Evening Shade - Episode Guide

In the series pilot, Wood Newton, a former NFL football player and the head coach of the local high school football team, has to deal with his team's losing streak, the possible pregnancy of his wife, his birthday/wedding anniversary and a news photo of Wood with a stripper.

With Ava in the hospital, Freida babysits and fills in at poker night.

On seeing an old game film, Wood discovers his most celebrated high school touchdown catch was actually out of bounds.

Taylor takes "Marge the Barge" to a Sadie Hawkins dance while Harmon and Wood engage in a war of pranks with the seniors.

Both Taylor and Evan begin relationship with women who have reputations for being very provocative.

After a boozy evening, Wood passes out on the coffee table, giving Will a chance to shave off half his mustache. Meanwhile, Ava gets a visit from her high school boyfriend Kyle Hampton.

Wood donates "a weekend with Wood Newton" to Harlan's charity. Being the highest bidder, Herman Stiles wins the prize and drives Wood's entire family nuts.

Right before a game with arch rival Piggot High School, Wood's entire offensive line fails an algebra test and must cram for a makeup test or else they will be barred from playing.

When Ava's new job as a prosecuting attorney keeps her away from home, Wood takes on extra domestic chores and resents it so much that he packs up and moves in with Ponder Blue. Meanwhile, Herman joins a mail order hair club.

When a Hollywood film crew arrives in town to shoot a Civil War mini-series, the townsfolk flock to play extras. Wood is cast as a Confederate colonel. The shoot is beset with problems, including temperamental actress Shelley Darling.

Everyone is dealing with issues at Christmastime. Wood is so tired of his children's materialism that he donates all of their gifts to a hard luck family in the neighborhood.

Wood and Ava make friends with a married couple who turn out to be swingers.

Wood's visiting high school friends tell incriminating stories about him to Ava and Evan; Wood's former fiancée Rebecca Kincaid is back in town and still carrying a torch for him.

In a flashback, the Newton family helps Ava runs for district attorney against an obnoxious opponent, and Harlan is convinced that a win for Ava would have negative effects on her marriage to Wood.

Herman's visiting father Brick gets pushy with Freida and seems interested in spending time with everyone in town but Herman.

Evan has a physical confrontation with Vernon Moody, who disagrees with one of Evan's editorials, but Wood is called as the star witness--for Moody.

On Wood's annual deer hunting trip, a local legendary deer drops dead in front of his cabin, outside official hunting grounds.

Ava feels there is cause for concern when armed robber Harvey Lujack, whom she helped put in prison, escapes and swears revenge on her.

Wood tries to keep secret the presence of his guest: old acquaintance country music singer Kenny Rogers.

Herman is a substitute teacher for a sex education class, and calls in Wood for backup.

Wood must decide whether to allow women to try out for the football team.

Herman wants his friendship with Margaret to move to the next level, so Wood, Ava, Harlan, and Merlene plan a dinner party to facilitate this.

Ava goes into labor the night of the Booster Club Sports banquet, to which Wood has invited his football archrival Terry Bradshaw.

Ava encounters chaos and problems in the delivery of her baby.

Wood, Harlan, and Herman are left stranded in the woods, naked, when Ava, Freida, Merleen, and Fontana play a prank on their camping trip.

The women begin to feel guilty about having abandoned the men naked in the woods. Wood, Harlan, and Herman, completely unclothed, attempt to return to Evening Shade.

Wood is troubled when Molly starts spending time with a boy and enters a beauty pageant.

When Ava has a pregnancy scare, she insists that Wood have another vasectomy.

When babysitter Evan leaves baby Emily alone, she winds up going for a ride in Nub's wagon. 

Wood and company quickly drive each other crazy when they take a road trip in a borrowed RV.

Wood faces a dilemma when his football team finally wins a game but he later finds out that his star player is ineligible to play.

Harlan's retirement leads to a fight with Merleen, and then to the Newtons', where's he's on his way to earning another gold watch---as the housekeeper.

Taylor and Aimee elope and get married.

It's a turkey of a Thanksgiving for Wood and family when his ex-con cousin and his brood show up for the holiday.

A public outcry over exotic dancing leaves Ava exposed to criticism when she strips Fontana of her topless act.

While home ill with a fever, Wood manages to wedge himself in a window after locking himself out of the house.

An unwelcome visitor creates a stink during Wood and Ava's weekend alone. 

Herman babysits Molly, Will, and a few of their friends during a sleepover.

Ava feels displaced when the Newtons hire a talented au pair girl.

Wood is elected to express the concerns of the family over Evan's proposed wedding to Fontana.

Fontana decides to call off her and Evan's wedding at the last minute. Merleen reveals a secret to Harlan.

Fontana decides to proceed with the wedding; Merleen meets her daughter.

An auto mechanic hopes to get Herman's engines running with a series of erotic letters, causing a breakdown in Herman's relationship with Margaret.

When Taylor writes a play about the people of Evening Shade, not everyone considers imitation the greatest form of flattery.

Wood tries to steer Taylor away from buying a car, especially when Taylor suggests speeding things along with a garage sale, full of Wood's memorabilia.

