Toward the beginning of this episode of When Calls the Heart, Elizabeth shares her excitement with Rosemary over her upcoming lesson about bees. She says she loves what bees can teach us about community. Elizabeth’s quote stood out to me because it presented an interesting way to correlate with a familiar concept from the show. Ever since When Calls the Heart premiered back in 2014, one of the overarching themes has always been teamwork. Through this theme, Hearties have witnessed their favorite characters working together to accomplish goals and even achieve miracles. Bees are known to work together, gathering within a hive to make honey. So, Elizabeth’s quote gives the theme of teamwork a good visual representation! Her quote also represents a major story in this When Calls the Heart episode, as everyone lends a helping hand to help Minnie with a large order of jam.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason thirteen poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 13
Episode: 7
Name: In a Jam
Major stories:
Minnie has been sending jam to Angela so she can share the jam with her friends. The parents of one of Angela’s friends own the Aceland hotel in Hamilton and have ordered 500 jars of Minnie’s jam to serve on their hotel’s breakfast tables. The order is due the following morning, which means the jars of jam have to get on a train that afternoon. Everyone in Hope Valley volunteers to help Minnie, with each character being assigned a specific role in the jamming process. But as the jam order is about to be shipped off to the train station, Elizabeth and Rosemary discover sugar was left out of one whole batch of jam. The problem does get resolved with some teamwork. Ned and Joseph successfully deliver the jam order because the train was delayed by ten minutes. Elizabeth reveals to Nathan she asked Jed to load his sheep onto the train, which caused the train to delay. With the money from the jam order, Minnie and Joseph decide to buy Bill’s half of the café and rename the eatery, Minnie’s Café.
Christopher is taking some time off work in order to help Nathan with the fire investigation. He becomes paranoid over someone finding out he blew the whistle on Pioneer Electric. But Henry, as well as Nathan, remind Christopher he did the right thing by speaking up. As Christopher and Nathan make their way to where Christopher buried the transformer, a car tries to run them over. They jump out of the way, but become injured. While Nathan’s injury is minor, Christopher develops a mild concussion and a few broken ribs. Because Nathan remembered the car’s license plate, he and Bill research who the car could have belonged to. Not only was the car stolen, it was also burned. Plus, Christopher leaves town, regretting his involvement in the fire investigation.
While taking a walk in Hope Valley, Lucas and Edie spot Bucky, a horse belonging to a Benson Hills resident named Mrs. McCormick. Edie and Lucas recruit Fernando to help them bring the horse back to its rightful owner. When they catch up to Bucky, Lucas tries to lasso the horse. But this plan doesn’t work. Fernando then sings to Bucky in Spanish, which calms the horse down. This allows Fernando to guide Bucky back to Mrs. McCormick in Hope Valley. Later in the episode, Edie confesses to Lucas how she doesn’t have romantic feelings for Fernando anymore.
Because Benson Hills’ residents have been staying in Hope Valley, Faith’s patient count has doubled. This means she has less time to spend with Lilly. When Elizabeth and LJ bring up the “jamboree” to help Minnie, Lilly wants to go to the event with Faith. But Faith tells Lilly she’ll join her as soon as she’s attended to all her patients. By the time Faith has taken care of her patients, the “jamboree” is over. Later in the episode, Faith learns Lilly took LJ’s stuffed dog toy named Dog because she was jealous over how much time LJ (and Dog) gets to spend with Faith. When Faith returns Dog to Elizabeth, she confesses how bad she feels about the time she’s missed with Lilly. Elizabeth suggests taking a day off once a week so Faith and Lilly could spend more time together. The next day, Lilly receives a hair pin from Faith so that she’ll always be reminded Faith is thinking of her.
During Minnie’s “jamboree”, Mike shares with Mei his desire to start a family. He even expresses this desire after having a bad reaction to a bee sting. But every time Mike brings up wanting a start a family, Mei seems to hesitate and want to change the subject. This makes me wonder if Mei and Mike have ever discussed the idea of having their own family before they got married? Sometimes, couples in Hallmark’s programming will avoid talking about serious topics for the benefit of the plot. Perhaps Mike and Mei’s part of the story is adopting a familiar aspect of Hallmark’s storytelling?
While volunteering at Minnie’s “jamboree”, Ned donates a glass jar for the jam order. Florence is upset because she recognizes the jar from her collection of memorabilia from their honeymoon. Ned makes up for his mistake by giving Florence a new glass jar. But this time, the jar is filled with slips of paper of things he remembers about their relationship. This was not only a thoughtful gesture from Ned, it was also a nice romantic moment between Florence and Ned.
I’ve heard some chatter on social media how some Hearties don’t want another love triangle between Lucas, Edie, and Fernando. Personally, I don’t think that will happen. As I mentioned in this re-cap, Edie confessed to Lucas how she doesn’t have romantic feelings for Fernando anymore. Compared to the amount of screen-time Lucas and Nathan received from seasons six to eight (when the love triangle between Elizabeth, Lucas, and Nathan took place), Fernando has been given such a limited amount of time on screen. As I said in my previous re-cap, I really hope Fernando becomes a series regular on When Calls the Heart. But since a “second chance romance” between Fernando and Edie won’t be happening, I’d like to see Fernando fall in love with Hope Valley’s first female Mountie, if she ever makes her debut on the show.
Toward the end of this episode of When Calls the Heart, Mollie reveals to Faith how she’s been taking courses to become a practicing nurse. She says becoming a nurse would provide Faith with additional help. Mollie’s story feels reminiscent of Rosaleen’s story from season ten, when she expressed interest in becoming a nurse. I now wonder if this is a shared dream between mother and daughter?
Lee has a recurring dream in this episode of When Calls the Heart. While Lee doesn’t think much of the dream itself, Rosemary believes the dream holds an important meaning. Eventually, Lee’s dream comes true in a very literal way. When this happened, it made me think about the idea of dreams coming true. The term “a dream come true” usually brings to mind people who accomplish or receive what they desire the most. A person’s dream coming true is typically seen as a positive occurrence, making others feel good when it happens. But in Lee’s case, his dream wasn’t about getting something in return. It was more about trying to discover the unknown. Season thirteen has presented several unknowns in Lee’s life. How is he going to balance all his responsibilities without experiencing stress? Will he rebuild Benson Hills within a year? Is he going to reclaim his and Rosemary’s lost dreams? Every season of When Calls the Heart has presented its series of unknowns. But over time, the characters learn the truth behind these unknowns and adapt according to what is discovered.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason thirteen poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 13
Episode: 6
Name: Moment of Truth
Major stories:
Georgie McGill comes back to Hope Valley with a Mountie named Elmore Briggs. This time, she not only brings a polygraph machine, she also reveals how she’s using her investigative skills to help Edie acquire insurance claims for those affected by the fire. After Oliver is the first Mountie to test the polygraph machine, Georgie and Bill go to Elizabeth’s house for dinner. Bill and Georgie raise concerns over how Nathan isn’t being honest with Elizabeth, especially about the lemon curd dessert Elizabeth made. They suggest Nathan use the polygraph. At the Mountie office, Nathan truthfully confesses how he loves Elizabeth. But shortly after Jack Jr. (a.k.a. LJ) asks Nathan if he’ll marry Elizabeth, Christopher arrives at the Mountie office. Earlier in the episode, Henry confronted his son about the concrete pieces found in the previous episode. This conversation between Christopher and his father encouraged him to tell the truth about the fire. A transformer from the electric company Christopher works for is how the fire was caused. Despite being instructed to throw the destroyed transformer in the river, Christopher buried it instead. His confession helps Toby and Cooper prove their innocence.
