Writer: Alexa Junge
- 8.8/1024 votes
#10 - Thanksgiving
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/23/1999
Lily's father decides to invite Jake to Thanksgiving at Lily's house against her wishes. Her father has difficulty in deciding whose side of the divorce to support.
Director: Claudia Weill
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/1025 votes
#11 - Where There's Smoke
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/7/1999
Jake gets into trouble with his business. A small fire at Lily's house causes a lot of worry. Karen struggles with Eli's moving into the basement.
Director: Edward Zwick
Writer: N/A
- 8.7/1028 votes
#12 - The Gingerbread House
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 12/21/1999
Lily tells Jake she wants a divorce, and tells Rick about her one-night stand with Jake. Rick can't forgive her, putting their future in jeopardy.
Director: Dan Lerner
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/1025 votes
#13 - Mediation
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/24/2000
Jake and Lily begin mediating their divorce, and the future of the house hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Rick struggles with a demanding client, complicating his partnership with David. At Jennifer's insistence, Grace fills in as an English tutor for Eli, and the two discuss Lily and Rick's recent breakup. Rick arrives at a decision regarding his future with Lily.
Director: Peter Horton
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/1033 votes
#14 - Sneaky Feelings
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 1/31/2000
Eli feels tempted to cheat on Jennifer. Karen feels attracted to a younger co-worker.
Director: Claudia Weill
Writer: N/A
- 8.7/1028 votes
#15 - The Mystery Dance
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/7/2000
Rick and Lily begin to mend their relationship. Judy meets a man who might fulfill her dreams.
Director: Dan Lerner
Writer: N/A
- 8.2/1025 votes
#16 - Daddy's Girl
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 2/14/2000
Lily hires a divorce attorney. The last straw is after Jake reneges on his promise not to max out their credit card. She finds this out after it's rejected at a store. Grace meets a boy who seems to think like her.
Director: Barnet Kellman
Writer: N/A
- 8.0/1024 votes
#17 - Unfinished Business
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/6/2000
Lily and her family cope with a life-altering accident.
Director: Edward Zwick
Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz
- 8.5/1025 votes
#18 - Strangers and Brothers
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 3/13/2000
Aaron proves to be a source of comfort and renewal for the Manning family; Lily gains ground in the divorce proceedings.
Director: Marshall Herskovitz
Writer: N/A
- 8.6/1030 votes
#19 - Cat-In-Hat
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 4/3/2000
Karen pushes herself far beyond her comfort zone when her involvement with Leo becomes more serious. Eli plays his parents against each other in order to get into a bar to see his friends' band play. He gets in trouble when he sees his mother, and she sees him, there. Rick finds out that Karen said no and Eli didn't tell him that, getting Eli in trouble with Rick as well.
Director: Claudia Weill
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/1025 votes
#20 - My Brilliant Career
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/10/2000
Lily's new job helps her put her priorities in order. While talking to Grace, Tiffany lets it slip that her relationship with Jake started BEFORE Lily and Jake split up, possibly altering her relationship with her father forever.
Director: Dan Lerner
Writer: N/A
- 8.4/1027 votes
#21 - Letting Go
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 4/17/2000
When Judy's continuing affair with Sam is discovered, she takes steps to prevent any more pain from entering her life. Lily realizes just how much she's taken Rick for granted when he's sick in the hospital. Grace continues to have difficulty with accepting her father's past infidelity.
Director: Peter Horton
Writer: Alexa Junge
- 8.9/1030 votes
#22 - A Door, About to Open
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 4/24/2000
Lily says that the kids in the two families should meet. So they schedule a night for that. Zoe is concerned about the environment. Grace again has conflicting feelings about Eli. Jennifer reveals to Grace that Cassidy is cheating on Eli. Grace is hesitant about telling Eli this information. Two of Cassidy's friends, Rachel and Lisa, warn Grace not to tell Eli what's going on (or else!). Naomi starts a book group and invites Karen, instead of Lily to be in the group because she feels that she and Lily have been drifting apart. Miles lets it be known to Rick that he doesn't want David involved on his project. Work pressures threaten to unravel Lily's plans for the meeting and they leave Rick on edge. Judy and Karen have a heart-to-heart in the bookstore about their two families. Eli finds out for himself that Cassidy's been cheating on him. Pressure from Miles forces Rick to cancel the dinner. A passage from the book the group is reading makes everything clear to Lily and Rick and Karen
Director: Dan Lerner
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Once and Again Season 1
Every episode of Once and Again Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Once and Again Season 1!
The series depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father.
Genre:Drama
Network:ABC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "Once and Again" season 1. It scored 8.9/10 based on 52 votes. Directed by Edward Zwick and written by Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, it aired on 9/21/1999. This episode is rated 0.3 points higher than the second-best, "Let's Spend The Night Together".