Herman works for an overbearing former student when budget cuts eliminate his teaching position. 

Wood receives a telegram saying his cousin Readith, who bullied him as a child, is returning to Evening Shade.

Wood throws his back out the night before he's set to bowl against an old rival.

Efforts to throw a birthday party for Will fall short of expectations.

When Wood hears that the building that housed his father's mercantile store is about to be torn down, he decides to take drastic action so his father won't be forgotten; Harlan helps Herman learn some dance moves he needs to master in a hurry.

Wood and Ava are nervous as Molly shows interest in boys.

Ava sends Wood to investigate when Harlan rents property to a massage parlor.

Taylor quits the football team after a bad breakup with his girlfriend Aimee.

Herman, Harlan, and Freida accompany Wood and his young son Will on a father/son camping trip.

Evan contends with tourists who arrive to see a hole in his wall that resembles Abraham Lincoln. 

Harlan fibs about his weight loss to Richard Simmons, then persuades Herman to impersonate him.

Evan's newspaper accidentally prints Wood's obituary; Ava is voted "Arkansas Prosecuting Attorney of the Year".

Wood spends his wedding anniversary in New York as a guest on CBS's NFL show.

Still unemployed Herman moves in with Freida in exchange for doing jobs around the house when his building goes condominium.

After another on field humiliation, Wood quits as football coach and opens a sporting goods store.

Wood and Herman go looking for a special gift for Will and become stranded when the car breaks down.

Freida falls for a man at the ice cream parlour, only to discover that he is the new preacher.

Wood and Ava must submit to an evaluation when Molly decides she wants to attend private school.

Ava hosts Fontana's baby shower, and wants Herman, who has joined Reba McEntire's security team, to get her to entertain.

Rebuffed by Reba McEntire, Ava still persists in planning the baby shower all by herself.

Ponder hopes that an old flame's visit may become permanent; Will must deal with a bully at school.

Taylor's girlfriend stands him up on prom night to elope with the school hunk. Taylor and Daisy track the couple down to the justice of the peace. Newt helps Fontana get ready for birth.

Fontana goes into labor, but Evan can't be reached.

Cousin Alvin comes to town and he and Wood get into legal trouble.

Fontana despairs of her mothering abilities when only Evan can quiet baby Scout.

Herman doesn't want his old mentor to know that he now works at a supermarket; Wood helps out in Will's class.

Wood hopes that Florida State coach Bobby Bowden will offer Taylor a football scholarship.

Taylor accepts a summer job in Texas, which doesn't make Daisy happy; Wood might have found a new quarterback; Herman books John Denver to give the commencement speech, but gets Bob Denver instead.

Practical jokes escalate between the men and women of Evening Shade.

Wood is concerned that now that Taylor is off to college, he's not learning to be independent.

Wood finds himself locked in a sauna with Freida during the first game of the new football season.

Ava and Harlan go head to head in court when he is a witness for an insurance company.

Herman has some bad news for the returning Margaret (who has some for him in return). Herman confesses that he cheated on Margaret by kissing the ice cream woman--but only after Margaret confesses to kissing a man during her trip to Greece.

On Halloween, Emily is afraid of the costumes and Taylor faces a crisis of confidence as an actor.

Wood and Ava don't approve of Molly's date for the Sadie Hawkins dance; Herman finds out that his ancestors came from Scotland.

With Nub out sick, Wood and Evan takes over his newspaper route as the ladies run his other errands.

A Hollywood movie star takes a liking to Evening Shade and decides to buy the whole town and turn it into a tourist attraction.

Freida returns from her health farm jaunt determined to stop smoking, with Herman's help.

Ponder's restaurant faces new competition; Herman's new girlfriend is an Amazon.

Fontana and Evan's baby takes a toll on their love life; Wood and Ava accompany Herman to a singles bar.

A school cafeteria scandal lands Evan and Wood in jail for contempt of court.

It's Harlan against Erna Wallingsford in a muddy campaign to become mayor of Evening Shade.

When Wood's delinquent cousin Calvin returns to Evening Shade, he decides to stay at the Newtons' until he earns his high school diploma.

Merleen finds her calling by painting nudes--starting with husband Harlan.

The ladies fix up Ponder with a woman who used to be a man.

Wood must humiliate himself in order to inherit $1 million.

Merleen is thrilled when her sisters Jolene and Lurleen invite her to sing with them.

A bachelorette party throws cold water on Wood and Ava's plans to renew their wedding vows.

The town is bankrupt and it's up to Mayor Wood to fix the problem; and he starts by attending a mayors conference in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Wood is offered a job coaching for the Atlanta Falcons, but first he must direct a school play of the "Three Little Pigs".

Molly is mortified when a secret admirer writes "I heart Molly Newton" on the town water tower.

Ava is concerned about Taylor's involvement with her visiting college friend; Wood tries to help younger son Will deal with a school bully.

Wood must live with Taylor until little Emily is over the chicken pox.

Frieda's ex-husband returns with an unusual proposal: he wants to get married again, and wants Frieda to return his grandmother's ring so he can give it to his new spouse; Nub becomes a chimney sweep.