Faith tells Gwen her father is no longer at risk of infection. She also tells Gwen she is now allowed to visit her father at the hospital in Buxton. Excited to finally see her father, Gwen wants to give him a walking stick she carved herself. But when she and Lee are on their way to the hospital, Gwen immediately wants to go back to Hope Valley. Lee takes Gwen fishing instead. During this fishing excursion, Gwen reveals the real reason she didn’t want to go to the hospital. Before her mother passed away, Gwen remembers people saying her mother was going to get better. Gwen is afraid she might lose her father too. Lee reassures Gwen her father isn’t in the hospital for the same reasons her mother went to the hospital. After she successfully catches a fish, Gwen tells Lee she wants to go the hospital in Buxton to visit her father. When Lee and Gwen come back to Hope Valley, they bring home the fish Gwen caught for dinner. Rosemary reminds Lee of his recurring dream I referenced in this re-cap’s introduction, where Lee is fishing but doesn’t know what he caught. By bringing home the fish Gwen caught, Rosemary claims Lee’s dream came true.
A contractor named Fernando arrives in Hope Valley to discuss building plans with Lee. But because Lee is taking a short break from work, Fernando ends up meeting Lucas instead. Throughout the episode, Lucas and Fernando get along quite well. Lucas even learns Fernando became a contractor after being a cowboy for years. Fernando is invited by Lucas to attend Edie’s charity poker game, which hopes to raise funds to rebuild a recreation center in Benson Hills. At the poker game, Fernando invites Lucas and Edie to a car race. When Lucas introduces Fernando to Edie, Lucas learns they already know each other. That’s because Fernando is Edie’s ex-fiancé.
When Georgie arrives at Elizabeth’s house for dinner, she gives LJ and Allie a present; a box of Crayola crayons for LJ and a fountain pen for Allie. What I love about these presents is how they can spark creativity. Pens can be used to write stories, craft poetry, and construct plays. Meanwhile, LJ can draw pictures with those crayons. Maybe he can also use his crayons to create cards or dream up scenery for stage productions.
On social media, Fernando has received positive reception from the Hearties. I can only speak for myself, but I’ve already come to like Fernando as a character! His charisma radiates off the screen and he possesses so much potential. I really hope Fernando becomes a series regular on When Calls the Heart. I also hope Fernando either develops a “second chance romance” with Edie or falls in love with Hope Valley’s first female Mountie, if she ever makes her debut on the show.
In this episode of When Calls the Heart, Elizabeth’s lemon curd isn’t as popular as she believes. But the fact she made lemon curd at all shows how far Elizabeth has come when it comes to culinary matters. I remember when Elizabeth would burn meals and didn’t really know how the kitchen worked. Seeing her cook and bake highlights what Elizabeth has learned since she first came to Hope Valley.
What are your thoughts on this episode of When Calls the Heart? Would you like to see Fernando join the show’s main cast? Tell me in the comment section below!
During a community project in this episode of When Calls the Heart, Joseph tells Cooper when good ripples out, it touches the lives of everybody. The more I thought about Joseph’s quote, the more I realized how true that quote is when it comes to the show. When Calls the Heart emphasizes characters doing good things within Hope Valley and beyond. Just in season thirteen alone, Hearties have seen their favorite characters giving back to those from Benson Hills who had lost so much. But even before the fire at Goldie National Park happened, good things were taking place in Hope Valley. Multiple weddings have mended broken hearts. New life renewed the spirit of the town. The little things, like Lucas teaching Allie how to play cards, built confidence and bridges between new characters and familiar faces. When Calls the Heart has always been a show that makes its audience feel good about the program they are watching. Having the characters consistently try to make their world a better place than how they found it has definitely influenced that belief.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason thirteen poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 13
Episode: 5
Name: Growing Pains
Major stories:
Nathan and Bill continue their investigation over how the fire started. When they visit the site of Toby and Cooper’s cooking fire, Bill and Nathan discover unrecognizable pieces of concrete. They question Henry over the pieces of concrete, but he doesn’t recognize them either. At the saloon, Henry learns Christopher has earned a regional assistant promotion. This promotion allows Christopher and Rachel’s engagement to move forward. Later in the episode, Henry and his son go birdwatching. During their expedition, they discover Elizabeth’s class planting trees in the forest. Henry offers to donate mulch from his and Joseph’s hazelnut business in order to help Elizabeth’s students plant more trees. Toward the end of the episode, Christopher hurriedly leaves Hope Valley. But before his son drives away, Henry helps Christopher pack up his vehicle. As he places Christopher’s luggage in the trunk, Henry finds pieces of concrete similar to the ones found by Nathan and Bill.
One day, Cooper and Toby arrive late to class. When Elizabeth asks them about their book report, Toby and Cooper claim they forget about the assignment. Recognizing how tired her students appear, Elizabeth gives Cooper and Toby extra time to complete their book report. Concerned about their wellbeing, Elizabeth follows Toby and Cooper into the forest. She then learns her students have been replanting trees to make up for their cooking fire potentially starting the fire that destroyed Benson Hills. Wanting to lend a helping hand, Elizabeth turns Cooper and Toby’s act of kindness into a class project. At first, some of the Benson Hills students are frustrated because the newly planted trees won’t bring back their lost homes. Elizabeth reminds them how the trees could, one day, build the home of someone’s dreams. As more people learn about Elizabeth and her class replanting trees, they want to help. Not only does Henry donate mulch from his and Joseph’s hazelnut business, Lee donates some trees from his construction business as well.
Lee is preparing a presentation in order for his construction company to be granted approval to rebuild Benson Hills. This presentation consists of illustrations of what new buildings and homes would look like. When it’s time for Lee to make his presentation, he presents his building plans to a building committee (which includes Maisie, Lucas, and Christopher). Because he made such a good argument to the building committee, Lee and his construction company were granted approval to move forward with their rebuilding project. Amidst the celebration, Gwen asks Lee to rebuild her family’s house, even drawing a picture of what the house looked like. She makes a special request to crack one of the windows, as her father claimed the crack in their window looked like a spider web. As Lee is showing Rosemary the building plans one day, he experiences what he believes is a heart attack. But when Rosemary and Lee go to the Infirmary, Faith confirms Lee actually had an anxiety attack likely caused by all the responsibilities he has been trying to balance. While he’s attempting to take things easy, Gwen tells Lee and Rosemary about her class replanting trees in the forest. Lee volunteers his family to join in the replanting efforts. He also donates some trees from his construction business.
At the saloon, Lucas sees Edie trying to carry multiple crates at once. Edie confesses how she wants to use the crates to build a desk. This desk will be placed in her new living quarters, which is a room at The Café. Lucas not only offers a spare desk he already owns, he also offers to help Edie carry the desk to her place. As they transfer the desk to The Café, Edie tells Lucas why she stayed in Hope Valley. At first, it was to look after her uncle’s ranch. But when Edie lost it in the fire, she says she actually likes the town. When Lucas and Edie try to carry the desk up the stairs at The Café, Lucas falls backwards and receives a minor head injury. Later in the episode, when Edie apologizes for the desk-related mishap, Lucas apologizes for missing the insurance claim meeting. During their conversation, they both admit they like spending time with each other. Lucas even encourages Edie to share her office with him again.
While Bill and Nathan investigate around the site of Toby and Cooper’s cooking fire, Oliver finds a tooth fossil belonging to a prehistoric sea creature called a Mosasaur. This discovery sparks Oliver to share his interest in dinosaurs with Allie, even telling her how he used to own a book about dinosaurs when he was younger. One day, Oliver, Allie, and Bill go to the forest to find more dinosaur fossils. But because their adventure lasted longer than expected, Allie arrived home late for dinner. Nathan is concerned for Allie’s wellbeing, especially since she’s been spending more time with Oliver. Allie feels Nathan is losing trust in her, even though she didn’t do anything wrong. Nathan shares his concerns about Allie with Elizabeth during one of their conversations. Elizabeth reminds him how things can’t go back to the way they used to be. The next day, Nathan apologizes to Allie for not trusting her. He also reminds his daughter how, even though she is open-minded and kind-hearted, she is still young. Therefore, Allie should take her time exploring the world.
Back in season twelve of When Calls the Heart, it was revealed Lee’s father died of an unnamed medical condition. Lee expressed his concerns with Faith about developing this medical condition, to the point where he created a will and was worried about leaving a legacy behind for Goldie. With Lee’s anxiety attack being the first time his health has been addressed since the twelfth season, it makes me wonder if this situation is connected in any way to that medical condition brought up a season ago?
