Everwood Series Finale at 20: Gregory Smith Reveals the Ending Audiences Didn't See

If the WB lineup from the early '00s were a yearbook, then Everwood would have been voted least likely to succeed.

Its vulnerable and awkward teen characters didn’t talk like they were 30. Nobody dropped snappy pop-culture references. Yet the heartwarming Colorado-set drama series was beloved. And when producers confirmed that the fourth season finale — which aired June 5, 2006 — would indeed be Everwood’s farewell, fans felt like a dear friend was leaving. The cast did, too. “It was obviously very sad,” recalls star Gregory Smith, who was just 22 at the time. “We were part of a community, and it’s always hard when a community must part ways.”

Despite a lack of flash, Everwood was actually ahead of its time. Before The Madison, Virgin River, Northern Rescue and even Schitt’s Creek, newly widowed Dr. Andy Brown (Treat Williams) decided to uproot his teen son, Ephram (Smith), and young daughter Delia (Viven Cardone), from the cosmopolitan city to a small town amid the tranquil mountains. Ephram soon befriended classmate Bright (Chris Pratt) and crushed on his sister, Amy (Emily VanCamp). 

Created by an upstart Dawson’s Creek writer named Greg Berlanti — he’d go on to become a producing powerhouse and receive the Television Academy Governors Awards in 2024 — Everwood received raves upon its 2002 premiere. The series also cultivated a devoted following for its emotional, grounded and character-first storytelling. “The show’s success was all about the words and the very special people across the board making it,” Smith says. But after the WB and UPN merged into The CW in 2002, executives decided that the trailblazing show would not make the pilgrimage. (Fun fact: 7th Heaven got the last-minute pick-up instead.) In the end, Amy declared her love for Ephram, and Andy proposed to Nina (Stephanie Niznik).  

Twenty years since the bittersweet goodbye, Smith — now a director for several series, including ones on the CW (Riverdale, The Flash, Arrow) — says he only has fond memories of Everwood experience. “I’m really proud of how it’s aged and remained special to people,” he says. “It was one of the most defining experiences of my life.” In honor of Everwood's series finale turning 20, Smith reflects on making the series.

Television Academy: How did it work filming a finale for a show on the renewal bubble? 

Gregory Smith: We filmed two endings. In the one that aired, Ephram finds Amy by the Ferris wheel. My recollection [in the unaired episode] is that Ephram misses a call from her and goes out to meet [ex] Madison [Sarah Lancaster] instead. 

Amy and Ephram were like ships in the night. The show always had to end with them together, but we were going to prolong that for another season.  

How did you get the news about the cancellation? 

I remember I was in Toronto, working on something, and I was out for a walk. I got a call from our producer Mickey Liddell — it could have been on a payphone. He told me the news. We knew it was a possibility, but it seemed like it was leaning towards us going back. 

What was your reaction? 

It was a surprise. We were obviously grateful that we had had a chance to tie it up and shoot the ending that ended up airing, but it was the end of an era. It was a very special time. We all lived in Park City, Utah [during filming], and we'd all come to know each other. There were parallels of us all moving to a small town from our big cities. Art imitated life. 

What was your audition process like? 

I had two or three auditions before I finally got the call to read in front of Greg. He talked about the script and gave me notes — and I just instantly felt connected with him. I knew exactly what he wanted, and he knew exactly how to express it. 

And did you sense the show would go far — or were you just happy to get a job? 

It felt special, and that was because Greg was a special talent. There’s a scene in the pilot where Treat and I are really yelling at each other, and it’s very emotional and intense and electric. It felt like the show was going to turn out really well. 

How was your experience working with Greg? 

He was such a great leader. People always talked about how young he was [29 when the show got picked up], but I didn’t realize it because I was just 18 and quite young as well. The stories that he could tell, and the emotion that he could write with, was just truly remarkable — it still is. We knew we were lucky to be working with him, and we knew he would go on to do amazing things. 

Talk about Treat Williams. What did you learn from working with such a veteran actor? 

He was such a great actor and became a father figure to me. When he passed [in 2023], I can't begin to tell you how devastating that was for all of us. But here’s what just popped into my head: Halfway through the first season, I was trying to decide what to do on the hiatus. I told him I wanted to take an acting class, or join an actor’s studio. He said to me, “Greg, go out and live life.” Like the most important thing to do is have fun, have experiences, travel, meet people. That’s going to fill your cup. It was some of the best advice I ever got.

And what was it like starting off your career opposite Emily and Chris? 

It was like going to camp or college. We all kind of grew up together. 

Because you were so young, did you ever have “WB FOMO?” Like, did you want to be a part of the cultural zeitgeist and be on all the magazine covers?

I didn't get FOMO. But it was tough to be 18, leave all my friends and move to Utah. I wished that we had filmed somewhere closer to home — I also knew it was probably going to be the best thing that ever happened to me, and it was. My wife and I want to move back [to Utah] and hopefully raise our kids there. That really mirrors Ephram’s journey.  

What do you make of the fact that so many series now have a city-fish-out-of-water narrative? 

I’ve seen those shows. I guess that kind of emotional journey is enduring and people can connect to it. It just points to the amazing fact that Greg was in his 20s and he was able to write that story. 

Do fans still approach you to talk about the show?

Yeah, it's funny. I’m directing a show in Cape Town. A few weeks before I got here, Everwood was re-released on Netflix. It was like the No. 1, most streamed show in South Africa. So I got off the plane and everybody was like, “Ephram!” People were recognizing me in a way that they hadn't for that show in a long, long time. It was a funny trip down memory lane. 

Do you ever rewatch it? 

I might have re-watched a couple episodes with my wife, because she had never heard of it when we got together. But, one day, I want to watch it with my kids. At my age now [42], I already relate more to Dr. Brown than to Ephram! 

All these years later, do you have closure on the way the finale went down?

I feel 100% closure. But probably 10 years ago, there were some thoughts about a reunion. That terrified me because I don't act anymore, so trying to find that character again would have been an intimidating endeavor. It also would have been an amazing gift. 

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.