Premiere Episode Every Year After opens on an emotional note, with Percy Fraser giving a heartfelt speech at her best friend Chantal Thompson’s engagement celebration. Percy congratulates Chantal and her fiancé Drew, but the notion of finding lasting love brings back memories of her old relationship with Sam Florek.
But the evening takes a devastating turn when Percy gets a surprise phone call from Charlie Florek. Charlie tells her that his mother Sue died after a long battle with a terminal illness. The news hits Percy so hard. In Percy’s younger days Sue had been much more than a family friend; she had become a second mother. Percy, feeling guilty about losing contact, is unable to get over it and has a panic attack soon after hanging up.
A Challenging Trip Back Home
The next morning, Chantal talks Percy into attending Sue’s memorial service in Barry’s Bay, knowing how difficult the trip will be for him. Percy says she has been trying to move on from her complicated history with Sam for years, but regrets have haunted her for most of the last decade.
Percy begins the return trip to Barry’s Bay, with Chantal at his side. Memories of summer 2011 start to surface as we go along. Those memories recall the first time she met brothers Charlie and Sam Florek, men who would become such a big part of her life.
When they get into town, Percy is overcome with a rush of feelings. The familiar sights bring back memories of Sue, Sam and the life she left behind When she sees Sam standing by the lake, looking surprised, she gets even more nervous. She immediately turns away and walks off without looking at him, before he can see her.
Flashbacks Show How Percy and Sam’s Relationship Started
The episode deftly shifts between the present and the past, gradually uncovering the foundation of Percy and Sam’s relationship.
In the timeline of 2011, Percy is still trying to adjust to life in Barry’s Bay. She feels isolated from her friend Delilah but finds comfort in her new friendship with Sam. He takes her to The Tavern, the family restaurant owned by Sue and the two bond quickly over shared conversations, movie nights and summer adventures.
Weeks pass and Percy is deeply ingrained into the Florek family. Sue opens her arms to her, Charlie becomes a trusted friend and Sam slowly becomes the person she feels safest with.
Tensions Escalate in the Florek Family
Back in the present, grief brings out old tensions between Charlie and Sam. Sam is angry he cared for their mother for months while Charlie kept his distance. The brothers’ pent-up resentment erupts into a heated argument, revealing the emotional scars both brothers bear after Sue’s death.
Meanwhile, Percy is reconnected with some familiar faces from her past. She runs into Delilah, who now has a vacation home in Barry’s Bay with her husband, Whit. The reunion is friendly but with traces of unfinished business.
The discomfort continues when Percy checks into a local motel owned by Jordie, another childhood friend. He clearly recognizes her, but Jordie acts like he doesn’t, another awkward reminder of how much has changed over the years.
forces Percy to confront her regrets Barry’s Bay
Percy tries to hold it together, but the old memories are heavy. A trip to her family home is especially painful when she finds a demolition notice on the property.
Over time the emotional toll is too much. She wades into the lake for relief but soon finds herself in trouble. Charlie rescues her and helps her to calm down. As they talk, Percy finally admits that coming back to Barry’s Bay has forced her to confront mistakes she’s been running from for years.
Her confession points to the central emotional conflict of the series: Percy may have physically left Barry’s Bay, but she never left it behind emotionally.
Sam finds out Percy is back
At The Tavern, Jordie finally tells Sam that Percy is back in town. The news immediately elicits anger and frustration. Sam is annoyed that Charlie invited her to Sue’s memorial without checking with him.
The disagreement turns into an altercation between the brothers. Sam’s argument makes it clear just how important Percy used to be to their family. She was more to him than just an ex-girlfriend. She was one of the family.
Then the episode shifts back to one of the most touching moments from their younger years. Percy and Sam do the dishes after a meal prepared by Sue. Sam talks about his late dad and Percy reassures him she’ll always be there for him. She makes him a beaded bracelet, a promise between them that they will never take it off.
That promise weighs more in the present as we see Percy still wearing the bracelet as a reminder of all she lost.
A Surprise from an Emotional Reunification
Percy finally gets the nerve to go to The Tavern. Years of memories come rushing back as she walks through the restaurant and when she finally comes face to face with Sam, emotions take over quickly.
Instead of anger, Sam responds with compassion. He thanks her for coming to honor Sue as she breaks down and comforts her. It’s a tender moment, but also an undeniably awkward one, as years of unresolved feelings bubble under the surface.
And just as it seems that there will be a reconciliation, the episode throws up its final twist. Sam introduces Percy to his girlfriend Taylor.
Percy is visibly shaken by the revelation, adding another obstacle to any future that remains for her and Sam.
Critique
The premiere does a great job of setting up the emotional stakes and giving viewers a good sense of the complicated history between Percy and the Florek family. The dual timeline makes the story interesting as it reveals the events that shaped these relationships gradually and increases the anticipation for what went wrong.
Percy is an interesting protagonist, because we never see her completely comfortable in either timeframe. In 2011, and even today, she always seems to be searching for a place she fits in. The only person who always helps her feel grounded is Sam, interestingly.
Another highlight is the chemistry between Chantal and Jordie. They bring some much needed humor and charm to an otherwise emotionally heavy episode.
The biggest question now is how Percy will handle the new relationship Sam has. After ten years away from Barry’s Bay, she’s returned to find that life went on without her. That realization might be even more painful than the mistakes she left behind.
Every Year After begins well with a chapter heavy with grief, nostalgia and unresolved feelings, all in all. If the premiere is anything to go by, viewers are in for a heartfelt story of love, loss, forgiveness, and the challenge of facing a past that refuses to lie down.