As I said in this re-cap, pieces of concrete looking similar to those found by Nathan and Bill were discovered by Henry in the trunk of Christopher’s vehicle. Though this makes Christopher look suspicious, I hope he’s not guilty of starting the fire. Henry put so much effort into reconnecting with his son, as well as rebuilding that familial relationship. If Christopher caused the fire, that would break Henry’s heart, which I don’t want to see happen.
After this episode of When Calls the Heart aired, there was a commercial advertising the next episode. This commercial revealed the episode would premiere on February 7th at 10 p.m./9 p.m. From episode seven and beyond, When Calls the Heart will go back to its regularly scheduled day and time. I wanted to let my readers know about this temporary change in case they missed the commercial.
What are your thoughts on this episode of When Calls the Heart? Do you think Edie will go back to sharing an office with Lucas? Let me know in the comment section!
In this episode of When Calls the Heart, Minnie is concerned over news related to Cooper. She also has other concerns on her mind like funding Angela’s college education. But as Minnie tells Joseph, she can only control what she can control. Minnie’s quote reminded me of how another character has responded to situations; Oliver. Throughout his young life, Oliver has been forced to deal with situations beyond his control, from entering foster care to his mother going to prison. Despite how turbulent his life was prior to coming to Hope Valley, Oliver always seemed aware of the things he could control. He chose to follow the rules because he didn’t want to prove his doubters right. When he lied about his education, Oliver considered resigning from the Mounties because he wanted to prevent Nathan from getting in trouble. He doesn’t even dwell on how he’s never had a birthday party before. As I reflect on Oliver’s time on When Calls the Heart, I remember how Oliver has responded to situations with a level head, a generous heart, and with the intention of doing the right thing.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason thirteen poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 13
Episode: 4
Name: Until Proven Guilty
Major stories:
McGinty is being questioned by Bill and Nathan over his whereabouts during the fire at Goldie National Park. While he admits to entering the park prior to the fire, McGinty confesses he was burying his deceased cat, Mr. Mittens. It was also confirmed McGinty was in Benson Hills when the fire was taking place. With McGinty officially ruled out as a suspect, it appears the fire was accidentally started, as Toby and Cooper confess to Nathan and Bill. However, they stress they put out their cooking fire as instructed. When those from Benson Hills are looking for something or someone to blame, Bill and Nathan host a town meeting to discuss what is known about the fire. The residents of Benson Hills are frustrated by the lack of definitive answers and even question Allie’s involvement in how the fire started. Elizabeth, who also attended the meeting, speaks up to remind Benson Hills’ residents how blaming others isn’t going to solve problems. Meanwhile, Lee decides to convert his lumber business into a construction business. Encouraged by Joseph to forgive McGinty and after learning McGinty doesn’t have insurance or a loan, Lee decides to build McGinty a new cabin as his construction company’s first project. He and Rosemary also give McGinty a kitten.
Minnie has started selling homemade jam. As the episode progresses, it’s revealed Minnie’s business venture is to not only found Angela’s college education, but to fund a lawyer for Cooper as well. When Cooper overhears his parents’ conversation about the family’s financial situation, he tries to run away from home. But Minnie stops Cooper by reminding him how he isn’t a burden. Meanwhile, Lucas attempts to apologize to Edie for missing the insurance claim meeting from the previous episode. Edie is now convinced Lucas is like the other politicians she’s met before. But during Lucas’ interview on Rosemary’s radio show, Edie’s mind starts to change. As he reveals his plans to run for re-election, Lucas states how he wants to raise taxes in order to collect funds to help re-build Benson Hills. This idea helps Edie see Lucas does care about the people he serves.
Allie not only remembers Oliver’s 18th birthday is on the horizon, she also remembers how Oliver has never had a birthday party before. These facts inspire Allie to plan a surprise party for Oliver. Allie wants to invite the students from Benson Hills to join Oliver’s celebration. But throughout the episode, the Benson Hills students seem unwilling to branch out beyond their friend groups. Allie also wants to invite Cooper and Toby. However, their guilt over the fire discourages them from attending Oliver’s party. When his birthday finally arrives, Oliver is pleasantly surprised by how the party turned out, as well as how many people showed up. Even the students from Benson Hills came to the event. But when Oliver discovers Toby and Cooper’s absence, Oliver convinces them to attend the party. But one of the reasons why they go to the party is to apologize for the fire. After the celebration, Allie gives Oliver a book of poems. Oliver then gives Allie the present he was supposed to give at Allie’s birthday party; a silver wolf brooch.
Maisie is currently staying at Mike and Mei’s apartment. This adjustment period has had some bumps in the road. One day, Mei and Mike discover some of their clothes have been donated by Maisie. They learn Maisie doesn’t like their wardrobe, even expressing her dislike over Mike wearing the color blue. Mike believes leaving Maisie alone is better than confronting his sister. But Mei encourages Mike to stand up to Maisie. He eventually confronts Maisie by proclaiming he’ll wear blue whenever he wants, as well as inviting Maisie to Oliver’s birthday party. Mike believes the community spirit will be good for Maisie as well as the rest of Benson Hills’ residents. Taking Mike’s words to heart, Maisie attends Oliver’s birthday party and gives Oliver one of Mike’s ties as a gift.
Is it just me or is everyone’s acceptance over Cooper and Toby accidentally starting the fire a bit concerning? With the episode titled, “Until Proven Guilty”, I would assume at least one of the characters would encourage others to wait until all the facts had been collected before making conclusions. But the characters seem so convinced Toby and Cooper started the fire by accident, even Cooper and Toby themselves have accepted responsibility for a problem they may not have caused. Based on synopses I read for upcoming episodes, it seems like the investigation surrounding the fire will be an overarching story this season. This leads me to believe the real culprit is going to be revealed later in season thirteen.
At Oliver’s birthday party, Allie reveals how each decorated table represents a birthday where Oliver didn’t receive a party. This display of toys, mementos, and personal belongings became a visual way of making up for lost time. I liked this design detail because it incorporates the show’s continuity. It also highlights how important Oliver’s story is for not just him as a character, but for When Calls the Heart as well.
As I said in this re-cap, Minnie is selling homemade jam to fund Angela’s college education. This fact makes me wonder why Angela didn’t receive the Hope Valley Scholarship when she graduated last season? Did Timothy or Emily accept the scholarship instead or did it go to one of the school’s alumni? I’d like to hear this detail get addressed sometime this season.
What are your thoughts on this episode of When Calls the Heart? Do you think Lee’s new construction business will re-build Rosemary’s Playhouse? Tell me in the comment section below!
Last November, I wrote an editorial speculating how Stranger Things could (and should) have ended. In this editorial, I proposed an ending where Eddie Munson created the entire show in his imagination, similar to the series finale of St. Elsewhere. I also confessed wanting to see this proposed ending because I was tired of seeing characters not reaching their full potential. No, I did not get the ending I wanted. But I always knew there was a one in a million chance I’d receive that ending. What I’m more disappointed about is how Eddie Munson’s second chance to reach his full potential was taken away from him.
This picture of Eddie is one of the most iconic photos not just in Stranger Things history, but in television history as well. Original image created by 21 Laps Entertainment, Monkey Massacre, Netflix, and Upside Down Pictures
As I’ve mentioned in the past, Eddie Munson has not only become a very beloved character, but also a very marketable character since his debut on Stranger Things back in 2022. In fact, Eddie subverted the expectations of the show’s creative team, as (from what I’ve heard) he was never intended to survive past one season. But instead of showing appreciation to the fans for helping Eddie become so popular, and even showing appreciation to Eddie himself, the creative team behind Stranger Things took them for granted. From my perspective, it seems like the show’s creative team grew to resent the fact Eddie became more liked than some of the main characters on the show. Based on what I saw and heard from Stranger Things’ fifth and final season, this perceived resentment was woven into the story. When Robin quoted Eddie by saying “Bad news first. Always.”, she didn’t even say Eddie’s name. Later in the season, Steve argues with Dustin how, back in Stranger Things’ fourth season, Eddie “saved no one” and “made a dumb call” by sacrificing his life in the Upside Down. But Steve so easily forgot how a) Eddie put the well-being and safety of others, including Steve, before himself, b) Eddie let Steve borrow his denim vest when Steve didn’t have a shirt to wear and c) Eddie encouraged Steve to work out his issues with Nancy so they could happy together. Even though Steve ended up apologizing to Dustin and admitted how Eddie saved his life, his apology had less to do with being grateful to Eddie and more to do with not losing Dustin.
