When "Men in Trees" premiered in September, its prospects were dim. After a minimal promotional push from ABC, its isolated Friday time slot seemingly ensured the series, starring Anne Heche, would meet a swift cancellation.

But over its nine-episode run, the show's concept has gradually been nurtured into a delectable treat, ultimately earning a full-season pickup and a new 9 p.m. Thursday home following television's most popular show.

Fans of "Grey's Anatomy" may be wondering if they should stick around for a program that seems to be arriving from nowhere — a show that no one seems to talk about, that is not available online and that is headlined by an actress with a lingering past.

Just as it sometimes takes a chapter or two before a good book takes hold, some TV shows need a few episodes before fully demonstrating why they deserve an audience.

"Men in Trees" has only become more gratifying with each new episode.

At its core, it's a show about the journey toward self-discovery and the relationships that often dictate paths we travel.

The premise has a familiar ring to it. Marin Frist (Heche), a relationship coach and best-selling author from Manhattan, discovered her fiance was cheating while en route to a speaking engagement in Elmo, Alaska, a town where men dramatically outnumber women.

The title comes from a forestry sign Marin bumped into.

No longer able to write her next book about achieving her goal of getting married, she realized that she clearly had much to learn about men, relationships and, in turn, herself.