Though Eddie’s ‘Master of Puppets’ solo was a very exciting scene, Eddie’s intention was to distract the Demobats in order to protect his friends. Original images created by 21 Laps Entertainment, Monkey Massacre, Netflix, and Upside Down Pictures
When Eddie shares his aspirations to graduate high school in Stranger Things’ fourth season, he told the Hellfire Club how “I’m gonna walk that stage next month. I’m gonna look Principal Higgins dead in the eye, I’m gonna flip him the bird, I’m gonna snatch that diploma, and I’m gonna run like hell outta here”. Had the creative team brought Eddie back in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, he could have received a second chance to achieve the one thing his heart desired. But instead of letting Eddie reach his full potential and even get his “standing ovation”, Eddie’s graduation moment was given to Dustin (a main character) when he graduated high school. I’ve heard this was intended to be a tribute to Eddie. But to me, it felt like Eddie’s potential was stolen from him in favor of preventing main characters from becoming overshadowed.
While Eddie shares his plans to graduate high school, he shows self-awareness for why he hasn’t graduated sooner. Original image created by 21 Laps Entertainment, Monkey Massacre, Netflix, and Upside Down Pictures
Throughout January and late 2025, I’ve heard and seen a lot of discourse over how Stranger Things ended. But I haven’t specifically heard from an Eddie Munson fan’s perspective on how the show turned out. This is why I wrote this opinion piece in the first place. While I don’t watch Stranger Things, I did pay attention to the show’s last season, as I was curious to see if Eddie would come back and if so, how. But looking back at everything that happened (or didn’t happen, in Eddie’s case), the term, “this could have been an email” comes to mind. Since email wasn’t a thing in the 1980s, the last season of Stranger Things could have been a school assembly. Though I’d like to think a school assembly about Eddie would have more thought and care put into it, especially if it was hosted by his fans. The creative team behind Stranger Things failed Eddie Munson. But as one of his fans, I refuse to make that mistake. I will give Eddie the love, support, dignity, and respect those that created him should have been giving him all along. I will continue to advocate for characters to receive their full potential, no matter their status. And I will always try to give those who are under-rated their “standing ovations”.
I was first introduced to Michael Wincott as an actor when I saw The Crow for the first time. Because his portrayal of Top Dollar left such a memorable impression, I wanted to seek out other projects from his filmography. I also wanted to review one of his projects on his birthday. But, until this year, I hadn’t gotten around to doing that. When I discovered Michael had guest-starred on an episode of Miami Vice, I became interested in checking out his performance. Seeking out this episode also gave me an introduction to Miami Vice, as I have never watched the show before. So, in honor of Michael’s birthday, I am publishing this special tv show episode review! Like my other television related reviews, I will discuss what I liked about the episode, what I didn’t like about the episode, the story itself, the other factors from this episode, and my overall thoughts. So, before we can start singing the “Happy Birthday” song, let’s begin this review!
Miami Vicelogo created by Michael Mann Productions, Universal Television, and National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
Episode Name: Blood & Roses
Season 4, Episode 19
Premiere Date: April 1st, 1988
The title card for “Blood & Roses“. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
What I liked about this episode:
In this episode of Miami Vice, a detective named Gina goes undercover as the love interest of a criminal named Frank Mosca. But the longer she stays undercover, the more the mission takes its toll on her. It gets to the point where Frank makes unwanted romantic advances on Gina. One day at the station, Gina tearfully confesses to another detective named Trudy how what she’s doing makes her feel guilty. She is still shaken up by what Frank did to her. If a character goes undercover or is given a top-secret mission on a police/detective procedural show like Miami Vice, the allure and thrill of the mission itself is given so much emphasis, its effect on the characters is rarely addressed, especially if the character is a woman. Gina’s confession to Trudy honestly highlights how, at the end of the day, the characters on police/detective procedural shows are human, complete with emotional limits and breaking points. It also helps how that scene was well-acted and well-written.
What I didn’t like about this episode:
As I said in the introduction of this review, Michael Wincott is the reason why I sought out this episode of Miami Vice. His performance was one of the best parts of this episode because he displayed chameleon-like control over his character’s emotions, which was reminiscent of his portrayal of Top Dollar. But within this forty-seven-minute episode, Michael only appeared in a total of four scenes. Plus, his portrayal of Wilson Cook became overshadowed by Stanley Tucci’s portrayal of Frank Mosca. It was disappointing to watch another project from Michael’s filmography where his talents were underutilized.
Frank Mosca is laundering money through the various banks he owns. Based on the dialogue in this episode of Miami Vice, Frank has crossed paths with the protagonists of the show before. So, the story in “Blood & Roses” is similar to a storyline from the show, Columbo; waiting for the other shoe to drop by determining how the guilty party will get caught. For the majority of Miami Vice’s forty-seven-minute episode, however, the story contained a lack of urgency. A stronger sense of urgency didn’t arrive until the last six minutes of the episode. But this creative decision caused the conflict’s resolution to feel rushed. Plus, the way Frank’s defeat was achieved by the protagonists was a little too easily reached. That creative choice seemed like it was chosen just to satisfy the episode’s run-time.
The other factors from this episode:
Like I said earlier in this review, Gina goes undercover as Frank’s love interest. One of her reasons for spending so much time with Frank is how she is posing as an interior designer. During one of their conversations, Gina brings up potential design themes like “Santa Fe” and “Nashville” Frank could adopt for his house. With Miami Vice taking place in Miami, Florida in the 1980s, I’m surprised Gina didn’t suggest Frank select an aesthetic the city, let alone the state, is known for. Miami is famous for its bright color schemes and vibrant energy. Based on the rooms from Frank’s house that were shown on screen, I’m pretty sure at least one of the aesthetics of Miami could have been effortlessly woven into Frank’s house.
Speaking of Frank’s house, some of the design choices featured in this episode were, in my opinion, strange. Frank’s office prominently features a wall length mirror behind where Frank is sitting. If he’s not even utilizing the mirror as a reflective tool, like in a dance studio, why does his office need a mirror in the first place? Right next to the house’s main staircase is a koi pond. To me, having a koi pond so close to the staircase seems like a tripping hazard, especially considering there isn’t a buffer between the floor and the edge of the pond. Had Frank’s house contained a connected greenhouse where the koi pond was located, it would have made more sense.
I said in the introduction of this review how I have never watched Miami Vice before. Despite this, I thought Don Johnson and Saundra Santiago’s on-screen chemistry was one of the best parts of this episode! Even though their characters, James and Gina, shared very little screen-time together, I could sense a radiant spark between them. Because Don’s and Saundra’s acting talents were so strong together, I wish Gina and James’ relationship had been featured more in “Blood & Roses”. However, I recognize there’s only so much story you can tell in forty-seven-minutes.
Since I’m reviewing this episode of Miami Vice on Michael Wincott’s birthday, I thought including a picture of his character, Wilson Cook, in this review made sense. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
My overall thoughts:
Even though this is my first time watching Miami Vice, I was familiar with the general concept of the show. Therefore, I had an idea of what to expect. Based on these expectations, I thought “Blood & Roses” was going to contain a strong sense of suspense, intrigue, and action. What I ended up getting was a forty-seven-minute episode that mostly lacked a sense of urgency. Because a stronger sense of urgency didn’t appear until the last six minutes of the episode, the conflict’s resolution felt rushed and the defeat of Frank (the episode’s villain) was too easily achievable for the protagonists. But out of the television episodes I’ve reviewed on 18 Cinema Lane, “Blood & Roses” isn’t one of the worst episodes I’ve covered. There were elements of the episode I liked, such as how the show honestly addressed how undercover missions can affect the characters. I even liked some of the acting performances, especially between Don Johnson and Saundra Santiago. However, I wish I had more to say about Michael Wincott’s involvement in this episode, since I’m reviewing it on his birthday.
Before school begins in Hope Valley, Elizabeth states how she wants to create a routine for the students of Benson Hills so they can have a sense of normalcy in their lives. When I first heard what Elizabeth said, I remembered how When Calls the Heart has created their own routine. For Hearties, it’s the fact the show itself premieres each episode at a consistent time on a consistent day of the week. Behind the scenes, this routine looks like a block of days or months set aside for filming, screenwriting, and editing. These routines created by the show give the cast, crew, and Hearties expectations, a sense of predictability, but most importantly, something to look forward to. Even when this routine has become interrupted, the creative team behind When Calls the Heart has adapted to the best of their abilities so the routine carries on as smoothly as possible. Few television shows have survived past ten seasons like When Calls the Heart. What seems to have worked in When Calls the Heart’s favor is building a strong and stable routine.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason thirteen poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 13
Episode: 3
Name: Back to School
Major stories:
The children of Hope Valley and Benson Hills are going back to school. But for the students of Benson Hills, they are having a difficult time adjusting to their new educational surroundings. One young girl tells Elizabeth how she’s tired of receiving people’s sad faces. Gwendolyn, who likes to be called Gwen, is carving into one of the desks with a fork belonging to Rosemary. Elizabeth encourages Hope Valley’s students to sit with the students from Benson Hills in an effort to integrate Benson Hills’ children into her class. But Elizabeth feels there is more she can do to make all her students feel like they are part of a community. Later in the episode, Elizabeth, Nathan, and Jack Jr. organize a field day. Everyone participates in the activities except for Cooper and Toby. They turn to Elizabeth toward the end of the episode to reveal they made a small cooking fire during their hike in the national park. However, Toby and Cooper reassure Elizabeth they put the fire out. As they reflect on what happened, they second guess if their fire was what caused the national park, Rosemary’s Playhouse, and Benson Hills to burn.
Lee is convinced someone intentionally started the fire in Goldie National Park. One day, at the saloon, Mollie confesses to Lee how, on the day of the fire, she saw an older gentleman entering the park carrying what looked like a kerosine can. Even though Bill and Nathan are currently conducting an investigation, Lee wants McGinty to be held accountable, as he believes McGinty is responsible for the fire. But when Lee confronts McGinty about the fire at the saloon, McGinty is appalled by Lee’s accusations. Nathan arrests Lee after Lee punched McGinty. When Rosemary picks up Lee from the jail, Lee shares how all he wants is for the guilty party to be held responsible for what they did. Rosemary reminds her husband how they don’t know all the answers yet.
The residents of Benson Hills are literally and figuratively picking up the pieces of their lives after the fire. Some of Hope Valley’s residents, including Mei, volunteer to take Benson Hills’ residents back to Benson Hills to reclaim their lost possessions. Maisie, Benson Hills’ mayor and Mike’s sister, is trying to acquire relief funds to rebuild Benson Hills. When Mei offers Maisie a place to stay at her and Mike’s apartment, Maisie turns down the offer at first because she doesn’t want Benson Hills’ residents to believe she gave up on them. But after Mei finds a baby portrait of Mike from what was Maisie’s house, Maisie realizes her family is just trying to support her. Meanwhile, Lucas agrees to appear at a meeting about insurance claims, organized by Edie and Maisie. But due to a scheduled dinner that runs longer than planned, Lucas ends up missing the meeting.
Like I mentioned in this re-cap post, Gwen carves into one of the desks with a fork belonging to Rosemary. Later in the episode, at the Coulter family’s house (where Gwen is currently residing), Gwen tries her hand at woodcarving under Lee’s guiding eye. The two instances I brought up make me wonder if Gwen will eventually take up woodcarving as a hobby? Maybe this new hobby will help Gwen pass the time and make new friends until she can be reunited with her father?
Rupert is one of Elizabeth’s newest students from Benson Hills. During class, he brings up his past studies about ancient Rome. Rupert even talks about a class project he made that became lost in the fire. In my list of the Thirteen Questions for When Calls the Heart’s 13th Season, I wondered if another student would receive the Hope Valley Scholarship. With Rupert’s expressed desire for learning, could Rupert be the next Hope Valley Scholarship recipient? Though he is one of Benson Hills’ students, perhaps he could be the exception to the rule.
In this episode of When Calls the Heart, Elizabeth brings up the idea of a poetry club, in order to encourage Oliver to read William Shakespeare’s work. Reflecting on Elizabeth’s idea, it would be great if Hope Valley had a book club! The library would be the club’s official meeting spot. Different stories and genres could be explored within the club. Maybe they could even solve mysteries like in the Ainsley McGregor Mysteries series! Since Hearties know a fourteenth season is on the horizon, perhaps Hope Valley could see its first book club come to fruition.
What are your thoughts on this episode of When Calls the Heart? What lessons do you hope Elizabeth’s students learn in their upcoming school year? Please tell me in the comment section!
I’ve heard Hope Valley referred as a “sanctuary” in this episode of When Calls the Heart. While this was a reference to Benson Hills’ evacuees coming to Hope Valley, I’ve thought about the town as a “sanctuary” for other characters on the show. When Mei was introduced back in season nine, Hope Valley became her “sanctuary” as she was escaping from a bad relationship. Hope Valley was also a “sanctuary” for both Jesse and Clara, as they found a second chance and love in this very town. And, recently, Hope Valley has turned into a “sanctuary” for Jack Jr. and Elizabeth, providing Jack Jr. with a healthy place to live and Elizabeth peace of mind. Hope Valley has been plentiful for its residents, giving them what truly needed. Whether it was forgiveness, extra help on math homework, or an opportunity to give back, everyone in Hope Valley has been provided for.
Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason thirteen poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 13
Episode: 2
Name: Up in Smoke
Major stories:
Allie, Cooper, Toby, and Opal are lost within a fiery Goldie National Park. Attempting to find their way out of the park, Opal and Allie travel in one direction while Toby and Cooper go in another direction. Fortunately, all four children are rescued by Nathan, Bill, Oliver, and Joseph. Meanwhile, Lucas leads some of Hope Valley’s residents to create a fire trap in order to stop the fire. With the fire potentially spreading to Hope Valley, evacuation plans are made. Edie even rescues her animals from her cabin. But because winds eventually move easterly, Hope Valley is out of the fire’s path. However, the changing winds make Benson Hills the fire’s next target. Rosemary warns the town through a radio broadcast, giving residents enough time to flee. Though the fire burns past the fire trap and destroys Benson Hills’ main street, as well as half the town’s houses, there are no casualties. But Benson Hills is not the only location to be affected by the fire. Goldie National Park is destroyed and Rosemary’s Playhouse went up in smoke.
Hope Valley literally and figuratively opens its doors to the evacuated residents of Benson Hills. One of those residents is a young girl named Gwendolyn. During the evacuation, Gwendolyn and her father became separated. Until her father comes to Hope Valley to reunite with his daughter, Gwendolyn vows to stay at the saloon. As the day carries on, however, Gwendolyn’s father doesn’t show up in Hope Valley. But Gwendolyn agrees to stay with the Coulters and be Goldie’s babysitter. The next day, Gwendolyn learns from Nathan her father is staying at a hospital in Buxton. At the moment, though, Gwendolyn is advised not to visit her father yet, as doctors don’t want his injuries to become infected.
Everyone in Hope Valley lends a helping hand during the fire at Goldie National Park. Besides the rescue and fire trap efforts, Lee and Mike also attempt to put out the fire with the town’s fire truck. As the fire spreads to Benson Hills, donations for the evacuees are given and organized. Even Minnie cooks hot meals for them. With the day turning into night, other residents of Hope Valley make big impacts through small acts. Rosemary and Lucas host a magic show to entertain the children. When the power goes out, Faith makes sure the Infirmary’s refrigerator is properly working with the help of a back-up generator. This way, Jack Jr. can always have Insulin available. Even though the power returns the following day and everyone is accounted for, the timing of everything doesn’t feel like a coincidence to Lee. He brings up the idea of an investigation to Bill and Nathan, believing McGinty is responsible for starting the fire.
There were no minor stories in this episode because all the stories revolved around the fire at Goldie National Park.
Campfire with marshmellows and shooting stars image created by macrovector at freepik.com.
Some thoughts to consider:
As I said in this re-cap post, Rosemary’s Playhouse went up in smoke. When Lee told Rosemary what happened, I became incredibly disappointed, especially after expressing excitement in the last re-cap post over finally seeing Rosemary’s theater come to life. What’s also disappointing is how the theater itself wasn’t shown on screen yet. I’d like to think Rosemary’s Playhouse could get rebuilt by the end of the season. But When Calls the Heart does not have a strong track record when it comes to keeping promises. One such example is when the show promised to give Jesse and Clara an outdoor wedding despite the show’s creative team knowing the weather would prevent them from filming any outdoor events. At this point, I’m cautiously optimistic.
On social media, I’ve read some comments from Lucas’ fans expressing their disinterest in seeing Lucas and Edie falling in love. They believe Miranda MacDougall and Chris McNally, the actress and actor who portray Edie and Lucas, lack on-screen chemistry. While I wouldn’t mind seeing Lucas and Edie become a couple, they haven’t shared enough screentime together for me to determine if Chris and Miranda truly share on-screen chemistry that is strong. Even though this is only the second episode, I hope Edie and Lucas get to spend more time together this season.
Despite only being season thirteen’s second episode, the episode itself was very strong! Higher stakes were consistently incorporated into the story. The characters well-being was in danger without the screenwriters believing they had to kill characters off the show. Plus, the outcome of the fire leaves a lot of questions for the rest of the season. It’ll be interesting to see where the story goes from here.
What are your thoughts on this episode of When Calls the Heart? Do you think the fire at Goldie National Park was intentionally started? Leave your thoughts in the comment section!
In the season thirteen premiere of When Calls the Heart, Rosemary and Lee have a conversation about Rosemary’s new Playhouse. She’s discouraged by a news article from the Benson Hills Beatle calling the Playhouse a “vanity project”. Lee reassures his wife by reminding Rosemary how opening the Playhouse is her way of sharing her heart with everyone. As I’ve mentioned in past Sunset Over Hope Valley re-cap posts, my introductions are inspired either by what a character says, something that happens in an episode, or an observation I’ve made while watching the show. When Lee’s conversation with Rosemary made her theater finally seem like a reality, I knew I had to bring it up in my re-cap’s introduction! As a Heartie who’s been watching When Calls the Heart since literally day one, I have been waiting for Rosemary’s dream of opening a theater to come true for over ten years. I’ve even brought it up in some of my re-cap posts as well as articles related to the show. Though few details were revealed about the Playhouse, I’m excited to see Rosemary’s dream come to life in Hope Valley! Having a long-awaited wish granted is definitely a good way to start the New Year!
Just a reminder: If you did not see the season premiere of When Calls the Heart, there will be spoilers within this re-cap.
When Calls the Heartseason thirteen poster created by Hallmark Media, Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel
Season: 13
Episode: 1
Name: Up In the Air
Major stories:
Over the summer, Elizabeth, Jack Jr., Nathan, and Allie have been living at Charlotte’s boarding house in Cape Fullerton while Jack Jr. has received Diabetic treatment. This living situation was meant to be temporary, however, because the Infirmary in Hope Valley was being prepared to become a certified Diabetic center. But this plan is literally and figuratively derailed, as the country’s only medical inspector, Marvin, is unable to travel due to a railroad strike. So, the trip to Hope Valley for Allie, Nathan, Jack Jr., and Elizabeth is planned as a weekend excursion. Assuming she won’t come back to Hope Valley in time for the start of the school year, Elizabeth prepares to give Minnie her lesson plans. But during a conversation with Rosemary, Nathan comes up with an idea to keep his and Elizabeth’s family permanently in Hope Valley. Remembering what a boarder named Skeet Rivington said about his nephew, Nathan recruits Skeet’s nephew to fly Marvin to Hope Valley’s Infirmary. His plan is successful, as not only is the trip safely executed, the Infirmary officially becomes a certified Diabetic center. This allows Jack Jr., Elizabeth, Allie, and Nathan to stay in Hope Valley for good.
The grand opening of Goldie National Park is just around the corner. Hope Valley has been preparing for this day, from Rosemary and Lee posing for press photos to the town being decorated for the occasion. Even the younger residents of Hope Valley are looking forward to Goldie National Park’s grand opening. Oliver sketches a map of the park to include in the children’s park guidebook. Even Jack Jr. draws pictures for the guidebook covers. But when Toby, Cooper, Opal, and Allie go for a hike in the park, the residents of Hope Valley notice smoke coming from the park’s direction. Concerned over the well-being of Cooper, Allie, Toby, and Opal, the Mounties of Hope Valley (Bill, Nathan, and Oliver) ride toward the park to figure out what is going on.
Theater seats image created by weatherbox at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/weatherbox.”
Minor stories:
Henry’s son, Christopher, returns to Hope Valley. This time, he is installing the town’s first traffic light. Christopher likes working at the electric company that helped install the traffic light in Hope Valley. While the money is good, he enjoys being able to help others. During a conversation over lunch at the saloon, Christopher tells Henry about a job offer he’s interested in. Henry reminds his son how he’s more than just his job.
Summer was a busy season for Lucas and Edie. While Lucas prepared for his re-election campaign, Edie dealt with land related legal disputes. Edie utilized Lucas’ office at the saloon whenever he worked on governor duties. However, the idea of Edie and Lucas sharing an office was brought up. During a conversation between Lucas and Lee, as well as during a conversation among Edie, Mollie, and Florence, Lucas and Edie discuss how despite both of them being busy, they miss each other’s company. Though the true nature of Edie and Lucas’ relationship is still up in the air.
As I mentioned in the introduction of this re-cap post, Rosemary’s dream of opening a theater will finally come true. This could not have come at a better time for me. Lately, I’ve been heart-broken and frustrated about Eddie Munson being denied a second chance at receiving his full potential in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. So, seeing Rosemary’s theater come to fruition has not only given me some much needed joy, it has also given me something to look forward to for the rest of season thirteen!
McGinty, the disgruntled land-owner from season twelve, has returned to Hope Valley in the season thirteen premiere of When Calls the Heart. His conversation with Bill suggests he’s still bitter about how much prime farmland the national park is taking up. Based on the synopsis for upcoming episodes, the wildfire at the national park will be investigated. If the fire was intentionally started, I hope McGinty isn’t the guilty party because that would make the mystery’s outcome predictable. Personally, I’d like to see an interactive and engaging mystery, so the audience can try to solve the mystery alongside the show’s characters.
Like I said in this re-cap post’s introduction, I’ve been watching When Calls the Heart since literally day one. Looking back on how past seasons have begun, season thirteen has one of the better season premieres! This season’s first chapter does a nice job reintroducing Hearties to the world of Hope Valley without feeling overwhelming. Resolutions to conflicts also feel earned instead of being created for the sake of plot convenience. With a cliff-hanger conclusion and some pleasant surprises, season thirteen’s premiere provides enough story points to give the rest of the season intrigue!
Last July, I created a list of thirteen questions for When Calls the Heart’s thirteenth season. One of those questions was whether Edie would actually start her law firm in Hope Valley. Based on how Edie’s story has turned out, so far, in the season thirteen premiere, that law firm hasn’t become a reality yet. But since the season has just started, only time will tell where Edie’s story will go.
What are your thoughts on When Calls the Heart’s thirteenth season premiere? What are you looking forward to this season? Let me know in the comment section below!
In this editorial are spoilers for Stranger Things. Read at your own discretion.
I recently wrote an editorial, ‘Eddie Munson and Harris Trinsky: Two Sides of the Same Coin’, where I explained the similarities between Eddie Munson from Stranger Things and Harris Trinsky from Freaks and Geeks. While discussing how their stories were told in only one season, I brought up how there was speculation over whether Eddie could, somehow, return in Stranger Things’ fifth and final season. I’ve heard a variety of ideas how Eddie could come back. Some people have even wondered if Eddie will appear in Stranger Things’ last season at all. Based on how beloved Eddie is, I think he will appear in the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. But from what I’ve seen and heard, I have an idea for how Eddie might return. Before I explain the ending we could (and should) get, I want to remind my readers how everything I say is based purely on speculation. Even though the chances of viewers (and Eddie’s fans) receiving the ending I’ll propose are one in a million, I will explain throughout my editorial how it could and why it should be possible.
As I publish this editorial, my other editorial, ‘Eddie Munson and Harris Trinsky: Two Sides of the Same Coin’, has steadily grown in viewership, partly due to Eddie’s popularity. Original image created by 21 Laps Entertainment, Monkey Massacre, Netflix, and Upside Down Pictures
The Proposed Ending
During the climax of the final episode, “The Rightside Up”, the characters are in the middle of a battle with Vecna. During the epic battle, a scratching noise becomes louder and louder. The very next scene reveals the scratching noise is coming from colored pencils, as someone is drawing the battle from the previous scene. A close-up shot of the drawing itself gradually becomes a medium shot, showing Eddie Munson’s hands completing the masterpiece. As two more shots of Eddie drawing are shown, a voice-over from Wayne Munson, Eddie’s uncle, can be heard. He sounds like he’s having a conversation on the phone, saying things like “Eddie was just telling me about the Upside Down” and “I don’t know how he comes up with this stuff, but it’s certainly creative”.
The scene progresses to show it’s taking place in the Munson trailer. When Wayne approaches Eddie and asks him to see his latest drawing, Wayne (and the audience) sees other drawings and mementos related to past seasons of Stranger Things are found in Eddie’s notebook. Some of these include a newspaper article about Starcourt Mall, a portrait of Dustin Henderson, and even a note written by Chrissy Cunningham herself. As Wayne gives the notebook back to his nephew, he reminds Eddie how he’s been through so much, yet he’s proud of Eddie for using his creativity and imagination to overcome trauma and his other struggles. Wayne also tells his nephew how he’s genuinely excited to see what his future holds. While Wayne is saying these things, Eddie’s eyes start filling with tears, becoming overwhelmed with the love and support from his uncle. Eddie then tearfully says, “I wish everyone saw me like you do”. Wayne reassuringly tells Eddie, “Someday, they will”.
Overcome by his emotions (as well as his uncle’s love and support), Eddie bursts into tears. As Wayne gives his nephew a hug, the camera moves past them toward the living room of the Munson trailer. While a medium shot of the space gradually becomes a close-up shot, Eddie’s guitar and jacket are placed on a nearby chair. This visual tells the audience how music still plays a significant role in Eddie’s life. The final close-up shot shows two photos and an object placed on a table next to the chair I just mentioned. On the left is Eddie’s graduation portrait, not only indicating how 1986 was, indeed, Eddie’s year, he finally accomplished the one goal he wanted to achieve. On the right is a group photo of The Hellfire Club. This picture lets the audience know Dungeons and Dragons, as well as staying true to himself, remains important to Eddie. The object in the center is a snow globe featuring a tiny replica of Hawkins Public Library with small bats floating around inside.
While the scene between Dustin and Wayne is a well acted and written scene, I wish Dustin had told Eddie some that praise before he passed away. Original images created by 21 Laps Entertainment, Monkey Massacre, Netflix, and Upside Down Pictures
Why We Should Get This Ending
As you read the proposed ending of Stranger Things, you probably thought “I’ve seen this song and dance before”. That’s because it shares a lot of similarities with St. Elsewhere’s infamous series finale, “The Last One”, which reveals the entire show was a product of the imagination of the protagonist’s (Dr. Donald Westphall) son, Tommy. However, I think the creative team behind Stranger Things could take this concept and build upon it. Tommy appears in seventeen out of St. Elsewhere’s one hundred and thirty-seven episodes. While this fact establishes his presence on the show, Tommy’s inconsistent appearances and limited role in the overall story prevent the audience from developing an emotional attachment for him as a character. Though Eddie only appears in Stranger Things’ fourth season, he is featured in eight out of the season’s nine episodes. This allows Eddie to have a more consistent appearance on the show, as well as a more significant role in the season’s overarching story. Through my research for my editorial, ‘Eddie Munson and Harris Trinsky: Two Sides of the Same Coin’, I learned Eddie is a very beloved (and dearly missed) character. With everything I said, having Eddie be the one to imagine Stranger Things would give the final season’s ending more emotional weight.
I mentioned earlier how infamous St. Elsewhere’s series finale, “The Last One”, is due to the revelation the entire show was a product of Tommy’s imagination. Though this is not explicitly stated in the final episode. In fact, all Dr. Donald Westphall says is how Tommy is “in his own world”. But based on the context of Tommy’s appearances on St. Elsewhere, I believe he imagined the show itself to deal with changes and situations in his life that seem out of his control. In the second season’s eighth episode, “All About Eve”, Tommy learns from his father how the family’s housekeeper will be leaving them. Dr. Donald Westphall becomes hospitalized in season four’s fifth episode, “Slice O’Life”. The Westphall family even move to another state in the sixth season’s seventeenth episode, “Their Town”. With those three examples potentially causing stress or trauma in a child as young as Tommy, it would make sense for Tommy to utilize imagination to gain some control within the world around him. Like I mentioned in my editorial, ‘Eddie Munson and Harris Trinsky: Two Sides of the Same Coin’, Eddie has experienced trauma in his life, from his mom passing away to his dad becoming incarcerated. In Stranger Things’ first episode of the fourth season, “The Hellfire Club”, when Chrissy asks Eddie if he ever feels like he’s losing his mind, he tells her “on a daily basis”. Keeping this information in mind, Stranger Things being the result of Eddie’s imagination would be compatible with his story, giving him a sense of normalcy in a world that feels chaotic. Overcoming trauma being an explicitly stated reason for Eddie concocting the universe of the show could address themes of how resilient the mind is and how creativity and imagination can help heal, connect with others, and shape perspectives on the world.
While conducting research for my editorial, ‘Eddie Munson and Harris Trinsky: Two Sides of the Same Coin’, I discovered Eddie and Wayne never shared any scenes together in Stranger Things’ fourth season. By having uncle and nephew share a heart-felt moment in the series finale I proposed, it would give the creative team of Stranger Things an opportunity to present the audience a heartwarming scene they were denied in season four. Throughout the fourth season, I don’t recall any of the characters in Eddie’s life telling him they were proud of him. So, my proposed ending would allow Eddie to hear encouraging words he should have heard sooner. The series finale I proposed would also give Eddie a second chance to reach his full potential and receive a semblance of a happily ever after. In an article from Variety titled ‘Saying Goodbye to ‘Stranger Things’: The Duffer Brothers Tell All on Season 5 Secrets, the Tearful Finale and Leaving Netflix for Paramount (Exclusive)’, Ross Duffer, one of the show’s creators, stated “when future Netflix subscribers binge the entire series, “It doesn’t feel like we dropped a storyline – it all connects””. Ross’ comment, along with the possibility of a series finale reminiscent of St. Elsewhere’s “The Last One” could create a new theory, the Eddie Munson Universe Theory, similar to how St. Elsewhere’s series finale is responsible for the Tommy Westphall Universe Theory (shows that crossed over with St. Elsewhere and crossed over with the crossover shows were also a product of Tommy’s imagination). Like I mentioned in my editorial, ‘Eddie Munson and Harris Trinsky: Two Sides of the Same Coin’, Eddie is a very marketable character. Replicas of Eddie’s notebook and the snow globe I described earlier could be sold as official merchandise for $19.86 (yes, that price is intentional).
If the Eddie Munson Universe Theory was created, how would characters, like Dustin, be impacted by it? Original image created by 21 Laps Entertainment, Monkey Massacre, Netflix, and Upside Down Pictures
How We Could Get This Ending
Listed below are observations I’ve made that make me believe we could get a St. Elsewhere-esque ending where Eddie created Stranger Things through his imagination.
— In a video from the Youtube channel, Michael Jae, titled ‘Why This Would Be The Absolute Worst Ending For Stranger Things’, Michael claims “The Duffer brothers have said for a while now that they have known how the show was going to end, at least, back since season four”. That is the same season where Eddie made his debut.
— Within a video titled ‘Stranger Things Season 5 Finale Teased! (*EMOTIONAL*)’ from the Youtube channel, Film Stocked, Chris stated Stranger Things’ fifth and final season will “be set in November of 1987”, yet the on-screen text says “In The Fall of 1987”. Fall of 1987 is when the sixth and final season of St. Elsewhere made its debut, the very season that produced the infamous series finale, “The Last One”.
— In the Variety article I referenced earlier, it reveals “The Duffers studied series finales that they felt really worked”. One of these finales is from the television show, The Sopranos, which gained a well-known reputation for being one of the most controversial endings in television history due to the final scene abruptly cutting to black for no reason. I’d argue if we didn’t get St. Elsewhere’s “The Last One”, we may never have gotten the series finale of The Sopranos. With that said, perhaps the Duffer brothers (as well as the rest of Stranger Things’ creative team) could opt for a more conversional/divisive ending that leaves viewers talking long after the show ended?
— A replica of Eddie’s guitar is the grand prize in the Chips Ahoy! x Stranger Things Sweepstakes (which was created to promote the show’s fifth and final season)
— All four volumes of the comic book miniseries, Stranger Things x Dungeons & Dragons: The Rise of Hellfire (which is partially about Eddie’s past) were published in 2025, the same year Stranger Things’ fifth and final season is debuting in.
— The “Dungeons & Dragons Stranger Things: Welcome to The Hellfire Club” Adventure Box (a version of the game modeled after the game Eddie played in the fourth season) was released on October 7th, a month before Stranger Things’ first volume of season five premieres.
— Michael Jae shares a behind-the-scenes photo from Stranger Things in the video ‘Why Stranger Things Season 5 Writer Is Bringing Eddie Back!’ The photo, allegedly taken from a filmed scene, prominently features Eddie on a hospital stretcher. As I observed the photo for myself, I noticed Eddie didn’t appear to be wearing the black bandanna he wore in the fourth season’s last episode, “The Piggyback”. If the series finale I’ve been proposing does come to fruition, perhaps Eddie required a trip to the hospital due to the trauma/struggles Wayne reminds his nephew about? Maybe that filmed scene will be used as a flashback to explain what led up to Eddie imagining the world of Stranger Things?
— In that same video, ‘Why Stranger Things Season 5 Writer Is Bringing Eddie Back!’, Michael brings up the book, Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus by Caitlin Schneiderhan. He claims “the same writer is working on the Eddie book as well as season five”. Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus is also addressed in the Film Stocked video, ‘Stranger Things Season 5…Eddie Munson Returns?’. Chris explains in that video how the book’s author, Caitlin Schneiderhan, “was in the writer’s room for Stranger Things four and has been a part of Stranger Things’ crew since season two”.
— Michael Jae brings up in the video, ‘Joseph Quinn Just Spoiled Something Big in Stranger Things Season 5’, how the Duffer brothers emphasized “immediately after season four how big of a role Eddie’s death will play in season five”. If Stranger Things ends the way I’ve been proposing, maybe it will be revealed Eddie’s death was more figurative? With the possibility of Eddie creating the show’s universe through his imagination, perhaps Eddie dying and even his headstone are visual representations of how the parts of Eddie’s life plagued by trauma, struggles, and even grief have “died” due to him overcoming those issues, allowing him to be “now at peace” through healing and moving forward with the rest of his life? This would explain Eddie’s dilemma over running away throughout season four, his decision to stay and fight the Demobats, and even asking Dustin “I didn’t run away this time, right?”
— The clips I’ve seen of Eddie fighting the Demobats look, to me, like the bats are moving in a circular motion, almost as if they’re trapped in a snow globe. Even the terms “Upside Down” and “Rightside Up” sound like motions used to make the snowflakes in a snow globe move. First, you tip the snow globe “upside down” so the snowflakes go to the “bottom”. Then you flip the snow globe “rightside up”, allowing the snowflakes to fall as they would in real life.
— Any fan of Stranger Things would know Stranger Things Day takes place on November 6th because one of the show’s characters, Will Byers, disappeared on November 6th, 1983. But does anyone else notice how that date also takes place during the 1983-1984 school year, when Eddie tried to graduate high school the first time around? Could this detail just be coincidence or connected in some fashion?
— According to Stranger Things Wiki, “the curse gates converged upon the library on March 27th, 1986 (the day Eddie died). As I described earlier in this editorial, Eddie’s snow globe in the proposed ending features a tiny replica of Hawkins Public Library. Perhaps the aforementioned event could be a symbolic visual of how the library, like the mind, is the ultimate source of imagination?
— One of the villains of Stranger Things, Vecna, just so happens to be a character from Eddie’s “Cult of Vecna” Dungeons & Dragons campaign that Eddie himself brought up in season four’s very first episode, “The Hellfire Club” (the same episode Eddie made his official debut).
— In a short video from the Youtube channel, Film Stocked, Chris talks about the last episode of Stranger Things’ fifth and final season being shown in theaters. In the background, title cards announce volume one will premiere on November 26th and volume two will premiere on Christmas. These title cards feature a snowflake pattern, with The Hellfire Club’s logo in the middle of some of the snowflakes and the initials ‘HFC’ (standing for The Hellfire Club) above those snowflakes.
— Eddie’s solo of Metallica’s ‘Master of Puppets’ was one of the most memorable moments not just in season four, but arguably in Stranger Things’ history. But have you ever wondered why Eddie picked that specific song to perform? While we know Eddie is a Dungeon Master, perhaps the song choice is an allusion to Eddie being the “master” of Stranger Things’ universe, with the other characters and stories simply being “puppets”?
This is the behind-the-scenes photo from Michael Jae’s Youtube video, ‘Why Stranger Things Season 5 Writer Is Bringing Eddie Back!’, I referenced. If you look really closely, you’ll noticed how it doesn’t look like Eddie is wearing the black bandanna he wore in “The Piggyback”.
These are the title cards from Film Stocked’s Youtube video, ‘STRANGER THINGS SEASON 5 FINALE OFFICIALLY COMING TO THEATERS!’, I referenced. Some of the snowflakes I described have been circled for greater emphasis on my point.
Why I Hope We Get This Ending
Back in 2022, I wrote a list about the top ten characters who didn’t reach their full potential. In that list, I explained how a character reaching their “full potential” means a character is given the opportunity to reach their goals, make their dreams come true, and allow their stories to be told to a satisfying extent. Though the list only features ten characters, I can think of more that fit the criteria. And, frankly, this thought makes me tired of seeing characters not reaching their full potential for a variety of reasons. Creatively speaking, this seems like a growing problem without an obvious solution. But if my proposed ending of Stranger Things comes true, the show’s creative team would find, at least, one answer to this problem. I can only speak for myself, but I’d rather think about Eddie finally graduating high school, the world being his oyster, and doing anything and everything his heart desires. Similar to St. Elsewhere’s series finale, “The Last One”, it would be a commonly discussed ending, extending the relevancy of Stranger Things a little bit longer. Plus, it would recontextualize the entire show, allowing the audience to see things from a new perspective.
If Stranger Things was the result of Eddie’s imagination, how would it change the context of scenes like Eddie’s ‘Master of Puppets’ solo? Original images created by 21 Laps Entertainment, Monkey Massacre, Netflix, and Upside Down Pictures
St. Elsewhere‘s official IMDB page: imdb.com/title/tt0083483/?ref_=ttfc_ov_bk
Michael Jae Youtube Channel: ‘Why This Would Be The Absolute Worst Ending For Stranger Things’, ‘Why Stranger Things Season 5 Writer Is Bringing Eddie Back!’, and ‘Joseph Quinn Just Spoiled Something Big in Stranger Things Season 5’
Film Stocked Youtube Channel: ‘Stranger Things Season 5 Finale Teased! (*EMOTIONAL*)’, ‘Stranger Things Season 5…Eddie Munson Returns?’, and ‘STRANGER THINGS SEASON 5 FINALE OFFICIALLY COMING TO THEATERS!’
18 Cinema Lane 